Sen. Cordell Cleare

The bill addresses a critical need for transparency in rental housing by requiring disclosure of beneficial owners of buildings held through complex LLC structures. Cleare argued that mystery ownership serves no useful public purpose and that good actors in housing have no problem with accountability.

The bill addresses the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 (drowning) and responds to racial inequities in drowning incidents. It will require schools to inform parents about water safety education and swimming lessons, ultimately saving lives.

The Youth Justice Innovation Fund would unlock the potential of Raise the Age by directing $50 million to community-based organizations for prevention, intervention, and alternatives to incarceration for youth ages 12-25. Youth crime has consistently declined since 2018, demonstrating the law's success in improving community safety and youth well-being.

The bill logically extends New York's existing prohibition on private prisons by preventing state-chartered banks from profiting from an activity the state deems morally unpalatable. Private prisons have poor safety standards, high staff turnover (43%), increased violence, and lack accountability or compassion for incarcerated individuals.

Explained the bill would eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sex trafficking and extend the civil lawsuit window for survivors, enabling district attorneys to effectively prosecute human trafficking cases and hold perpetrators accountable while providing justice for survivors.

The bill creates a balanced approach allowing survivors of domestic violence, elder abuse, and exploitation to suspend collection on coerced debt and seek relief from such obligations, enabling them to heal without lifelong financial burdens.

As chair of the Aging Committee, she emphasized that seniors deserve every benefit available and that the bill prevents tax spikes caused by missed recertification notices. She called for additional notifications as a necessary step toward eventually making these benefits instantaneous.

Noted that commercial kitchen installation costs of $20,000 or more are prohibitive for entrepreneurs. Argued that shared commercial kitchens are proven solutions but insufficient in number, and the bill represents smart, targeted economic development investment.

The bill addresses the needs of over 400,000 New Yorkers with Alzheimer's and 540,000 caregivers by creating a centralized database of successful programs on the State Office for the Aging website, enabling replication of best practices and providing families with confidence-building resources for care strategies.

Sponsor argued that fraud and abuse remain prevalent against New York's fastest-growing senior population, and the task force will establish comprehensive collaboration between agencies, stakeholders, and experts to develop protective strategies and improve policy alignment.

Argued that medically necessary dental procedures should be covered by Medicaid to address oral health needs of vulnerable residents, particularly older New Yorkers, noting the connection between oral health and broader health impacts.

The lifetime ban on jury service for formerly convicted individuals is unjust, counterproductive to rehabilitation, and perpetuates inequitable outcomes. The bill restores jury service rights and allows New York to join nearly half the states in this practice, enabling people to be judged by peers with similar lived experiences.

Argued that since New York bans private prisons, it is logical to prohibit state-chartered banks from profiting from them. Cited constituent experiences with family members in private prisons, noting poor conditions, lack of accountability, untrained staff, and unnecessary deaths, describing private prisons as a 'moral, ethical and policy scourge.'

The bill ensures fairness by requiring return of all identification materials seized at incarceration, building on prior legislation providing government IDs to released individuals. Codifying the procedure in statute is necessary because process and norms lack the force of law and many have reported issues retrieving seized articles.

The bill eliminates a burdensome separate application process for the Medicare Savings Program by treating Medicare Part D applications as presumed eligibility, ensuring more older New Yorkers access savings that enhance their quality of life and health.

The bill requires commercial insurance to cover full nipple areola complex reconstruction, including tattooing, which reduces surgical risks and helps breast cancer survivors feel whole during recovery. With 20,000 new cases diagnosed annually in New York, this coverage gap has led to decreased reconstruction procedures.

Described tragic lithium-ion battery fires in her district, including a winter incident in Hamilton Heights that killed one person and injured nearly 20. She stated the bill is part of a nine-bill safety package designed to increase awareness, training, and outreach to prevent future fires.

The bill addresses the economic component of abuse by establishing a process for survivors to suspend collection on coerced debt and seek relief, with appeals available if coercion is not found. This allows survivors to move forward without lifelong financial burdens imposed by abusers.

Sponsor argued the bill addresses a critical need for over 540,000 caregivers by centralizing successful dementia and Alzheimer's programs on the State Office for the Aging website, enabling replication of best practices and providing families with confidence-based resources for care strategies.

Expressed gratitude for Medicaid rate increases leveraging federal funds and doula expansion while committing to fight for rebasing and more generous COLAs in future years.

Supported provisions to close unlicensed cannabis shops, which she said harm legal businesses and deny tax revenue while endangering children.

Called trophy hunting a 'sickening practice' with no place in Africa or New York State. Praised the bill as humane and compassionate, noting it aligns with existing bans on ivory and rhinoceros horn imports.

As a member of the Cultural Affairs committee, she praised the bill for establishing statewide guidelines and expressed confidence that areas like Harlem and East Harlem, rich in cultural tradition, will soon have designated arts and cultural districts.

Argued that mothers faced disproportionate pandemic impacts and need thoughtful, targeted state assistance. Cited AARP research and AFL-CIO support for the bill.

The bill addresses the legacy of redlining and housing discrimination by discouraging appraisal discrimination through license revocation and fines directed to antidiscrimination efforts. She cited a 2022 New York Times report showing a $278,000 disparity in home appraisals based on owner race.

The bill extends protections already afforded to parolees to probationers by prohibiting sexual conduct with their direct supervisory officer. This addresses power imbalances that can lead to manipulation and makes the justice system more equitable and fair.

Described families in her district traveling great distances only to find their loved ones had been moved, causing financial hardship and inconvenience to already-struggling families.

As sponsor, explained that rent-stabilized tenants earn a median of $47,000 annually and pay 36 percent of income in rent. Emphasized that transparency regarding rent history is essential given historical fraud and collusion in rent pricing, and that housing is a human right that should not be held hostage by the unscrupulous.

The bill addresses a significant health disparity by creating an official study program and dedicated funding for uterine fibroid research, particularly to understand disproportionate impacts on Black women and women of color. This will make women safer and healthier.

Sponsor explained that SCRIE is a critical tool for freezing rents for seniors on fixed incomes. The bill expands eligibility by excluding unreimbursed medical and prescription drug expenses from income calculations, allowing more seniors to qualify for the program's benefits.

Emphasized that incarcerated women face unique healthcare risks and lack adequate access to screening and preventive care. Cited a 2019 report documenting serious medical treatment issues in New York prisons and argued the bill is necessary for equity and justice.

Argued that the bill is needed to ensure arts and cultural organizations tell the whole story of communities and history, with particular focus on supporting small, diverse community-centric organizations that have historically struggled to gain support compared to large institutions.

Argued that the bill targets smart, strategic economic development investments by utilizing existing community partners and shared resources to support entrepreneurs, particularly those in low-income communities who face prohibitive costs for commercial kitchen installation.

Cleare explained the bill increases awareness and outreach about uterine fibroids to vulnerable populations, particularly Black women, to improve symptom recognition and timely diagnosis. She framed it as part of a three-bill package addressing maternal health and reproductive freedom.

Argued that people who have paid for their crimes deserve to move on without being judged for the rest of their lives, and that the bill will change thousands of lives in her district.

The bill ensures voters have the right to mark paper ballots by hand or with a ballot marking device that does not count votes, allowing individual voter verification that their votes were counted accurately and securely.

The bill is necessary to combat deregulation schemes and extreme profiteering by investors who hide behind complex LLC structures. Transparency and accountability serve the public interest, and good actors in housing have no problem disclosing ownership.

Thanked Sen. Myrie for the legislation and noted its impact on Harlem seniors and older New Yorkers. As chair of the Aging Committee, she expressed concern for Black homeowners who worked hard to maintain their homes and are being victimized by deed theft.

Argued that prospective tenants of rent-regulated apartments should have access to complete rent history before entering into leases. Stated that transparency and accountability are necessary to prevent fraud and coercion in rent pricing, and that housing is a human right.

Cleare described the ombudsman program as an essential accountability and safety mechanism for nursing home residents. She outlined three reforms: consistent status reporting on issue resolution, cultural competency training, and expanded volunteer recruitment supported by $5 million in state funding.

Lead contamination from soil, air, and other sources is omnipresent and poses particular danger to children. The federal EPA has failed to establish adequate standards for over a decade, so New York must act on its own to recognize that no amount of lead is safe and implement standards based on emerging science.

Argued the bill is necessary to track firearm sales and combat gun violence. Noted that New York has no comprehensive data on firearms sold in the state and that monitoring manufacturers' sales records would help identify sources of illegal weapons and their distribution patterns.

The bill addresses the ongoing consequences of redlining and appraisal discrimination against people of color. It will revoke licenses and fine appraisers who engage in discrimination, with fines directed to antidiscrimination housing efforts.

The bill sponsor emphasized that the statute of limitations elimination will empower district attorneys to effectively prosecute human trafficking and ensure justice is not denied by the passage of time. She credited Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and advocacy groups like NOW NYC for their partnership.

Argued that small, diverse community-centric arts organizations need support most but historically struggle to secure funding. The bill reforms NYSCA to prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and social and racial justice in grant-making and contracting.

Cleare praised Goodman as a community pioneer who fought to close Willowbrook State School and secured rights for people with developmental disabilities to live in their communities. She argued it is fitting to honor Goodman while she is alive to hear the recognition.

Sponsor argued the bill logically extends New York's ban on private prisons by prohibiting state banks from investing in or financing private correctional facilities. Emphasized moral and ethical concerns about private prisons, including poor conditions, lack of accountability, and the fact that over 115,000 people are detained in them nationally.

Cleare stated that mentoring and capacity building are essential to professional progression and that the bill will help establish successful MWBE mentorship programs as statewide standards. She noted the research will examine prequalification needs and contract bidding preparation, with reports due immediately and 24 months after enactment.

The bill adds important data collection on loneliness and social isolation within NORCs to help determine if current programs meet all needs of isolated seniors or if more funding and new approaches are needed. Loneliness is a public health epidemic linked to serious health consequences.

Thanked Sen. Bailey for the bill and emphasized that violence interrupters stop violence before it begins and prevent retaliatory acts. Stressed the importance of ensuring funding availability for these community-based prevention efforts.

Stated children should not be named in eviction processes and that eviction is a violent, destabilizing process that should not follow children for life.

Supported progress on fair pay for home care workers and nursing home staff despite wanting more, noting this is first significant progress in long time and critical for recruitment.

Young women have contacted her office stating their colleges lack medication abortion access; SUNY and CUNY have been consulted and are supportive; the bill requires SUNY and CUNY to provide access either directly or via referral, with doctors conducting appropriate medical screening.

Commended the bill for expanding NORC definitions and noted it provides important standards for winding down NORC communities to protect residents. Emphasized the value of helping seniors age in place within neighborhoods they know and are familiar with.

The bill addresses the needs of New York's fastest-growing senior population by creating resources for job placement, career development, and combating age discrimination in the workforce. It will provide essential data through a centralized website and empower older New Yorkers seeking continued workforce participation.

As Aging Committee chair, praised the bill for creating an elder abuse awareness and prevention training program within SOFA that will help detect and prevent elder abuse affecting over 300,000 older New Yorkers annually.

Sponsor argued that SCRIE is a critical tool for seniors on fixed incomes and that excluding medical and prescription drug expenses from income calculations will expand eligibility and help more seniors afford housing and live independently in their communities.

Spoke from personal experience accompanying families to law enforcement and noted that missing Black women receive less care and regard in investigations. Stressed that women are often written off as runaways and that families suffer when cases are not prioritized.

Emphasized the strong connection between Harlem and the Tuskegee Airmen, naming three airmen with Harlem roots: Dabney Montgomery, who served as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s bodyguard; Wilfred DeFour, who worked 33 years for the U.S. Postal Service and lived to 100; and Reginald Brewster, who became a lawyer and practiced until age 90.

Argued that the bill targets smart economic development investments by utilizing existing community partners and shared resources to support entrepreneurs, particularly in communities of color, by addressing the prohibitive costs of commercial kitchen installation.

Sponsor argued that social media is a critical recruitment pipeline for human trafficking, citing data that 30-41 percent of sex trafficking victims were recruited online. She stated the bill will create a comprehensive blueprint through the existing Interagency Task Force to fight and stop human trafficking through social media.

The bill saves lives by ensuring all school professionals receive training on administering epinephrine auto-injectors in anaphylactic emergencies. She noted schools already have medical professionals and equipment on site, but proactive training for all staff ensures readiness before an actual emergency occurs.

Argued that the bill removes barriers to healthcare access for pregnant women by eliminating fees insurers can charge during the special enrollment period. Emphasized that access to comprehensive healthcare during pregnancy is vital for both mother and child's life trajectory.

Sponsor stated the bill provides additional time and rights to individuals facing facility closure, requiring substantive notice, a reviewed closure plan, due process rights regarding fee increases, and Department of Health oversight. Commended former Sen. Diane Savino's original work on the legislation.