Public Education is the Backbone of Democracy
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Dear Friends:
This past week, the Senate Education Committee and the Committee on Budget & Revenues launched regional roundtable discussions to hear from stakeholders regarding the components of the Foundation Aid Formula. On Wednesday, October 16th, we were in Yonkers for the Hudson Valley Roundtable, and on Friday, October 18th, we were in Buffalo for the Western New York Roundtable. Thank you to my colleagues who participated and the many education leaders, advocates, teachers, and administrators for sharing their thoughts and analysis on how the state can achieve greater equity in school financing by reexamining how we measure student, district, and community needs. There are three upcoming roundtables and one public hearing. Find out more about the upcoming sessions below.
On Tuesday, October 15th, I was glad to gather with members of the Star Legacy Foundation and Assemblyman David Buchwald to commemorate Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day & Month. Parents who have experienced stillbirth have gone through unspeakable pain. Assemblyman Buchwald and I have introduced a new bill to provide affected parents with financial relief for associated expenses. Read more about this bill in the section below.
Another bill that I am sponsoring protects consumers from undue increases to long term care insurance premiums. S.6674 empowers the Superintendent of Financial Services to approve, modify, or reject an insurer's application to adjust premiums. Read more about this bill in the section below.
Starting on October 26th, New Yorkers will be able to vote early. All registered voters are eligible to vote early from Saturday, October 26th to Sunday, November 3rd. Check details below for dates, times, and polling sites for Early Voting. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.
Sunday, October 27th marks the one year anniversary of the horrific Tree of Life Synagogue
shooting
in Pittsburgh, PA that took the lives of 11 congregants. On this anniversary, I am joining the AJC in asking community members to #ShowUpForShabbat as a show of solidarity with the American Jewish community. Please visit
AJC.org/ShowUpforShabbat
to find a local service in your community during the weekend of October 25-26th.
As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if there is an issue my office can help with or a community event you would like me to know about. You can call 914-934-5250 or smayer@nysenate.gov.
Kind regards,
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Commemorating Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day & Month
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On Tuesday, October 15th, I was glad to stand with Assemblyman David Buchwald; Samantha Banerjee, Vice Chair of the Star Legacy Foundation, NY Metro Chapter; and other members of the Star Legacy Foundation to commemorate Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day at White Plains Hospital.
1 in 160 pregnancies ends in a stillbirth. The tragic aftermath leaves parents with tremendous grief, emotional and social costs, and financial expenses no parent should ever have to pay for: burial, headstone, autopsy, and more.
I am glad to sponsor a new bill, S.3709, to provide affected parents with financial relief. S.3709 will grant a $2,000 refundable tax credit to families who experience a stillbirth. Special thank you to Samantha Banerjee for sharing her story and for her tremendous advocacy. There are many resources available locally and statewide for those who need support after undergoing this tragedy. Please visit
starlegacyfoundation.org
to find out more.
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Elaina Vietz, Star Legacy member; Marianne Walsh, Facilitator of the Maggie Rose Perinatal Bereavement Program; State Senator Shelley B. Mayer; Emily Blair, Star Legacy member; Samantha Banerjee, Vice Chair of the Start Legacy Foundation, NY Metro Chapter with her daughter Mia; Bobbie Cohlan, Star Legacy member; Assemblyman David Buchwald; and Donna Kleinberger, White Plains Hospital Nurse, Bereavement Group leader, and Star Legacy member.
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Protecting Consumers from Undue Increases to Long Term Care Insurance Premiums
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Long term care insurance helps cover the cost of long nursing home stays, health care aides at home, adult day care, and parts of assisted living--services Medicare generally does not cover. Many people have turned to long term care insurance to fill this gap in coverage and to avoid paying out of pocket for these essential services later in life. However, premiums are increasing at an unaffordable pace, with inadequate communication from insurance carriers. After years of paying premiums, some have been forced to drop their long term care insurance plans entirely due to lack of affordability. Increased oversight and transparency is necessary in this process.
A bill that I am sponsoring in the State Senate, S.6674, required a formal process for long term care insurance carriers to obtain approval from the Superintendent of Financial Services for proposed increases to premiums. To begin the process of adjusting premiums, an insurer must send written notice to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and to each policy holder of any proposed rate adjustment, which DFS will post on its website. Policy holders will then have 30 days to contact DFS with questions or comments.
After the comment period is over, DFS has an additional 30 days to make a determination on the insurance carrier's rate adjustment application and is empowered to approve, modify, or reject an insurer's application to adjust premiums, or ask for additional information. DFS will also release an analysis of its actuarial assumptions and methods and whether the proposed premium adjustment is in the best interest of policy holders.
S.6674 creates protections, accountability, and transparency for those paying long term care insurance premiums. I am fighting to keep premiums affordable for this essential insurance policy.
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For the first time in New York State history, New Yorkers can vote early from Saturday, October 26th, to Sunday, November 3rd. All registered voters in New York State are eligible to cast their ballot early.
Your Early Voting polling site may be different than your Election Day polling site. To find out where to go to vote early,
click here
.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th. For information regarding elections in your municipality, the League of Women Voters provides detailed information on local races at
www.vote411.org.
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Upcoming Regional Roundtables Regarding the Foundation Aid Formula
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Hudson Valley Roundtable on Wednesday, October 16th.
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Participation at the roundtables is by invitation only. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and listen.
Central New York Roundtable
: Tuesday, October 29th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Syracuse Center of Excellence, 727 E. Washington St, Room 203, Syracuse
Long Island Roundtable
: Wednesday, November 13th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Seaford Middle School, 3940 Sunset Ave, Seaford
New York City Roundtable
: Tuesday, November 19th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Bayside High School, 3224 Corporal Kennedy St, Bayside
Public Hearing in Manhattan
: Tuesday, December 3rd, 10:00 AM
250 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY, 10007
Those who wish to testify at the public hearing in New York City, or to submit testimony in writing, should fill out the form
available here
and email it to asciutto@nysenate.gov. Members of the public are encouraged to sign-up to testify at the public hearing or submit written testimony.
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Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
in New Rochelle
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Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins; Jackeline Agudelo, Executive Director of the United Community Center in Westchester; New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson; State Senator Shelley B. Mayer; Ellen Hendrickx, Greenburgh Town Council; Damon Maher, Westchester County Legislator.
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On Monday, October 7th, I co-hosted an Hispanic Heritage Month celebration with Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins at the United Community Center of Westchester (UCCW). The celebration included a performance by the local dance troupe Alma Solana and a panel titled “Community Tactics for the 2020 Census: What You Can Do to Ensure a Complete Count.” We also presented Jackeline A. Agudelo, the Executive Director of the UCCW with a NYS Senate Proclamation celebrating her work and service to the community.
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Jirandy Martinez, Executive Director of the Community Resource Center; Jeff Behler, U.S. Census Bureau -- New York Regional Director; and Zeltzyn Sanchez Gomez, Co-Chair of the Village of Port Chester Complete Count Committee participating in a discussion regarding the 2020 Census.
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Gonzalo Cruz, Lupita Barajas, Adriana Chaparro and John Meca of the local dance troupe Alma Solana. The dance troupe is a Latin American heritage dance ensemble that offers cultural presentations within the Sound Shore community and throughout Westchester.
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In June 2019, New York State enacted legislation establishing the strongest protections for renters in at least a generation. At this forum you will learn about these laws and get answers to your questions.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Wartburg Conference Center
One Wartburg Place, Mt. Vernon, NY 10552
Speakers:
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April Gray-Huertas
Deputy Bureau Chief of Property Management
NYS Homes & Community Renewal
Marcie Kobak
Supervising Attorney
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
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Joshua Levin
Fair Housing Director
Westchester County Human Rights Commission
Woody Pascal
Deputy Commissioner
NYS Homes & Community Renewal
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RSVP to HumanRights@westchestergov.com or call 914-995-7710.
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As we approach the one year anniversary of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Sunday, October 27th, I encourage community members to #ShowUpForShabbat at a local synagogue and stand with the American Jewish community. You can find services in your area at
AJC.org/ShowUpForShabbat.
Proactive solidarity with our neighbors of all different religions, races, ethnicities and backgrounds is the most powerful force we have against hatred.
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On Wednesday, November 6th, please join me and Assemblyman Nader Sayegh for a Town Hall event at Sarah Lawrence College.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
5:00 - 7:00 PM
Sarah Lawrence College
Barbara Walters Campus Center Auditorium
1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708
For more information, please call 914-934-5250 or email smayer@nysenate.gov.
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STATE SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER
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