Friday Morning Brief Sept. 5, 2025

Sep 4

Written By Michael Avella

Please note the brief will be sent on a bi-weekly basis for the summer.

Member Spotlight

Senator Siela Bynoe

Senator Siela Bynoe joins us to discuss her district, priorities, and some of the legislative work she did during her first year in the Senate. Before being elected to the Senate, she served her community as a Nassau County Legislator, where she advocated for affordable housing and education. Currently, she is the Chair of Libraries and serves on various committees, including on Consumer Protection, Education, and Mental Health

What district do you represent?
I represent Senate District Six in Nassau County, which includes communities of Baldwin, Baldwin Harbor, Carle Place, Freeport, Garden City, Garden City South, Hempstead, Lakeview, Malverne Park Oaks, parts of Mineola, New Cassel, Oceanside, Rockville Center, Roosevelt, South Hempstead, Uniondale, Westbury, and West Hempstead.

What are some of the landmarks that are in your district?
As a first-generation American, I often take my various family members who are visiting from Europe or the Caribbean to Museum Row, which is usually one of the first places I visit. It’s great for tourists, families, and children to visit. For shopping, we would go to Roosevelt Field, which is a large mall. Nearby Roosevelt Field Mall is the Gallery at Westbury Plaza, an open-air shopping center. Our district is also home to Freeport, a coastal community where anyone can enjoy a wide variety of delicious food. It’s a really nice district for folks to come visit for food, entertainment, or to see some of the historic values of Long Island, like the African American Museum.

Any favorite bands or artists?
I have bands and artists that I like based on the genre that I'm listening to at the time. My background is Caribbean – my mother's side of the family hails from Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, and my father from Suriname. So, I tend to like soca music, which is a fast-paced Caribbean genre. And I like calypso, an old style of music where the songs tell stories. I also like R&B and jazz. Recently, I went to a concert by Kem, who is a rhythm and blues singer. So, I move around a bit. Most recently, I had the opportunity to honor Nailah Blackman, a leading soca artist from Trinidad. We honored her in Brooklyn for Caribbean History Month. She's one of my faves, along with Patrice Roberts and a whole host of different people.

What was your profession before being elected to the Senate?
Directly before being elected to the Senate, I was a Nassau County legislator. I represented the second legislative district, which was totally encompassed by this district. And simultaneously, I ran housing authorities.

What inspired you to run for public office?
I've always been in the service industry, whether it was in banking or nonprofit management, where I did housing development and administered down payment assistance programs. I've always been the one in my family to gravitate toward service. In fact, I thought about it at some point; being in the hospitality industry, in some way, led me to elected office. Being in an elected office means serving on behalf of your neighbors and community. And it's been my highest honor to serve. I began my career on a local school board in Westbury, then transitioned to the county legislature, and later to the Senate. During my journey, I had a life-threatening illness and suffered some setbacks during my recovery. And it was at that point that I said that I was going to double down and dedicate my life to service.

What experience from your time in the County Legislature did you bring to the Senate?
I learned a lot. Administering government from the perspective of being the Executive Director of the Huntington Housing Authority taught me that there has to be a balance of having the supply, resources, and services, while doing it in a way that would be fiscally prudent. Striking a balance in this space has helped me when creating legislation, debating policy, or vetting legislation that would meet the floor. This helps me determine whether I think it's viable and pragmatic, and whether we can achieve the intended outcome.

Additionally, I would say being in the minority in the County Legislature for 11 years has taught me to look at every opportunity as to how we might leverage it for good and how we might be able to benefit our local communities. During the George Floyd protests, where people were calling for more police accountability, Nassau County was one of the last downstate counties without body cameras. I had legislation that would fix that, but it was never able to be on the floor for a debate. However, with help from communities asking for accountability and due to lawsuits, we were able to bring that legislation to the floor. That experience taught me that there are times when we can leverage our resources to bring communities together and work with folks on important issues.

What were some of the issues you worked on this year?
I worked a lot on the issue of charter schools in my district. While I understand that some parents would like to have choices when educating their young scholars, we have found that in parts of my district and other districts that there is a high saturation of charter schools in certain communities. Working with one of my local school districts and with the Senate leadership, we were able to formalize an alternative ratio for funding schools that have this disparate impact. In doing so, we were able to deliver additional aid to Hempstead, Lackawanna, and Albany schools, as well as any school across the state that lacks municipal involvement in its leadership and governance. Any district that reaches over a 20% saturation level would automatically qualify for this permanent source of funding. It was something that was not in the Governor's Budget but was in the our Senate One-House Budget and ultimately made it to the Final Enacted Budget.

I also aspired to have social workers in libraries. I think that that's an important thing to do as we reimagine libraries and local communities and how important they are as a hub. We know that many people visit libraries because they are under-resourced or seeking information on upskilling. And then we know that it's become a place of refuge for those who might be unhoused. Although I couldn't bring this as a statewide pilot, I managed to include it in the Budget. It will be a localized initiative, but we're looking to branch out across the state.

I've also been working on examining parity in terms of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. New York City has plenty of vehicles available for those who are reliant on them. But we're finding in the outer suburban communities that we don't have the same options. I've worked with a group that explained that folks can get a wheelchair accessible vehicle to go to JFK Airport but cannot get one to go back home on Long Island. So we want to change that. I worked on a bill that would map out where there are deserts, where there is opportunity for us to meet needs, and then work with those local municipalities to ensure we achieve that goal. It passed unanimously in the Senate, but it hasn’t passed the Assembly yet.

Your statewide policy priorities are littered with issues that are specific to your district, but are there any other local, specific issues you want to mention?
On Long Island, we face the challenge of our finite water resources. We obtain our water from the aquifer, and we're finding that there are instances of saltwater intrusion in local drinking water. One of the bills I was able to pass and include in the Budget is funding smart water sprinklers for homeowners. We will reimburse them and incentivize them for this installation. Nassau County and Suffolk County are the highest in the state in terms of consumption of water during the summer months. Given the scarcity, we must preserve and conserve our water.

This is more of a statewide issue, but it was brought to light through a local investigation by Newsday. They reported that there were doctors with high incidences of misconduct who were largely unaddressed. So, I’m working on a bill that would address that. I’m working with stakeholders to assess whether our existing policies and procedures require amendments to better address misconduct by doctors and reduce our risk. We saw everything from discrimination in terms of not wanting to treat people for certain ailments to sexual misconduct to defrauding insurance companies. And all of this has an impact on how the delivery of care is presented locally and throughout the state.

And as Chair of Libraries, what other priorities do you have for next year?
We are always looking to protect the rights of young scholars and patrons of the library to have access to books that are important to them. We will look to defend and safeguard those rights as best as possible. There were a few bills that came in late in the session, which we'll continue to look at and work on as we move forward.

What we're also finding is that as we reimagine our libraries, there should be proper investment in those structures. So, I was able to restore $10 million that the Governor had cut in capital investments to the libraries. And one of the other things is that we know that they're underfunding the school libraries. I believe we can advocate for increased funding to school libraries, enabling them to expand their offerings, whether in technology or library experiences, which I think is where we can truly captivate our young scholars and inspire them to become lifelong learners.

What advice would you give to young folks who want to get more involved in politics?
Get involved. Often, you meet young people who have wonderful ideas and clarity of thought on issues they're interested in. I always tell them, call us. We want to hear from you. It's important that they understand that we are here and that we want to be a part of their school and communities. I often give students my cell phone number and encourage them to call me to come intern in the local office. This year, with our student engagement from the time that I was a County Legislator to now, I was commonly known to host mock legislative sessions in our chamber. And I would give everyone my phone number to ensure they have access to me. There are always one or two students who always follow up and ask to intern. This summer, a Solitarian graduate of Westbury High School interned with us before attending RPI. I know I am not the only one in the Legislature who encourages young folks to call us and be part of the conversation surrounding politics. They have a different perspective that we can all learn from.

Any last comments?
I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve. This has been an experience of a lifetime and something that nobody can prepare for. I am incredibly thankful for and appreciative of the residents of Senate District Six for their trust and faith in me. And I am always here to serve my community.

Are you a public official or staffer that would like to be featured in our spotlight? If so, reach out to your favorite D&A team member or contact us at team@dickinsonavella.com to set up an interview!

Longtime Representative Jerry Nadler Announces Retirement

On Monday, the dean of the NYS congressional delegation, Congressmember Jerry Nadler, told The New York Times that he will not run for reelection. “Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Nadler explained. With Nadler deciding not to seek reelection, several lawmakers have expressed interest in running for Nadler’s Manhattan-based congressional seat, which is already expected to be a crowded Democratic primary.

Yesterday, Assemblymember Micah Lasher officially filed with the FEC to run for the seat. With Nadler’s current Chief of Staff working as Lasher’s campaign treasurer, many observers see Lasher as the likely frontrunner and expect him to have Nadler’s support. In addition to Lasher, Assemblymember Alex Bores has also publicly expressed interest in possibly running for Nadler’s seat, and Assemblymember Tony Simone is reportedly exploring whether to run.

Other lawmakers in Nadler’s district have also stated that they will not run, including Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Liz Krueger. “I will be one of the few residents NOT forming an exploratory committee for this seat,” explained Krueger. Other names, including former FTC Chair Lina Khan, NYC Councilmember Gale Brewer, and Chelsea Clinton, have stated that they will not run for Nadler’s seat. However, NYC Councilmember Erik Bottcher and term-limited Councilmember Keith Powers have expressed their interest in running.

For Lasher or other sitting lawmakers to run for Nadler’s seat, they must give up their seats in the Legislature, setting up for more possible special elections to take place next year. Currently, Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is expected to win his general election for Manhattan Borough President (allowing Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal to run for his Senate seat), while Assemblymember Harvey Epstein is expected to win his NYC Council race. The Queens-based Assembly district currently held by Zohran Mamdani will also be vacant if he wins his mayoral race in November. In Buffalo, Senator Sean Ryan is expected to win his mayoral race, which may provide a path for other Buffalo-based lawmakers to decide to run for his Senate seat, including Assemblymembers Jon D. Rivera, Bill Conrad, and Karen McMahon.

Darren McGee/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

Early last week, Hochul held a press conference touting the success of the state’s coordinated crackdown on retail theft in NYC and across the state. According to state data, retail theft has declined by 12% reduction in New York City and a 5% drop across the rest of the state since the surge after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hochul explained that the decline in retail theft stemmed from the FY2025 State Budget’s $40.2 million investment in the state’s Retail Theft Teams within State Police, District Attorneys’ offices, and local law enforcement, as well as a $5 million investment for additional security measures in private businesses. "Retail theft and quality-of-life crimes impact more than just the businesses who experience them — they impact entire neighborhoods. That is why I dedicated tremendous resources last year to fight the scourge of organized retail crime,” said Hochul.

Last week, after International Dog Day, Hochul announced the $53 million renovation of a major dog treats manufacturing facility owned by The J.M. Smucker Co. in Buffalo’s East Side. Supported by $500,000 in Excelsior Jobs tax credits, over $1 million in sales-tax relief, and a $500,000 infrastructure grant, the renovation will feature a new production line, upgraded cooking and processing machinery, and nearly 900 sq ft of additional freezer space to boost capacity. The project builds upon the state’s priority to support locally based businesses, as the manufacturing facility has been operating in the same location since 1957. The project also supports the state’s commitment to help foster local economic development. “The investment made at the Buffalo site is well timed to respond to the growth of the billion-dollar pet treat industry and represents a significant vote of confidence in New York’s business environment, our talented, highly trained workforce, and our outstanding quality of life,” explained Hochul.

Late last week, Hochul announced new members of the state’s Emerging Technology Advisory Board focused on biotechnology. The Emerging Technology Advisory Board focused on biotechnology will be an independent group of industry leaders, including those from business, academic, philanthropic, and research sectors, to support the state’s biotechnology sector. D&A’s client, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, will also be represented in the new board by CSHL President Bruce Stillman. The board is expected to develop recommendations for commercializing biotech breakthroughs, attracting investment, harnessing AI, and cultivating a skilled workforce. This builds upon last year’s inaugural Emerging Technology Advisory Board focused on AI and supports the state’s commitment to advancing advanced technology industries.

On Tuesday, Hochul announced a $7.5 million investment, allocated over five years, to fund four nonprofit-led "Youth Safe Spaces" across the state. Administered by OMH, the awarded nonprofits in Albany, Queens, Wayne County, and Central New York are expected to help support youths facing isolation through both conventional and alternative support options while reducing cultural and economic barriers to mental health resources. Youth Safe Spaces will be located in accessible community-based settings, including schools and youth centers. The investment builds upon Hochul’s commitment to promoting youth mental health and supports the state’s $1 billion mental health initiative. “By establishing Youth Safe Spaces throughout our state, we can help our children connect with one another and be supported in an environment that promotes positive mental well-being,” explained Hochul.

Earlier this week, Hochul announced the results of the state’s latest crackdown on illegal vape distribution. Dubbed as Operation Vapers’ Dozen, it resulted in over a dozen arrests and 38 criminal charges against 12 distributors for the unlawful shipping of vaping products into the state. In collaboration with DOH and the State Police, the crackdown occurred after a months-long investigation and targeted businesses that shipped products catered to minors. “These companies built their business models around breaking New York’s laws and targeting our kids — now, we’re holding them accountable,” said Hochul.

On Wednesday, Hochul announced $200 million in new funding for community development, with $100 million allocated to Round 9 of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and $100 million to Round 4 of the NY Forward program. Both the DRI and NY Forward funding will be awarded to localities with plans to revitalize their downtown areas and to be pro-housing certified. To date, the two programs have awarded $1.2 billion in funding to 151 communities across the state, with the NY Forward program focusing on rural localities, supporting the state’s priority to help foster local economic development. “From bustling city centers to small rural villages, every community needs and deserves the opportunity to thrive,” said Hochul.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Barring special session in the Fall, the Legislature is set to reconvene in January 2026

Senator Peter Oberacker to Run for Congress

Late last month, it was reported that GOP Senator Peter Oberacker is reportedly planning to challenge Democratic Congressmember Josh Riley. While Oberacker did not formally announce his campaign, he explained that he is “giving serious consideration to running and will share my decision soon.” Currently, only one other Republican candidate planning to run is Haris Alic, a House communications staffer. Last year, Riley won the purple district with 51.1% of the vote, defeating the GOP incumbent Marc Molinaro, who received 48.8% of the vote. In 2022, Molinaro won the district with 50.8% of the vote, while Riley received 49.2% of the vote.

Trump's Cash Bail EO Further Threatens Federal Funding for State

Last week, President Trump signed an executive order threatening to withhold federal funding from states that “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order,” signaling that New York State will be impacted. Under the executive order, US Attorney General Pam Bondi will have to compile a list of states before the federal administration moves forward with withholding federal funding. The state’s bail system was first overhauled in 2019, but some of the reforms have been rolled back since. “We don't have ‘cashless bail’ in the state of New York. [Trump] thinks we do, but we don't. He has no concept of how our laws work here,” said Hochul. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie commented that the recent executive order is “a deflection away from his big disgusting bill, which is really going to hurt New York. What's the best way to get people to not worry about that? Scare the [] out of them."

US DOJ Asks Judge to Rule Superfund Act as Unconstitutional

Last week, the US DOJ filed a motion for summary judgment to rule the state Climate Change Superfund Act to be unconstitutional. The motion alleges that the Superfund Act “extend[s] New York’s regulatory reach far beyond the state’s borders, purporting to police nationwide airspace and, indeed, the entire world.” Passed by lawmakers last year and signed by Hochul at the end of December, the Superfund Act requires identified “responsible parties” to pay the state for damages caused by pollution. The recent motion to declare the Superfund Act as unconstitutional comes after the complaint was filed in Court back in May. Earlier this year, 20 GOP-led states and several industry groups also filed a separate lawsuit against the state’s Superfund Act over similar reasons.

Tom Lindsay/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

Hochul Signs Title VI Coordinators in College Campuses Bill

Earlier this week, Hochul signed a bill that will require Title VI anti-discrimination coordinators on every college campus in the state. Under the bill, Title VI coordinators will be present in all colleges to help address any incidents of discrimination by working hand-in-hand with students, faculty, and staff. The state Division of Human Rights will also help support all colleges in meeting the new requirements. The bill builds upon the Hochul and the Legislature’s previous actions to help address discrimination in colleges, including improving the state’s hate crime data collection process and conducting a thorough review of state-funded universities’ policies related to discrimination. “With incidents of discrimination and antisemitism on the rise, our students deserve campuses that are safe, inclusive, and accountable,” Assembly sponsor Nily Rozic explained.

Democrats and GOP Nominate Candidates to Succeed Billy Jones

With a special election to replace Democratic Assemblymember Billy Jones expected to be called in the coming days after Jones' expected resignation, both the GOP and Democrats have officially chosen their nominee. Democrats endorsed Michael Cashman, mayor of the town of Plattsburgh, while the Republicans endorsed Brent Davison, a State Trooper Commander, over Malone Mayor Andrea Dumas, Senator Dan Stec and Congressmember Elise Stefanik’s endorsed candidate. The district’s GOP chairs have explained that the Republicans are now united to flip Jones’ seat, who remains the only state Democratic lawmaker based in the North Country.

Lawmakers Seek to Bolster State Vaccine Recommendations

After the Trump Administration was reportedly in discussion to halt the federal disbursement of COVID vaccines and dismissals of top leadership officials at the CDC, it was reported that officials from the state DOH met with other Northeastern states to consider a separate regional vaccine recommendation. While the federal pullout of the COVID vaccine program is still reportedly under discussion, the state DOH has not publicly commented on a regional vaccine recommendation or agreed to talk to reporters. Currently, California, Washington, and Oregon are expected to create their first-in-the-nation regional medical pact for vaccine recommendations.

However, some Democratic lawmakers have begun to look for ways to address the issue through legislation. On Tuesday, Senator Michelle Hinchey introduced a bill that would empower the Immunization Advisory Council and 21st Century Disease Elimination Workgroup to make official vaccine recommendations. Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar also said she will introduce a bill, the Robert F. Kennedy, Sr. Vaccine Act, that would authorize pharmacies to offer appointments for vaccines “based on science, regardless of what the CDC guidance states.” Just yesterday, it was reported that Hochul will sign an executive order to allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer COVID-19 vaccines for any person that request them.

OTHER UPDATES

Trump Admin Reportedly Offers Eric Adams a Federal Position

On Wednesday, it was reported that the Trump Administration has been discussing the possibility of giving NYC Mayor Eric Adams a position in the US Department of Housing and Urban Development if he drops out of the race in order to clear a possible path for Andrew Cuomo in the November general election. The Trump Administration is also considering a similar proposal for Curtis Sliwa, the official GOP nominee for mayor. This comes as Jim Walden dropped out of the race and urged others to do the same to coalesce behind one candidate to defeat Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic frontrunner.

However, Adams told reporters that “Whenever I make a move, I’ll make an announcement. I’m in this race to win, and if anything changes, trust me, I’ll be on channel 5.” Mamdani and other Democratic lawmakers who support Mamdani criticize Trump for interfering in local politics. “This is, however, about an affront to our democracy, an affront to what makes so many of us proud to be Americans — that we choose our own leaders,” Mamdani explained.

Congressional Democrats Expected to Block Any GOP-Led Stopgap Funding Measure

With Congress in session after their August recess, Democratic lawmakers are expected to block any stopgap funding measure from the House, which would result in a government shutdown by the end of this month. Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray explained Democrats will not vote on any spending bill, “if House Republicans … go a different route and try to jam through a partisan CR without any input from Democratic members of Congress.” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer reiterated that while Democrats will not vote on a rushed stopgap funding measure, they will work with Republicans to work on a bipartisan bill.

Congressional GOP leaders have reportedly refused to meet with Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, instead opting to work with President Trump and GOP chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations committees. Senate Majority Leader John Thune explained that the stopgap funding measure will be “built up around conversations that have been held between Tom Cole, the chair of Appropriations Committee in the House, and Senator Susan Collins, the chair of the Appropriations Committee here in the Senate…the White House is going to play a very big role in all of this, too.”

Firm Spotlight

D&A's Partner Mike Avella Sr. was recently named to City and State's 2025 Labor Power 100! Mike's excerpt below:

Michael Avella co-founded Dicinkson & Avella in 2009 after serving 14 years as counsel to two state Senate majority leaders and as a legislative adviser on tax and budget matters. Avella recently lobbied state officials to pay off the state’s nearly $7 billion unemployment insurance debt and raise the maximum unemployment weekly benefit from $504 to $869. He also worked with lawmakers to increase funding for health and cancer screenings for firefighters and got another bill passed that would provide Tier 3 retired firefighters with benefits that kick in after 20 years of service.

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