As state government went back into session in Albany this week, State Senator Kevin Parker (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope) spoke with Kings County Politics about his five legislative priorities that are important to him and the Senate Democrats as a body.
The first thing of significance is to continue to build legislation around the Black Lives Matter movement including criminal justice issues such as making Gov. Cuomo’s executive order for special prosecutors permanent legislation that doesn’t just last until the end of his term, ensuring justice from police brutality and finishing work on decriminalization of small amount of marijuana, said Parker.
Parker said secondly senate Democrats will work on raising the minimum wage to $15 not just to City and State government employees but to the private sector statewide.
“We’re talking about 3.5 million people in the state that would be affected if we can come to a three-way agreement. The question is can we get (Senate Majority Leader) John Flanagan and his comrades to bring a bill to the floor,” he said.
Parker said thirdly, he wants to see “Dream Act” legislation passed, which allow undocumented students that have been here for years become eligible for financial aide to attend college and other crucial social services. “This is particularly important in my district,” Parker said.
Parker said the fourth and fifth items are related – to combine ethics reform and campaign finance reform in Albany.
Parker noted that a key to moving his and the Democratic agenda forward is electing a Democrat in the coming April special election to fill former Majority Leader Dean Skelos’ Long Island seat following his ouster for being convicted on felony corruption charges.
Currently, there are 31 Democrats and and 31 Republicans in the 63-body chamber, and a Democratic win for Skelos seat could tip the balance. However, of the 31 Democrats, Borough Park Sen. Simcha Felder caucuses with the Republicans, and there is a five-member Independent Democratic Conference, including Coney Island Sen. Diane Savino that must be won over.
This could be achievable if the Democrats unite around a consensus majority leader such as Northern Brooklyn, Southern Manhattan Sen. Daniel Squadron.
