News from Assemblywoman
JOAN L. MILLMAN

52nd ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Albany Office: Room 510 Capitol, Albany, NY 12248, (518) 455-5426
District Office: 341 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231, (718) 246-4889

June 2009 Community Report

On June 30, 2009, the state law giving the mayor control of the city’s public schools will sunset. Her experience as a public school teacher and librarian, as well as a consultant with the NYC Department of Education, provides Assemblywoman Millman with a unique voice in Albany. Furthermore, as a member of the Assembly’s Education Committee, Assemblywoman Millman will be working closely to develop reforms of the current system of mayoral control. This month, Assemblywoman Millman introduced a bill to amend mayoral control in several important ways.

The bill introduced by Assemblywoman Millman maintains overall mayoral control of the schools but amends the current law to provide for a stronger series checks and balances to ensure better public accountability and more meaningful input for parents and communities in educational decision matters. This bill also gives greater oversight to the Independent Budget Office and the Public Advocate.

The Assembly recently announced new leadership positions in response to several vacancies. Assemblywoman Millman was appointed to be the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Election Law. "I am excited to be chairing the Election Law committee because there is a lot we can accomplish, especially with campaign finance reform" said Millman. "At the same time," she continued, "I am disappointed to be leaving the Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee because we’ve really been doing some great work."

Assemblywoman Joan L. Millman is proud to announce that the Assembly recently passed legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry in New York State. The bill, A.7732, confers the same legal rights and responsibilities of marriage that are extended to any other married couple to same-sex couples.

"I have always been a strong voice of support for marriage equality in our state," said Millman. "It is exciting to see that momentum is building in New York and all over the country to pass similar laws. It is my hope that this year the Senate will recognize that a majority of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage and vote to reflect this reality."

Under current state law, New Yorkers unable to enter into a civil marriage do not have access to basic legal rights such as the right to own property, inheritance, health care, hospital visitation, taxation, insurance coverage, child custody, pension benefits and testimonial privileges. Married couples also receive important safeguards against the loss or injury of a spouse and crucial assurances against legal intrusion into their marital privacy.

In Albany, Assemblywoman Millman was visited by members of the Audubon Society to discuss their conservation efforts in the State Legislature to protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats and enhance New York’s natural resources

Happy shoppers returning from a trip to Fairway Market are joined by Assemblywoman Millman. For more information about the free shuttle to Fairway, please contact Assemblywoman Millman’s office at 718-246-4889.