BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — "Use this energy, use this moment, use this time to pass an agenda that can advance us all for years to come," says Governor Andrew Cuomo, as he detailed his 20-point agenda for the first 100 days of his new term.
Among his key points included legalizing adult-use of recreational marijuana.
"So it's not really- is it going to be legalized- it's going to be legalized," said Cuomo.
Earlier this year, New York State created a working group to study the issue and create a framework for what legalized recreational marijuana would look like in this state.
Cuomo is also making a point to pass the Child Victims Act.
"If you were abused by a member of the Clergy or someone else, you deserve to have that acknowledged," Cuomo said.
The Governor is seeking to make 18 other reforms in his first 100 days in office besides legalizing recreational marijuana:
- Maintain the state's progressive income tax with a millionaire's tax, while permanently capping regressive local property taxes at 2%
- Cut middle class taxes while fighting to repeal SALT
- Codify the Affordable Care Act into state law and pass a law to ensure pre-existing conditions continue to be covered by insurance companies regardless of what happens at the federal level
- Codify women's reproductive rights into state law
- Pass the Equal Rights Amendment to protect against discrimination on the basis of sex in the state constitution
- Pass the Red Flag Law, ban bump stocks and extend the waiting period for purchasing a gun from three days to 10 days
- Launch a $150 billion infrastructure plan
- Fund and restructure the MTA while easing traffic in New York City's business district
- Fight for an education system where districts distribute funding based on need and fairness to ensure that every child receives a quality education
- Pass the Dream Act once and for all
- Launch the Green New Deal, which is aimed at making New York's electricity 100% carbon neutral by 2040 and putting the state on the path to eliminating its carbon footprint
- Invest in water infrastructure
- Make voting reforms, including allowing voting by mail, enacting early voting, instituting same day and automatic voter registration, synchronizing federal and state elections and making Election Day a state holiday to ensure as many people as possible participate in the democratic process
- Ban corporate campaign contributions, overhaul the state campaign finance system and end outside income for lawmakers
- Expand the Janus protections to cover public sector labor unions at the local level and ensure workers have labor rights in the gig economy
- Reform rent regulations, including ending vacancy decontrol, repealing preferential rent and limiting capital improvement charges to protect affordable housing and respect tenants' rights
- Codify the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act into New York State law and end conversion therapy
- Address injustice in the criminal justice system by ending cash bail and enacting speedy trial and discovery reforms
