New York State Senator
The NY State Senator is Jamaal T. Bailey, who represents the 36th district. He represents Co-op City, Eastchester, Edenwald, Wakefield, Pelham Gardens, Woodlawn Heights, Baychester, Mount Venom and Mount Venom. He is popularly known as a democrat politician with a background career as an attorney.
Background and Path to Politics
Jamaal T. Bailey was born in 1982 in the Bronx, where he was raised as an ordinary child. He attended the PS 83 Morris Park and later joined MS 181 Co-OP City (NYSenate.gov, 2023). He was generally an all-around student who excelled academically and played Little League while spending his weekends with his family members in the Bronx. After completing his elementary studies, he joined Bronx High School of Science, and afterward, he enrolled in the University of Albany.
Jamaal T. Bailey prepared for his political career by studying at the Community and Economic Development Clinic, where he pursued CUNY Law. It was at the point of graduation that he realized his passion for serving the public from a political position. Studying law stirred in him the desire to pursue social justice for all people.
After he graduated from the Community and Economic Development Clinic, he began his career as an intern at the Assembly, working with Carl Heastie (Ballotpedia, n.d.). He later served as the District Leader for the 83rd Assembly. His career leaped when he progressed to serve as the director for Carl Heastie’s Community Relations Committee. Jamaal T. Bailey was elected as District 36 Senator in 2016, officially assumed office on 1 April 2017, and still serves the public in this position.
Key Legislative Contributions
Issuance of Non-Driver Identification Cards for Individuals with Suspended Licenses
One of the legislation policies that Jamaal T. Bailey has championed is the Bill that directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue non-driver identification cards to individuals whose driver’s licenses have been suspended by the court. This policy was proposed in 2020, and it was passed as law and effected in 2021 (BillTrack, n.d.a). The policy provides that the Department of Motor Vehicles should issue non-driver identification to people whose driver’s licenses are suspended by State Senator Jamaal Bailey. This way, the individual can execute their daily life activities such as travel, local movement to work, and shopping, among other errands.
Ban on Predatory Student Loan Financing
Jamaal T. Bailey championed and sponsored the legislation that banned financiers of higher learning programs that gave loans to students. This was motivated by the public outcry of students who were unable to repay the loans granted to them to pursue their college and university degrees. Senator Bailey championed a law to eliminate the additional 22% fee charged to students who were unable to repay the loan (Ballotpedia, n.d.). This legislation was aimed at making it easier for students to repay their loans. It would eliminate barriers for students to explore their full potential by pursuing college studies. Senator Bailey sponsored this law and advocated for equality and access to higher learning for all students in District 36.
Public Housing Law Reform for Domestic Violence Victims
The third policy legislation driven by Senator Jamaal T. Bailey is the Public Housing Law with regard to waiting lists for victims of domestic violence victims. This legislation, which was supported and sponsored by Jamaal T. Bailey, worked towards establishing a standardized criterion for all, including those who had suffered domestic violence (Ballotpedia, n.d.). The legislation was necessitated by the increased numbers of homeless victims of domestic violence and unfair waiting periods for them. The Bill for this is underway, but if successful, it will award victims of domestic violence equal access to housing services.
Assembly Member Carl E. Heastie
Background and Path to Politics
Carl Edward Heastie is my State Assembly member and the first African American to head the State Assembly. He was born in New York in 1967 and raised in the same environment, attending the public schools in the neighborhood (NYAssembly, n.d.). Carl E. Heastie attained a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics at Stony Brook University. He later advanced his studies with a Master’s in Business Administration at the Baruch College of City University New York (CUNY). Honorable Heastie has always had a keen interest in social issues attributed to the different life experiences he went through in public high schools. Schooling in public schools and the common-person experience was pivotal in his realization that he was born to serve the public.
The earliest traces of Honorable Heastie’s career were when he served as a budget analyst for the New York Controller and simultaneously as a business professor at Munroe College. Shortly after, his career advanced when he was elected to the New York Assembly in the year 2000. This position put him in the limelight for being vocal on labor laws and children’s rights.
He launched his career with a Family First Agenda, advocating for work and social life that promoted family cohesion rather than separation. He was also legendary for pushing for higher minimum wages so that graduates and less skilled people could be placed better to achieve financial independence. In 2008, Heastie was elected to chair Bronx’s Democratic Party, and in 2015, he was elected as speaker of the Assembly, a position he still holds today.
Key Legislative Contributions
Expanding Access to Higher Education for Immigrant Children
Among the legislation policies advocated for by Honorable Carl Heastie is the Bill to increase access to higher education. In 2019, the Honorable Heastie spearheaded a bill meant to create access to higher learning for immigrant children. The Bill dubbed the Jose Peralta New York State Dream Act, proposed an increment of maximum tuition assistance so that more students would enroll in colleges (NYAssembly, n.d.). The Bill was passed as a law, leading to increased enrollment in higher learning institutions in New York.
The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA)
Carl Heastie was widely applauded in 2019 for the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). This policy saw New York become the 15th state to legalize the use of Marijuana for adults of 21 years and above (BillTrack, n.d. b). This move was groundbreaking not only in New York but also in all other states that have since followed suit. It portrayed New York as a liberal state that was aware of the repercussions of Marijuana-related arrests. The legislation also modeled the way for other states to consider the economic, health, and social benefits of the use of Marijuana and regulations (NYAssembly, n.d.).
Heastie championed this policy to decriminalize the use of Marijuana after massive incarcerations for the use of Marijuana. Following the passing of the MRTA law, the unfair arrests of people of color over the alleged use and sale of Marijuana have significantly been contained. The law also eased wrongful convictions over drug use for black people, thereby improving social status. Implementation of the MRTA law expanded social rights for people of color in the predominantly white community.
Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act
In addition to this, Carl E. Heastie has led the implementation of radical changes in New York’s criminal justice framework. From his experience serving the people, he realized that the justice system imposed punitive measures for misdemeanor and non-violent crimes, causing crowding in the prisons. Heastie, therefore, led the introduction of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) to amend the different verdicts for minor crimes (BillTrack, n.d. b). The HALT bill was passed into law and has been in effect since 2019. The law protects individuals found guilty of minor offenses from hefty cash bail, wrongful convictions, and unfair confinement in prison cells. The law has also improved efficiency in the court systems as petty crimes are dealt with quickly, giving time to more serious crimes.
The Importance of Knowing Your Representatives
Both the Senator and Assembly members have a credible record in terms of their achievements in serving the public. Looking into their background and education is essential because it helps with understanding their personal experiences. From my research, each of their locations gave them a first-hand experience of the lives of those living in New York. The experiences make the social challenges relatable to them, which then drives them to serve the people earnestly.
It is essential to know one’s leaders as this sheds light on their intentions for pursuing public office. For example, both Jamaal T Bailey and Carl E. Heastie are concerned with improving the social and economic issues of the people of New York. Knowing one’s leaders also helps one view them as normal people committed to serving the public by seeking education and experience that will help them influence policy legislation. This enables objectivity and fair judgment when assessing the work of the leaders.
References
Ballotpedia. (n.d.). Jamaal Bailey. Web.
BillTrack. (n.d.a). State senator Jamaal Bailey. Web.
BillTrack. (n.d.b). State assembly member Carl Heastie. Web.
NYAssembly. (n.d.) Assemblymember Carl E. Heastie Assembly District 83. Web.
NYSenate.gov. (2023). Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. Web.