Press Releases

Friend: Sunshine For State Authorities But Not For The Legislature

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) is a sponsor of Assembly Bill 4788, which passed the Assembly today. The bill would require New York State Authorities to webcast their meetings for the public. While many in the chamber were applauding...

Friend: Assembly Finally Does The Right Thing On Human Trafficking

Today, after two years of holding the bill hostage for political posturing, the Assembly Majority finally brought legislation to the floor to protect the victims of human trafficking and bring its perpetrators to justice. I am proud to have...

Friend: Assembly Budget Resolution Leaves Much To Be Desired

Today, I stood in opposition to the Assembly Budget Resolution, which outlined the Majority’s vision for New York. This vision included funding for the unconstitutional SAFE Act, funding cuts for our roads and bridges in the CHIPS program, a draconian...

Friend: Gov.’s Property Tax Plan Doesn’t Help Stop Unfunded Mandates

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats), the Ranking Minority Member of the Local Governments Committee, is taking issue with Gov. Cuomo’s property tax proposal in his 2015 Executive Budget. Assemblyman Friend says the proposal doesn’t...

Friend: Gov. Cuomo Not Above Reproach In Ethics Reform

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) will be fighting to include the executive branch and Gov. Andrew Cuomo into whatever ethics reform package the Legislature takes up this year. We have a governor who is within the purview of United...

Friend To Gov: Stop Playing Games With School Aid Runs

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) is calling on Gov. Cuomo to release his school aid runs to the public. The governor has refused to release the school aid runs ahead of the budget, using them instead as political leverage for his controversial...

Friend Supports Blue Lives Matter

Photo as described in caption
Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) today joined his colleagues and members of the organization Blue Lives Matter NYC to raise awareness of the group’s mission. Blue Lives Matter works with the families of fallen officers around the...

Friend: Gov. Wrong To Tie DREAM Act To TAP’s Future

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) is calling on Gov. Cuomo and the two houses of the Legislature to remove the DREAM Act from the proposed budget for the state. In a 30-day amendment filed by the governor, the future of the Tuition...

Friend Sponsors Legislation Barring Sex Offenders From Living Within 1,000 Feet Of Schools, Parks, And Daycares

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) has signed on to Assembly Bill A.3134, legislation that would bar convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, childcare services, and parks. Recently, the New York Court of Appeals...

Friend: Majority Fails To Act On Ethics Reform After Promises

We heard a lot of promises last week when Assemblyman Heastie assumed his role as Speaker of the Assembly, including an assurance of a new focus on ethics reform. In his first week as Speaker, the legislature considered no ethics reforms. We have the...

Friend: Taxpayers Left Holding The Bill After Lopez/Silver Settlement

Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) has renewed his insistency on adopting ethics reforms following the news that over $500,000 in taxpayer funds will be paid to the Assembly staffers sexually harassed by former Assemblyman Vito Lopez....

Friend: Speaker Heastie A Chance To Start Over On Ethics

Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats), who had been a vocal critic of former Speaker Sheldon Silver, is calling on his Assembly colleagues to not squander this opportunity to reform the Chamber. “This is the first change in...

Friend: Silver Exits After Majority & Preet Bharara Force His Hand

The initial pressure members of the Majority have faced in regard to removing Speaker Silver has finally taken hold. As Speaker, Silver fostered a dangerous environment for the women of New York. His former Chief of Staff, Michael Boxley, was arrested...

Political Winners And Losers – Not What America Was Founded On

I would like to thank Gov. Cuomo for his continued attention to the economic distress of Upstate New York. Unfortunately, the joint State of the State and Budget Address was just the same failed strategy of politically picking winners and losers. The...

Friend: Silver Lands In Court, Must Resign

Speaker Sheldon Silver has used his position to benefit himself, his political allies, and chosen colleagues. I applaud U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara for his work to make our government more ethical. This speaker can no longer serve on the people’s behalf....

Friend: Transparency Issues Dog Controversial START-UP NY

Assemblyman Chris Friend (R,C,I – Big Flats) is condemning the state’s decision to push back a mandatory report on Gov. Cuomo’s controversial START-UP NY Program. A report was due on December 31, 2014, but has been rescheduled to April 1, 2015,...

Assembly Must Follow Senate’s Lead, Pass WEA

Today, I joined my colleagues in the Assembly Minority in calling on Speaker Silver and the Assembly Majority to have an up-or-down vote on the eight individual women’s equality measures passed by the Senate yesterday. These eight vital reforms should...

Friend: Shameful Majority Re-Elects Scandal-Plagued Silver

Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I –Big Flats) today condemned the Assembly Majority’s re-election of Speaker Sheldon Silver. Silver has recently come under federal investigation for his outside earnings and has a past marred in scandal. “The...

New Laws Will Help Fight Against Heroin And Drug Abuse In New York State

“In recent years, New York State has experienced a frightening increase in opioid use in both its street and prescription forms. Heroin, in particular, is emerging as a public health concern in every community. Recent legislative laws such as I-STOP...

End of Session Brings Missed Opportunity For Monterey Shock

“Monterey Shock is the prime example of what correction facilities are supposed to be. It has a greater than 80 percent graduation rate and only a seven percent recidivism rate. The inmates are provided with an opportunity for drug counseling; a high...