Press Releases

Ra Presses DOT & MTA on Local Road Funding, Rising Transportation Costs at Budget Hearing

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) raised concerns about the condition of local roads and the rising cost of transportation during the transportation hearing on the governor’s 2026 executive budget proposal on Tuesday. A recent report by TRIP, a...

Ra Honors Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with Annual ‘Praise Our Police’ Initiative

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To honor Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) introduced a resolution in the Assembly Chamber yesterday and invited schools from the 19th Assembly District to participate in his annual Praise Our Police (POP) program....

Assemblyman Ra Presents Policy Agenda for the 2026 Legislative Session

With the 2026 Legislative Session underway in Albany, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) and his colleagues in the New York State Assembly Minority Conference have unveiled their policy agenda for the year ahead. The comprehensive legislative platform,...

Ra Questions Funding Plan Behind Governor’s Universal Child Care Proposal

“As the Ranking Minority member on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, my job is to ask the questions that often get filtered out through the governor’s rose-colored glasses. I have always supported New York’s families, and I understand the financial...

Assemblyman Ra on the Start of the 2026 Legislative Session: ‘Albany Has Hit the Limit—It’s Time to put Down the Credit Card’

“New Yorkers are being asked to believe the contradiction that record spending will somehow make life more affordable. It hasn’t, and it won’t. The governor has expressed a willingness to tackle affordability, but under her leadership, the state...

Assemblyman Ra Announces Signing of Law Enforcement Mental Health Bill Honoring Lt. Joseph Banish

Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is proud to announce that legislation he co‑sponsored, bill A.6721, has been signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The measure enacts the Lieutenant Joseph Banish Mental Health Act, establishing a formal peer‑to‑peer...

Truckload of Toys: Assemblyman Ra’s Annual Drive Delivers to Children Across the Community

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is pleased to share the success of his annual toy drive. With the generosity of local schools and libraries, a 20-foot U‑Haul truck was packed with donations and delivered to the John Theissen Children’s Foundation...

Ra Sponsored Bill to Boost Bone Marrow Donor Enrollment Signed into Law

Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) is proud to announce his bill, A.5122A, co-sponsored with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, has been signed into law, a major step toward expanding the donor registry and giving patients a greater chance at survival....

Assemblyman Ra Honors Local Veterans and Students at Annual Veterans Portrait Project Reception

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) was joined by local veterans, students and families yesterday at the Long Island Children’s Museum for a reception honoring the participants of his annual Veterans Portrait Project. The event celebrated the hard...

Ra Honors 10 Local Women of Distinction

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) was proud to present the 2025 Women of Distinction awards this past Saturday, Sept. 27, at Adelphi University’s Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom to 10 honorees, including one emerging leader, in the community. Ra hosts...

Assemblyman Ra Welcomes Over 100 Veterans and Guests for Annual Patriotic Picnic

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) welcomed veterans from the 19th Assembly District and their guests to his annual patriotic picnic on Thursday, Aug. 7, at VFW Post 2718, where about 115 attendees enjoyed complimentary food and community camaraderie....

Ra on Proposed MTA Fare Hikes

A Statement by Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square), ranking Minority member on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, on the latest fare hikes proposed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that the...

Ra Announces Winners of 2025 ‘There Ought to be A Law Contest’

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) hosted his sixth annual “There Ought to Be a Law” ceremony on Monday, June 23 at Mineola Middle School, where he recognized 24 semi-finalists selected from 483 entries submitted by fifth-grade students across...

Assemblyman Ed Ra Presents Capitol-Flown Flag to Meadow Drive School

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) joined Assemblyman Daniel Norber (R,C-Great Neck) and Principal Jennie Fahey on Tuesday, June 24, to visit second-grade students at Meadow Drive School and present the school with an American flag that was flown over...

Assemblyman Ed Ra Presents Italian American Legislators Scholarship to New Hyde Park Memorial High School Valedictorian Marco Valle

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Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) today presented the Assemblyman James D. Conte Memorial Academic Scholarship to Marco Valle, a senior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School and the school’s Class of 2025 valedictorian. The scholarship, awarded...

Ra Bill to Boost Bone Marrow Donor Enrollment Passes State Assembly

Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) announced the passage of his bill that will make it easier for New Yorkers to learn about joining the national bone marrow donor registry. The legislation, carried in partnership with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages,...

A Joint Statement from Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) and Assemblymember Alex Bores (D-Manhattan), Co-Chairs of The New York Future Caucus

“Earlier today, State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot multiple times at their home, and as...

MTA Mismanagement Persists, Ra’s Bill to Audit MTA is Blocked by Assembly Majority

From 2021 to 2024, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) lost more than $5 billion in unpaid tolls. In 2022 alone, the MTA lost more than $700 million to fare evasion, a number that approached $800 million in 2024. Nearly $8 billion spent on...

Assemblyman Ra Women of Distinction 2025

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Albany Dysfunction Continues With 10th Budget Extender Passed Today

“Passing an extender with no budget bills in print three days after a ‘deal’ was announced is the height of dysfunction. While the governor is running victory laps across the state, families, school districts, local municipalities, hospitals, direct...