S1731

The New York State Senate passed S1731, a bill renaming an OASAS scholarship in honor of Father Peter Young, a Roman Catholic priest who spent more than 60 years serving the Capital Region and pioneering addiction treatment and criminal justice reform. The measure passed on a roll call vote, 58-0. Sen. Fahy, the bill's sponsor, explained that Father Young was instrumental in educating the public that addiction is a disease rather than a character flaw. The priest trained as a chaplain at Mount McGregor Corrections facility in the 1960s and went on to establish Father Peter Young Industries, which served individuals across 60 New York counties. The renamed scholarship will support students training to treat addiction and those in recovery, connecting them to Father Young's legacy of courage and hope in addressing addiction and incarceration.

The New York State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Fahy to rename the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) addiction services and supports scholarship program after Father Peter Young, a legendary Albany Catholic priest and chaplain. The bill, Senate Print 1731 (Calendar No. 1277), passed unanimously 58-0 on a roll call vote. Father Young, ordained in 1959, was remembered as a trailblazer in criminal justice reform who pioneered rehabilitation programs in prisons and served over 3,500 individuals across 117 sites in 60 New York counties during his 60-year ministry. Sen. Stavisky and Sen. Ashby both spoke in support, recalling Young's invocations delivered in the Senate chamber and his personal impact on their lives. The scholarship program supports students pursuing careers in addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery—work that Young championed throughout his career. The bill takes effect 30 days after becoming law.