Griffo and Senate Republicans unveil ‘A New Hope For The Empire State’ 2024 legislative agenda

New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-C-Rome, and the New York State Senate Republican Conference recently unveiled “A New Hope For The Empire State,” their legislative agenda for 2024.  

“A New Hope For The Empire State” is a comprehensive agenda outlining a plan to fight for New Yorkers who are tired of one-party control in Albany, which has been responsible for flawed, problematic and destructive policies over the past several years that have forced New Yorkers to the brink.  

This agenda prioritizes increasing affordability, improving public safety and building a greater New York. It would do so by: 

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, increasing affordable housing options, and making childcare 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 any efforts to make New York a sanctuary state; 
• 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 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.

   

“One-party control has resulted in many misguided and out-of-touch policies that have had a detrimental effect on our state and forced many New Yorkers to flee for better opportunities elsewhere,” Sen. Griffo said. “We have seen criminals and illegal migrants prioritized over law-abiding citizens while burdensome taxes, mandates and regulations continue to crush families, businesses and communities. A change in direction and a different approach is needed, as I have continued to advocate. Our plan will provide a new hope for New Yorkers and offers sensible solutions that will make New York more affordable, provide for greater economic opportunity, improve public safety and build a stronger, better and more prosperous state.” 

More details of the New York State Senate Republicans’ “A New Hope for the Empire State” 2024 legislative agenda will be unveiled in the coming weeks.  

“It is clear New Yorkers are unhappy,” Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt said. “Our plan offers a vision to correct that and bring New York back as a desirable place to live. As we head into a new legislative session, we will outline common-sense solutions to address these issues and improve the quality of life of every New Yorker.”