Addabbo: Ready for a productive State legislative session

As he prepares for a challenging and, according to the Senator, productive legislative session, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. has been reappointed to serve as Majority Deputy Whip for the Democratic Conference. The Senator will also continue his service as Chair of the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, in addition to serving on the Budget & Revenue, Civil Service & Pensions, Education, Insurance, Veterans Homeland Security & Military Affairs, and Rules Committees. It will be the first session for Addabbo to be on the Budget and Insurance Committees.

“I’m honored to serve on seven committees dealing with issues that are critically important to my constituents,” Addabbo said. “These assignments will ensure I continue to be directly involved with decision-making when considering legislation and during the budget process. Advocating for public safety, senior citizens, working families, housing, and our state’s veterans has always been of utmost importance to me. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on these key committees.”

As Chair of the Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, Senator Addabbo added, “I’m thrilled to report that New York mobile sports betting ended its first year of legal action with $16.2 billion in handle, the biggest single-year total in the country, since the US Supreme Court authorized state-regulated sports betting in 2018. Sportsbooks generated $1.4 billion in gross gaming NY sports betting revenue, bringing in a record of over $693 million in state tax revenue to go toward public education, youth sports, and gambling addiction programs. In 2023, New York will look to become the fifth state in the country to allow for regulated online gambling. At a time when revenue is most critical to our state, I am eager to deliver another outstanding and popular source of revenue and greater protections against problem gambling.”

The Senator stated that due to feedback from his constituents, he intends to make public safety one of the highest priority issues during budget negotiations and the legislative session. Health care, education, veterans programs, the environment, jobs, transportation, and addressing the high cost of living in the state are also top priorities for the senator. Addabbo encourages his constituents to contact his new Woodhaven or Middle Village offices to give input on these or any other issue.