Inside Government is a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY features New York State Assembly Member Alex Bores. Assembly Member Bores represents the 73rd Assembly District in Manhattan which includes Murray Hill, Turtle Bay, Sutton Place, Midtown East, and the Upper East Side.
What piece of legislation are you most proud to have passed this legislative session?
The RAISE Act is the bill I am most proud of this year. The bill requires the largest AI companies to have safety plans as they engage in risky research. The companies themselves have said that in the wrong hands, their systems could help produce bioweapons, and have called for regulation. However, the federal government is not acting, nor showing any progress toward taking real action.
How does your office work to support your constituents in their day-to-day lives?
We have a no-wrong-door policy in our office – even if we are not the right people to solve your problem, we will connect you with the people who are. We are also out in the community as much as possible. In recent months, we sponsored shred trucks, free mammograms, free legal consultations, and other services.
What is the most prevalent issue facing your constituents and how are you working to resolve it?
Public safety. That’s why we’re working to remove an obsolete constitutional cap on the number of trial judges to relieve our overcrowded courts, passing laws to track e-bike accidents, register mopeds, and keep our streets safe, and installing barriers on subway platforms. I’m proud to say that, since taking office, felonies, assaults, and thefts are all down year over year, every quarter.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of 2025?
It’s important to me that we see my RAISE Act signed by the governor, along with my bills to standardize New York’s commercial code and ensure election deadlines don’t fall on religious holidays.
What is the proudest moment of your political career?
One that most warms my heart is helping to save the Knickerbocker Greys. As America’s oldest after-school program, they have trained New Yorkers in respect, self-discipline, and tradition since the 1880s. When the Park Avenue Armory tried to evict these kids, we stepped in. What began as constituent service became a bill guaranteeing the continued use of the armory. These moments matter: we rallied to defend a neighborhood institution in the face of a powerful institution.
