Republican members of the New York Senate are pictured as Rob Ortt, Senate Republican leader, speaks during a news conference in Albany.

The New York State Senate Republican Conference has unveiled “A New Hope For The Empire State,” their legislative agenda for 2024.

The agenda prioritizes the issues that affect everyday New Yorkers, but have been neglected by the radical left politicians who control Albany.

“New Yorkers are deeply dissatisfied with the direction of our state and our Conference is here to provide an alternative path forward. I have traveled throughout the state and people are tired, frustrated and angry. They feel forgotten. Over the course of the year we have seen crimes and costs rise. Antisemitism is infiltrating our schools and communities and has become the norm. The migrant crisis has only gotten worse because New York City politicians continue to push their feel good policies, but it is these radical policies that are driving New Yorkers out. As the Leader of this conference, I will not take a back seat to the progressive agenda destroying our state. Our Republican Conference will fight to give hope to those New Yorkers who feel they have no alternative but to leave our state. Our common sense agenda provides solutions to build a greater New York for future generations,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

The senators’ plan includes the following:

INCREASING AFFORDABILITY

Reigning in out of control spending: enact a spending cap, rejecting tax increases and unfunded mandates, and providing tax relief for all New Yorkers;

Taking action to help all New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet by rejecting extreme climate proposals, incentivizing new housing construction to deal with the housing shortage, and making child care more accessible and affordable; and

Improving the state’s business climate by protecting small businesses and farms by reducing regulations and unfair costs.

IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY

Protecting New Yorkers from antisemitism and other hateful violence by making any antisemitic behavior a hate crime, making all hate crimes bail eligible, protecting hate crime victims and houses of worship, and implementing financial penalties on both college universities and students who condone or engage in antisemitic behavior while receiving state aid;

Rejecting efforts to continue New York a sanctuary state status;

Reversing failed criminal justice policies that have made our communities less safe, including bail reform, discovery reform, and others;

Rejecting policies that put criminals above victims and law-abiding New Yorkers; and

Providing more services and funding to address mental health crisis and substance abuse disorders.

BUILDING A GREATER NEW YORK

Closing the pandemic learning gap, expanding school choice, and further investing in vocational education and workforce development;

Providing support to our veterans to reacclimate and find educational and career opportunities; and

Investing in and strengthening our infrastructure to encourage growth.

“It seems that New York Democrats have adopted a strategy of ignoring the chaos and crime their radical policies have created in the hope they can convince state residents that life in the Empire State under their rule is just fine. But, like all of their strategies, it’s failing miserably. New Yorkers are painfully aware that affordability, public safety and accountability have all worsened under Democrat one-party rule. That is why hard-working, productive New Yorkers are fleeing our state in record numbers. Our plan offers practical, achievable solutions for improving all of these issues and reversing the damage of the past five years. It needs to be enacted before it’s too late,” said Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay.