Andrew Cuomo in 2019 Governor's State of the State speeches
On Abortion:
Protect reproductive rights with constitutional amendment
I believe we should pass a constitutional amendment. Not just a Roe v. Wade law. A constitutional amendment. Let's write the rights of
Roe v. Wade into the state constitution so it can never be changed. No matter what happens politically. And pass the Reproductive Health Act and the Contraceptive Care Act.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Crime:
Eliminate cash bail
We need to reform our criminal justice system by eliminating cash bail once and for all. And enacting speedy trial. And discovery reform.ACLU commentary on California's elimination of cash bail; NPR, 8/29/18: Every day, people who have
not been convicted of a crime are incarcerated pretrial because they're too poor to afford cash bail. The California Legislature eliminated this cash bail industry, and that's a good thing. But it replaces this current system with another system that
could be even worse, by creating broad new categories of people who will now be presumed to be subjected to pretrial incarceration--essentially algorithms that pop out a number that tells a judge what risk you are. Communities of color are over-policed
& come in contact with the criminal justice system much more frequently. If you build an algorithm that gives you a worse score on a risk assessment because you have been arrested before, then that perpetuates racial bias in the criminal justice system.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Crime:
Focus on enforcement: $45M for anti-gang operations
When it comes to public safety, we spent a hundred millions dollars to fight MS-13 the fight goes on, let's invest another $45 million dollar in anti-gang operations, violence prevention, and school base support. We have a growing problem of
online sexual offenses against children. We want to launch a specialized police unit to prosecute these predators, nothing could be worse. Let's pass the New York City speed camera laws and stop playing politics that they did last year.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Drugs:
Let's create cannabis industry
Legalize adult-used cannabis. Stop the disproportionate criminal impact on communities of color. And let's create an industry that empowers the
poor communities that pay the price and not the rich corporations who come in to make a profit.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Education:
$27B state funding for poor schools via new Equity Formula
This budget raises the total education budget to $27 billion but it introduces a new formula called the Education Equity Formula which would distribute the money not just to the poorer districts, but to the poorer schools in the poorer districts.
Our Excelsior Scholarship Free Tuition Program, we're raising that threshold to $125,000 family threshold to the middle class families. Today, 55 percent of all SUNY and CUNY students are going to tuition free.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Energy & Oil:
Green New Deal: help communities closing old power plants
We'll lead the way with the most aggressive environmental agenda, while the federal government taking us backwards from the Paris Accords.
Let's take the next step on the Green New Deal. Let us set the goal: 100 percent clean power by 2040.We have communities that are closing old, inefficient power plants. It causes a problem because they lose the property taxes from those old plants.
We want those old plants closed, we want more efficient plants, but let's provide a fund that gives the communities the transition from the loss of that property tax revenue and that's a
$70 million property tax compensation fund so those communities don't shoulder the burden themselves.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Environment:
$2.5 billion in clean water infrastructure
We'll lead the way with the most aggressive environmental agenda, while the federal government taking us backwards from the Paris Accords. We're going to go the exact opposite direction of the federal government.
$2.5 billion in clean water infrastructure. Let's expand the Bottle Bill and let's ban plastic bags once and for all. Let's take the next step on the Green New Deal. Let us set the goal: 100 percent clean power by 2040.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Families & Children:
Pass the Child Victims Act against abuse of minors
I am fully aware of the position of the Catholic Church. I happen to be Roman Catholic. A wise man said, "the abuse of minors is an offense so brutal, the church cannot remain indifferent to this, and the church must punish such priests, and that
includes to support the legal action. There is no other way out of this because it's a crime. No worse, it's leaving them alive, but destroyed." That statement was made by Pope Francis and I say we stand with Pope Francis & we pass the Child Victims Act.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Government Reform:
Make it easy to vote, instead of voter disenfranchisement
Let's pass a democracy agenda. Talk about voter disenfranchisement--why do the polls open at noon in a primary in upstate New York but 6 a.m. in Downstate New York? Let's give every person the right to vote. Make it easy to vote.
If we want people to vote, why not make Election Day a holiday and give them the time to come out and actually vote?
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Health Care:
Protect ObamaCare coverage of preexisting conditions
The federal government is trying to roll back the Affordable Health Care Act. It has dire repercussions for this state. We want to protect affordable health care.
We need to codify the ACA and safeguard the protections for preexisting conditions in our law so the federal government cannot change those protections, period.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Immigration:
Sued federal government on their family separation policy
Let New York stand up for immigrants. We sued the federal government on their family separation policy and I want to continue that lawsuit because that was a disgusting political abuse of power.
And just today, the courts have decided that the citizenship question that was in the census was illegal. Congratulations to the Attorney General's office that lead the suit.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
On Tax Reform:
Good management leads to lower taxes
Because we managed government better, we were able to lower taxes, which are now at historic lows. Lowest middle class tax rate since 1947.
Even I wasn't born in 1947. Lowest manufacturers tax since 1917. Lowest corporate tax since 1968. So, a great record of accomplishment. A lot of momentum.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Page last updated: Apr 02, 2019