Senator Young Named Ranking Member of Senate Elections and Ethics Committees

ALBANY - Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I – Olean) has been appointed to a high ranking leadership post within the New York State Senate Republican Conference. She has also been designated as the ranking Republican member of two committees, Elections and Ethics and Internal Governance.

“I am enthusiastic about continuing my leadership efforts as Assistant Minority Leader for Conference Operations. In this new political environment where all three branches of government are now controlled by New York City interests, assuring the strength and voice of upstate has never been more important.” 

“As the ranking Republican member on the Elections and Ethics committees, I look forward to tackling difficult issues that are vital to ensuring the integrity of our electoral system and our political leaders and processes. The public should be able to have trust in their government and elected officials. Yet, polls show that public confidence is at an all-time low. We clearly have our work cut out for us.” 

“The Elections committee is poised to be one of the most active in this new session. Controversial issues such as early voting and public financing of campaigns which would further burden taxpayers and open up opportunities for fraud and abuse have been repeatedly cited by New York City Democratic leaders as top priorities,” said Senator Young. “Working to safeguard New Yorkers from proposals like these as well as advancing new initiatives aimed at improving and strengthening New York’s election laws will be key goals.”

“Last January, following the revelations of the #MeToo movement, I was the first one to introduce a comprehensive sexual harassment proposal which eventually became the framework for New York’s historic new law.  There is clearly more that can and should be done in this area and as the Ranking member on the Ethics Committee, I look forward to working in partnership with my colleagues to build on the foundation we laid last year.” 

“Ethics and public accountability are front and center in the public dialogue right now and they should be. The Senate passed many good government reforms in 2018 with bi-partisan support which represents a strong starting place for action in 2019,” Senator Young said. “There are many opportunities in front of us and I am eager to get to work.”

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