Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is hosting a string of town hall events in Genesee County on Saturday, June 29. Hawley will meet with constituents and discuss the issues that matter to them most. 

These events will give the community the opportunity to let their voices be heard and share their thoughts and concerns about where the state is headed.

“Speaking directly with my constituents is one of the most important parts of my job,” said Hawley. “I hope people show up to share their thoughts and opinions on how we can make New York a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

Saturday, June 29:

• Town of Stafford - Stafford Town Hall, 3903 Route 237 Stafford from 10 - 10:45 a.m.
• Town of Bethany - Bethany Town Hall, 10510 Bethany Center Rd. East Bethany from 11 - 11:45 a.m.
• Village of Alexander/Town of Alexander - Alexander Town Hall, 3350 Church St. Alexander from 12 - 12:45 p.m.

Once again in partnership with Sunnking Sustainable Solutions, Assemblyman Steve Hawley hosted his annual electronics recycling drive on East Main Street Road in Batavia on Saturday.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Ronald Reagan once famously said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.” 

In the final days of this year’s legislative session, those words rang true throughout the halls of the Capitol. From radical climate policies to disastrous criminal justice reforms, the Majority played their greatest hits as they pushed countless initiatives through the Assembly in the dead of night when they thought no one was paying attention.

A prime example of this is Assembly Bill A.3780-E, which would require any new construction in the state with off-street parking to build electric vehicle charging stations. While on the surface this proposal may seem harmless, in practice it will be completely wasteful. Under this law, any new buildings, both residential and commercial, will have to include electric charging stations and parking spots even if there is no demand for them. This is pure legislative virtue signaling trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

The Majority also took another shot at our state’s justice system by repealing the lifetime ban on felons serving on a jury. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths downstate politicians will take to compromise our public safety. We already have a process for felons to restore their ability to serve on a jury. This initiative will only tip the scales of justice in favor of convicts and take away even more credibility from our “reformed” criminal justice system. I’m all for second chances, but these lawmakers seem more concerned with protecting and coddling criminals than they are with defending victims and their families.

Sometimes failing to do the right thing is just as harmful as intentionally doing the wrong thing. The Majority exemplified this in the final days of the legislative session as they decided to not allow a bill aimed at helping older veterans. I sponsored an initiative (A.2050) that would exempt veterans over the age of 85 from paying state income tax. When the Majority had an opportunity to bring this bill to a vote, they pulled out all the stops to make sure it never saw the light of day. Sadly, this is how they operate. Instead of being transparent with New Yorkers, they’ll try to shut down any bill they disagree with so they can avoid responsibility from their constituents.

Even with the many disappointing and wasteful policies that came out of this year’s legislative session, there was some good that came out of it. For one, we were able to pass the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act. This proposal would help protect children and teens from addictive social media algorithms that are damaging to their sleep, education and mental health by requiring parental consent before using those apps and limiting late-night notifications. This bill exemplified the progress we can make when we work across the aisle to create common-sense legislation. 

My colleagues and I also passed an initiative to honor one of our local heroes. Before this year’s legislative session, I partnered with Sen. George Borrello to designate a portion of State Route 77 in the town of Darien as the Sgt. Terry James Garigen Memorial Highway. Sgt. Garigen was a decorated Vietnam war hero who served his community through the town highway department, volunteer fire department and the Region 1 Patriot Guard Riders. I believe serving your country is one of the highest honors an American can have and I’m proud to honor Sgt. Garigen in this way.

Overall, the Majority left a lot to be desired at the end of the legislative session. New Yorkers are still struggling to make ends meet in the middle of an affordability crisis, but they increased spending for wasteful programs. Residents feel less safe than they ever have before, but the Majority continued to pass pro-criminal policies instead of keeping convicts off the streets. We need real solutions to fix these issues. We need to lower the cost of living, institute stronger penalties to deter crime and provide more support for our law enforcement officers.

Since day one I’ve been committed to standing up against these radical and backward policies. As long as I’m in the state Assembly, you will always have a voice representing your interests in Albany as we continue to work toward making New York a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, C-Batavia) recently commented on the newly announced pay raises for correction officers in New York. The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, Inc. (NYSCOPBA) announced earlier this spring that they agreed on a new three-year contract with the state. 

On top of wage increases, the contract also includes new bonuses, reduced health care costs and up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave. Hawley believes this new deal is a step in the right direction toward supporting our correction officers.

“With the threat of prison closures across our state, our correction officers need all the support they can get,” said Hawley. “Providing pay raises and better benefits is just one way we can repay them for all they do to keep us safe. This new contract is a great sign of progress in supporting our correction officers and I hope we continue to see more strides in this area as we provide for our law enforcement personnel.”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is announcing a portion of Route 77 in Darien is being renamed as the “Sgt. Terry James Garigen Memorial Highway.” Hawley and Senator Borrello both sponsored proposals that would dedicate this roadway in honor of Sgt. Garigen. Sgt. Garigen was a decorated Vietnam war hero who received the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.

Sgt. Garigen served the town of Darien diligently as an active member of the Darien Town Board. He also served 50 years in the highway department and volunteered for the fire department. Sgt. Garigen was active in the veteran community as a member and leader of the Region 1 Patriot Guard Riders. Hawley is proud to recognize this local hero and hopes his legacy will help inspire others.

“Sgt. Garigen honorably served his country in Vietnam and exemplified the virtues of honor, courage, and sacrifice,” said Hawley. “Even after his military career, Sgt. Garigen dedicated himself to uplifting the people around him and supporting the veteran community. I was proud to be able to support this initiative in the state Legislature with Sen. Borrello and I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor. Sgt. Garigen’s legacy will continue to live on as an example of what it truly means to serve your country.”

Senator George Borrello spoke on the highway dedication saying:

“Sgt. Garigen bravely served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He and his fellow soldiers fought their way through dense jungles and endured blistering heat and guerrilla warfare tactics. He fought heroically on behalf of our nation and in support of freedom,” said Senator George Borrello, who represents the 57th district in the State Senate, which includes Genesee County.

“It always humbling to be able to pay tribute to brave individuals like Mr. Garigen who served our nation honorably out of love and loyalty to America,” Senator Borrello said. “One small way we can repay them is by honoring their example and contributions through highway designations like this one.”

“While New Yorkers are feeling the heat of increased unaffordability and an ongoing public safety crisis, the Majority simply swept these issues under the rug during their final days in Albany,” said Hawley. 

“They instead took the opportunity to push through as many radical policies as they could, thinking people wouldn’t notice. The Majority needs to realize that New Yorkers don’t want more useless mandates and regulations. They want results. We need to lower the cost of living, institute stronger penalties to deter crime, and more support for our law enforcement officers. Until they can deliver on that, they’re wasting everyone’s time.”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, C-Batavia) attended a joint press conference to call out the unacceptable and persistent release of cop-killers by the New York State Parole Board. Since 2017, 41 cop-killers have been released. Hawley was joined by his colleagues in the state Assembly and Senate and members of the law enforcement community to advocate for police officers and their families.

Hawley has sponsored a proposal (A.3481) that would require life without parole for the first-degree murder of a police officer. The Majority, however, has not allowed this initiative to move forward in the lawmaking process.

“New York State’s Parole Board has failed us,” said Hawley. “These are the people who are supposed to keep dangerous criminals locked up, but instead, they’re letting them move in next door. Our police officers are the fabric of our society. An attack on one of them is an attack on our way of life. These cop-killing cowards belong in jail, no ifs, ands or buts. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the state Assembly and Senate until we have a parole board that actually cares about protecting victims, not rewarding criminals.”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is sponsoring a proposal in the state Assembly that would eliminate the registration fee for Gold Star mothers’ and Gold Star family members' distinctive license plates. 

Hawley believes this initiative is a small way for New York to show its appreciation for the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

“As an Assemblyman and a veteran, one of my top priorities is finding ways to give back to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Hawley. “Gold Star families have given so much for our country and this is just one small way for our state to show our gratitude for all they have done. I’m proud to sponsor this proposal and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to consider this initiative to show our thanks to our Gold Star families.”

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is once again partnering with Sunnking Sustainable Solutions to offer free electronic device collection and recycling for the community. Collection day will be Saturday, June 22 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the parking lot at 5130 E Main Street Rd. in Batavia. Pre-registration is requested of all attendees at the website https://form.jotform.com/Sunnking/eo-batavia---june-2024.

“Recycling is a small but impactful way we can help keep our communities clean and I’m grateful to the good people at Sunnking Sustainable Solutions for partnering with me for another year of work,” Hawley said. “Anything from cell phones to computers to TVs can be recycled, so please, register today and help keep our communities clean!”

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is announcing this year’s Patriot Trip to Washington, D.C. The trip will run from September 19 - 22 and is open to local veterans and their families. Participants will get a tour of the nation’s capital and its numerous monuments and landmarks that honor those who served. 

This year’s trip will feature stops at several notable locations in the D.C. area, including the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War memorials and Arlington National Cemetery.

“This trip is an excellent opportunity to honor not only our local veterans but also those who served before them,” said Hawley. “I am incredibly excited to host this event for another year. We owe our veterans a deep level of gratitude for all they have sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy in this country, so being able to take them to our nation’s capital to see these historic landmarks is truly an honor.” 

Hawley is asking that participants register by August 16. Due to the many generous donations from the community, local businesses and organizations, we are expecting the cost to be $450-$500 per person with everything included. To register, contact Hawley’s office at 585-589-5780 or email hawleys@nyassembly.gov for more details.

For those who wish to donate to support this event, please make your donation out to American Legion Patriot Trip and send to PO Box 171, Albion.