Steve Hawley

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today encouraged college students to participate in New York’s annual business plan competition. Hawley praised the competition for allowing bright students across the state to present new ideas consistent with New York’s focus on nanotechnology, entrepreneurship and advanced technology. More than 600 students are expected to participate and compete for a top cash prize of $100,000.  

“As the owner and operator of a small business, I know the hard work and ingenuity it takes to succeed as a business owner in New York,” Hawley said. “This competition highlights principles that make our state great – determined and visionary entrepreneurs and businesspeople. I am thrilled that we are allowing the next generation of business- and technology-minded students to fulfill their passions right here in New York State and generate ideas that will allow our economy to grow and thrive. I encourage all college students interested in this competition to participate.”

The competition’s regional semifinals, held at St. John Fisher College in Rochester for students from Hawley’s district, will be held in March and early April with the finals being held on April 24 at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Since the first competition in 2010, more than 1,130 students have competed with cash prizes being awarded in excess of $1,300,000. More information about the competition can be found at http://www.sunycnse.com/NewYorkBusinessPlanCompetition/2015Program.aspx.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today criticized Gov. Cuomo’s budget negotiation tactic of tying funding for New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to passage of the DREAM Act. Hawley said we shouldn’t play politics with college students’ education and it is wrong to link such a vital higher education program to the passage of a politically tumultuous initiative.  

“It would be wrong to jeopardize TAP funding, which hundreds of thousands of college students rely on every year because the governor wants to pass a politically controversial initiative,” Hawley said. “With the cost of college and university tuition continuing to rise and student loan debt at an all time high, it is insulting to hold this funding hostage in exchange for providing illegal aliens access to taxpayer-funded tuition assistance. The average TAP award per student is upwards of $2,500 which, if not available next year, could lead to hundreds of thousands of students being unable to attend a New York college or university.”

Hawley’s comments come after Gov. Cuomo released his 30-day amendments, which link passage of TAP funding to several education initiatives, including the DREAM Act. The 2015-16 Executive Budget proposal includes an additional $27 million in TAP funding for the DREAM Act.

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) said today that he intends to push for legislation to allow military spouses’ professional licenses to be held valid in New York if they were obtained in other states. Hawley said New York State should not punish those who wish to continue their career in a state of which their original license was not obtained and the legislature should make this a priority as 47 other states have passed measures to correct this issue. 

“The current laws do a disservice to families with a member in the armed forces,” Hawley said. “In many cases, spouses of armed service members cannot afford to remain unemployed when they relocate, due to the military obligations of a family member, to an area where their license is not held valid. Those with professional licenses often bring a valuable set of skills to the area where they live, and it would serve our state’s best interests to allow them to practice here. Members on both sides of the aisle have sponsored legislation for several years that would correct this issue, and I will push to see that it gets passed this session.”

Hawley, a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves, currently sponsors two separate bills to address this issue. He has been a champion of veterans’ issues during his time in the Assembly as shown by his work as Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley have introduced special legislation, S.1292/A.4367, in the New York State Legislature to allow the use of rifles for big game hunting in Genesee County.

“In several areas of New York State, sportsmen are allowed to hunt deer with rifles and this change in law would allow the use of rifles in Genesee County,” Ranzenhofer said. “As the this year’s session progresses, Assemblyman Hawley and I will be working together to get this bill signed into law.”

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley is sponsoring the bill in the State Assembly.

“Hunting is very popular in Western New York, and this legislation is being requested on behalf of the Genesee County Legislature. I am pleased to address concerns of local governing bodies from my district and will work with members of the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee to bring this bill to the floor for a vote,” Hawley said.

Last fall, the Genesee County Legislature and the Genesee County Federation of Sportsman Club requested the special legislation to be introduced at the beginning of the 2015 Legislative Session.

Existing environmental conservation law only authorizes the use of pistols, shotguns, crossbows, muzzle-loading firearms or long bows when hunting deer from the first Saturday after Nov. 15 through the first Sunday after Dec. 7.

The bill has been referred to the Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation in the Senate. If enacted into law, the bill would take effect immediately.

Press release from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“The election of Speaker Heastie last week brought hope that ethics reform would be ushered in with the changing of the guard in Albany. We are now beginning to realize that the priorities will likely remain the same despite the leadership change.

"Speaker Heastie stood tough on ethics reform merely a week ago and now we have learned his focus has shifted to rent control for New York City residents. I would like to say I am surprised, but the more things change the more they stay the same.

"As the legislature gavels out for its break, we have not heard a murmur of legislative ethics talk and cannot even discuss it until two weeks from now after the legislative break. It will have been almost two months since the opening day of session when we return to the chamber, and still no substantial legislation or ethics package has been voted on. That is unacceptable.”

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced today that grant money will be distributed by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund directly to localities in Genesee County for agriculture and farm protection. Hawley said he is proud to announce that this funding is being delivered directly to his district and that agriculture remains one of his top priorities due to its prevalence and economic strength in Western New York.  

“I am proud to announce that $25,000 awards will be given to the towns of Alabama and Oakfield in Genesee County as well as a $50,000 award for the county as a whole,” Hawley said. “The funding will be used for farmland protection plans and I am confident that our region will continue to lead the way in farming and agricultural development.

"I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle during my time in office to advocate on behalf of our farms here in Western New York, many of which are family owned, and it continues to be one of my top priorities as we progress through this year’s legislative session.”

Towns are required to fund at least 25 percent of the cost to develop an agriculture protection plan and county funding will be used to either update the plans or create new ones. Local government and farm collaboration is necessary to ensure that each plan promotes the local agriculture industry. Municipalities that have agriculture and farmland protection boards are eligible for these funds and applications can be accessed at http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) recently announced the return of his government conference to be held in Albany May 3 through May 5. Hawley said the conference is a great opportunity for local officials across his election district to discuss issues related to their counties, towns and municipalities.  

“I am excited to host the government conference once again,” Hawley said. “There are not enough opportunities for local officials to brainstorm and share ideas and solutions related specifically to the operation of local government. Our trip will partially consist of a number of workshops led by representatives of state agencies and policy experts. I encourage all newly elected officials to attend the event and use this time to gain valuable insight into the workings of state and local government.”

Hawley is asking those interested to contact his district office at 585-589-5780 by Feb. 25. The approximate cost of the trip is $450, all inclusive. The local government trip to Albany was originated by Hawley’s father, former Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley.

Press release from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“Now that we have elected new leadership, the first order of business should be enacting much-needed ethics reforms. If the events of the past few weeks prove anything, it is that we have a unique opportunity to start fresh and for Speaker Heastie to prove that he is tough on ethics reform.

"For years, the Assembly Minority Conference and I have been calling for passage of measures such as the Public Officers Accountability Act and forfeiture of pension and retirement benefits for those convicted of certain felonies while serving as public officers.  Today is the dawn of a new day in New York State government, and I hope Speaker Heastie takes the initiative to put us back on the right track.”

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today reiterated his commitment to ethics reform and preventing future abuses of power in Albany. While the Assembly Minority has pushed for ethics reforms for years, Assembly Majority members are now hypocritically trying to use this opportunity to protect their own reputations and mislead constituents. 

“I have continuously sponsored and worked to draw public attention to legislation that would have prevented the abuses of power and public trust that we have seen the last couple years,” Hawley said. “It is extremely hypocritical for members of the Assembly Majority to be calling for these reforms when they blocked this legislation from coming to the floor for a vote mere months ago. Recent events have proven that narcissism and blind loyalty take precedent over doing what is ethical for many members of the Assembly.

"We were told that Speaker Silver would not cause a distraction from normal daily operations, but that has clearly not been the case. We are now approaching four weeks since session opened and we have not passed a single piece of legislation. It speaks very little of the representatives comprising the Assembly Majority that they are just now catching on to these commonsense ethics reforms.”

Hawley’s comments come after media has been pressing members of the Legislature to pass sweeping ethics reforms in the wake of Speaker Silver’s arrest. Hawley sponsored legislation first introduced in 2013 that would have stripped pension and retirement benefits from public officials convicted of certain felonies. He also sponsors the Public Officer’s Accountability Act which would impose term limits on legislative leaders and create new crimes against the public trust and failing to report corruption, among other things.

Press release from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“The news today regarding an investigation into employees of the New York State Thruway Authority allegedly using state-provided phones to arrange meetings with prostitutes is disturbing and speaks to the general dysfunction of the department. It’s repulsive to hear about abuses such as these permeating the leadership of such an important state-run organization. Many members of the Assembly have called out the Thruway Authority for failing to produce a financial plan to fund the repair of the Tappan Zee Bridge and keep tolls from skyrocketing and we are still waiting on a plan. Whether using taxpayer-funded resources to facilitate sex crimes or irresponsibly handling the finances of their own agency, the Thruway Authority continues to miserably fail New Yorkers.”

Press release:

With the recent arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on alleged federal corruption charges, the culture of deceit, lies and bribery in Albany has been brought further into the public spotlight. It is unfortunate that a few members of the legislature refuse to follow the rules and fall victim to money and power. Scandals such as these bring a pejorative perception to the already tainted Albany culture and make it difficult for the rest of us who truly want to do what is best for all New Yorkers.

If the recent news regarding Speaker Silver has demonstrated anything, it is that we need ethics reforms in Albany now more than ever. It goes against the very function of our government to have a single person hold as much power as Sheldon Silver. Silver has omnipotent control over which bills come before the Assembly for a vote and how taxpayer funds are used. The length of time Silver has been in office, more than 20 years, has allowed him to accumulate significant wealth and power. Now we have discovered that much of his wealth and power allegedly was either illegally obtained or used to promote his own private interests.  

If we are to truly reform Albany’s culture of corruption, we need to pass the Public Officers Accountability Act. I sponsored this legislation last legislative term, along with almost all of my Assembly Minority colleagues, because I know that abuses of power such as these should be handled proactively. This legislation: limits the time a member of the legislature can serve as a committee chair or legislative leader to eight years; bans elected officials from future employment for certain felony convictions; and requires the return of campaign funds to donors or charities upon certain felony convictions. Furthermore, I sponsored Assembly Bill 4935 of 2014 that proposes stripping pension and retirement benefits from public officials convicted of certain felonies.  

Until these bills are taken up for a vote, we are leaving the door open for further abuses of power and theft from the public coffers. The last thing we need is career politicians who have lost interest in benefiting their constituencies in exchange for padding their own pockets and ensuring their own reelection. The only way to handle serious ethics violations is with a serious ethics reform bill, and the Public Officers Accountability Act provides a plethora of reforms that will prevent these abuses before they happen again.

The now-defunct Moreland Commission took three months to review Assemblyman Steve Hawley's financial and business records and found nothing amiss, Hawley told a luncheon in Orleans County on Friday.

“There’s an old adage: ‘If you have nothing to hide, comply,’ ” Hawley said.

Orleans Hub reports that Hawley turned over a list of clients, employees, family members, advertisements, political materials, income taxes and property taxes. It was an exhaustive collection of documents.

Besides sitting in the Assembly, Hawley owns an insurance business based in Batavia.

The three-month review to see if Hawley was making money in kickbacks or abusing his public office for financial gain found Hawley was not misusing his office. Everything was clear.

Hawley's remarks came shortly after Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested on federal charges for allegedly taking kickbacks. Silver has temporarily stepped down from his leadership position.

The Moreland Commission was disbanded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo before its work was seemingly complete, a decision that was controversial at the time and has been reexamined in light of the charges against Silver.

For more on the story, visit Orleans Hub.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today called for the resignation and removal of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Hawley said Silver’s resignation is necessary to preserve the integrity of the office and keep focus on the importance of the upcoming budget negotiations.  

“Speaker Silver owes it to his legislative colleagues, the State of New York and his tens of thousands of constituents to step down as speaker,” Hawley said. “Speaker Silver owes the public an explanation for his actions, and it would be outrageous and irresponsible to allow him to continue his Assembly duties while he faces a possible indictment for corruption charges. It is time for members of the Assembly Majority to do the right thing and elect new leadership that will serve our state with a greater sense of honor and dignity. We have important business to conduct as public representatives, and the upcoming budget negotiations deserve our utmost attention. Silver’s resignation would allow us to continue the people’s business.”

Hawley’s comments come after Silver turned himself in to the FBI this morning following an investigation about incomplete financial disclosures required by state law.

From Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“A plan to expand broadband Internet access will be beneficial to the more rural parts of my district, and I look forward to hearing more about the proposal. I am concerned that Gov. Cuomo’s small-business tax cut plan is not structured in a manner that allows business owners to expand and hire more employees. The proposed cut is less than one-10th of what the legislature gave to Hollywood film executives to entice them to produce movies in New York State. We need to get our priorities straight and protect family-owned businesses that have been in New York for generations. Furthermore, I am concerned that the governor’s plan does not properly fund agriculture in a way that will protect our farmers and allow their businesses to stay in New York and be passed down from generation to generation.”

From State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has issued the following statement in response to Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address and Executive budget proposal:

“In the coming days and weeks, I will be going over the Executive budget proposal with a fine-tooth comb. I am pleased that the Governor has proposed major investments in infrastructure, a new property tax relief program and expanding broadband access in rural communities.” 

“For four years, State budgets have passed on time that closed billions of dollars in deficits by controlling spending and reduced taxes for small businesses and middle-class families.  Our priorities should be to build on this progress, including strengthening our economy, ensuring our children receive a first-rate education and repealing burdensome regulations.”

“The 2015-16 Legislative Session presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to keep New York State moving forward. We cannot afford to allow it to be squandered.”

If you missed the speech, here's coverage from The New York Times.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced that interest-free loans have become available for certain municipalities to make improvements to their wastewater infrastructure systems. The availability of this cheaper funding for up to 30 years means smaller governments and towns in the district may now have the financial means to upgrade their infrastructure.

“I am excited about the availability of these new zero-percent loans,” Hawley said. “This is a case where a decision has the potential to positively impact communities and residents at the local level. Many local governments in my district struggle to keep taxes low and finance community projects due to costly state mandates and rising healthcare costs.  These interest-free loans will hopefully absorb some of the financial stress placed on our local governments and allow them to finance long-term design and construction of more efficient wastewater infrastructure systems. In doing so, we can employ local construction groups, protect the environment and allow for more efficient removal and purification of our residents' wastewater.”

Hawley’s comments come after The Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved $288 million worth of zero-percent interest loans for wastewater infrastructure improvements Thursday. The City of Olean and Village of Malone were the first to take advantage of the new loan funding.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today criticized Gov. Cuomo’s proposed property-tax relief plan as having little concrete backing and not addressing the root cause of unfunded mandates. Hawley also said that the plan is simply a temporary fix and does not address the oppressive tax structure in New York State.  

“Gov. Cuomo’s proposal is a convenient way to avoid addressing the root cause of high property and school taxes: unfunded mandates,” Hawley said. “I agree that tax cuts should be a focus during this year’s budgetary process, but Gov. Cuomo’s proposal does not address the rigorous and oppressive tax structure in New York State. Furthermore, this proposal is based on a surplus that does not yet exist and apparently could only exist if the legislature made several billion in cuts over the next few years. A better solution for tax relief would be broad-based tax cuts for all New Yorkers and not just select groups, as Gov. Cuomo has done.”

Hawley’s comments come after Gov. Cuomo released a $1.7 billion property-tax credit proposal that will be included in his budget presentation next week. Hawley has fought for lower taxes and more fiscal responsibility in Albany during his tenure in the legislature.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) announced today that he is sponsoring legislation to end the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA). Assembly Bill 8720 of 2014 seeks to end the education cuts that took place in 2009 and 2010. Hawley, along with many members of the Assembly Minority Conference, has been outspoken about restoring the GEA for several years. “School districts in New York State deserve to have these cuts restored,” Hawley said. 

“The legislature has had the financial means to restore this education aid for years now, and the apparent surplus this year should go directly to fund our schools. It is unfortunate to see good teachers being laid off and students being placed at a disadvantage because Albany couldn’t balance its budget. These cuts were never intended to be permanent, but the legislature is hesitant to repay them each budget cycle.”

Hawley’s comments come after members of the legislature made clear their plan to reintroduce Assembly Bill 8720 for the current legislative term. The new bill number is not known yet.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today called for members of the Assembly Majority to bring the Women’s Equality Agenda to the floor for a vote as separate bills.  Hawley said the Assembly Minority intends to again introduce the package as separate pieces of legislation. 

“The women of New York have waited far too long for these bills to be passed by the Assembly,” Hawley said.  “We are re-introducing this legislation because women’s equality reforms cannot wait another year.  These bills will protect women from matters such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, human trafficking and wage discrimination.  It is time for the Assembly Majority to quit using this issue for political gain and join us in a bi-partisan collaboration that will be an early legislative victory for constituents.”

Hawley’s comments come after Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) held a press conference Tuesday morning to call for passage of the Women’s Equality Agenda legislation.  The State Senate passed eight separate bills on Monday. 

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) was reappointed as Assistant Minority Leader as well as Minority Ranker of the Assembly’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Hawley also announced that he was reappointed to the Agriculture, Insurance, and Ways and Means committees.

“I am honored to serve in our conference’s leadership once again,” Hawley said. “Our members and leadership are tremendously devoted to crafting the best public policy possible and I am motivated to get back to work. Furthermore, as a veteran, I am proud to serve as Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. I have always sought to protect the rights of veterans and advocate for them in Albany. My years in the military have given me the knowledge and experience to meaningfully contribute to the policy process. I look forward to heading back to Albany to continue working for veterans during this year’s session.”

Hawley, a veteran of the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, has served in the legislature since 2006 and as Assistant Minority Leader since 2013. The 2015 Legislative Session opened on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when members took their oaths of office in the Assembly Chamber and Assemblymen Sheldon Silver and Brian Kolb were elected to the positions of Speaker and Minority Leader, respectively.    

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) wrote Attorney General Eric Schneiderman again urging him to investigate the disparity in gas prices from county to county.  Hawley, whose district is comprised of Genesee County and parts of Monroe and Orleans counties, mentioned the noticeably higher price of gas in his hometown of Batavia as compared to prices paid in surrounding counties.  Hawley has written Schneiderman several times on this issue, urging him to investigate and take action on the fluctuation of gas prices in his district.

“In most instances Genesee and Orleans county gas prices range much higher than the surrounding counties,” wrote Hawley.  “I have seen firsthand the pricing of gas stations in Batavia costing $.15-$.25 more per gallon than the various stations located in the surrounding contiguous counties: Erie and Monroe.  I know there are many variables which determine the price per gallon of gas but it seems to me that the price should not differ significantly from county to county.”