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 Senator John Liu. Senator Liu represents the 16th Senate District in Queens which includes the neighborhoods of Queensboro Hill, Flushing, Linden Hill, Murray Hill, Bayside and Fresh Meadows.
What piece of legislation are you most proud to have passed in the 2025 session?
This year, the Senate passed my legislation, S634B, to address the alarming rise in undiagnosed diabetes in communities that face higher risks even at lower body weights. The bill requires insurance companies to cover diabetes screenings for patients with a lower BMI of 23, with no out-of-pocket costs. This effort aligns with national “Screen at 23” guidelines and will save lives by ensuring early detection and treatment before serious complications occur.
How are you working to better the lives of your constituents?
Much of our legislation comes from the concerns brought to my office’s attention by constituents, and we work hard to be accessible to everyone and find solutions to their problems. Our office is here to help, whether it’s connecting you to government services, troubleshooting a local issue, or discussing ways to improve our neighborhoods, city, and state.
What is one of the lesser-known roles of a senator that you believe constituents should know more about?
Senators have a unique power to shape the state by confirming appointments that the Governor makes to state agencies and public authorities. This includes state commissioners, judges, and the leadership of our public authorities, such as the MTA or the New York Power Authority. These positions are critical to ensuring our state agencies and authorities operate effectively and in the best interests of New Yorkers.
As 2025 comes to an end, what do you hope to accomplish in the new year?
The new year brings about the start of a new legislative session, and the state legislature will have much to take up when we reconvene in 2026. As chair of the NYC Education Committee, I’ll be focused on mayoral control of city schools and deciding whether to renew it for another specified amount of time, or change to a new system of school governance, as many other major cities have already done around the nation.
