Hudson Valley News

A freshman New York State senator has introduced a number of bills aimed at growing local economies and creating jobs. The legislation package especially targets New York’s upstate region.

Democratic State Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk of the 46th District rolled out a package of economic development bills she says would help small businesses and farms. She announced the bills in Greene County Wednesday, on Main Street in Catskill.

As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was introducing a measure to crack down on political corruption Tuesday, a local legislator in the Hudson Valley started work on a proposal for his county, one he hopes becomes law on the state level as well.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Tuesday proposed legislation that establishes a new class of public corruption crimes and enables prosecutors to better crack down on public corruption. The proposal comes on the heels of two federal political corruption cases last week involving elected officials in New York.

ALBANY – Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor (R, Fishkill) said the governor’s proposed legislation to get tough on public corruption is only a first step.

Lalor said the second step “has to be clearing the legislature of leadership that has tolerated corruption,” and that should start at the top of the Assembly with Democrat Speaker Sheldon Silver stepping down.

The freshman lawmaker said there should be term limits on the legislature and those in its leadership positions.

Lalor also called for the end to member items.