Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed the HALT Solitary Confinement Act (S2836/A2277A) into law, reforming the practice of segregated confinement in New York State correctional facilities.
This legislation limits the amount of time an incarcerated person can spend in segregated confinement to 15 days, clearly defines and reduces the number of disciplinary infractions eligible for segregated confinement, and exempts certain vulnerable populations, including the young, elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and individuals with a serious mental illness.
This legislation also establishes Residential Rehabilitation Units to provide incarcerated individuals with therapeutic and trauma-informed programming in a congregate setting. The expanded program model enacted by the HALT legislation will better address an individual’s underlying criminogenic needs and provide greater rehabilitative impacts to change behavior, leading to positive outcomes for individuals transitioning back to the general population.
“Generations of incarcerated men and women have been subjected to inhumane punishment in segregated confinement with little to no human interaction for extended periods of time and many experience emotional and physical trauma that can last for years,” Governor Cuomo said. “By signing the HALT Solitary Confinement Act into law we are reforming New York’s criminal justice system by helping ensure the effective implementation of proven, humane corrections policies. I applaud the bill sponsors and look forward to continuing our work to reform the era of mass incarceration and usher in a safer, more just Empire State.”
HALT Solitary Confinement Act
Studies have shown that isolation with little or no human contact for extended periods of time often leads to lasting trauma, as well as unintended consequences that are detrimental to an individual’s rehabilitation. This legislation includes several reforms, including:
A limitation on the amount of time people can spend in segregated confinement or special housing units to 15 days;
The creation of Residential Rehabilitations Units that will afford incarcerated individuals out-of-cell programming and trauma informed care, to address the underlying actions that resulted in their discipline;
The establishment of a minimum amount of out-of-cell time, therapeutic programming and/or recreation;
A restriction on the placement of youth, pregnant women, elderly and individuals with a serious mental illness into segregated confinement; and
An increase in the training of all staff that work within special housing units on de-escalation techniques, implicit bias, trauma-informed care, and dispute resolution.
New York Sea Grant, in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is accepting applications for funding for projects that engage youth under the age of 21 and address local watershed challenges and New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda priorities.
A total of $200,000, up to $25,000 per project, in New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants will be awarded. Applications are due by April 30. Instructions are online (click here for more information) or contact New York Sea Grant at 315-312-3042.
Educational institutions, including, but not limited to, public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, not-for-profit organizations, county and local government or public agencies, municipalities, and regional planning and environmental commissions are eligible to apply. Projects can include outdoor and in-classroom education, hands-on training, and formal and informal educational settings.
This small grants program is funded by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund.
ALBION — The Albion High School Arts Department recorded their production of Disney’s “Freaky Friday” on Saturday, and also met a Broadway actress who starred in the show.
In an effort to make this year’s show extra special, the high school production team invited Heidi Blickenstaff, the original cast member who portrayed Katherine Blake in the Broadway production and actress in the recent Disney film (2018), to meet and greet the student cast, crew and orchestra before recording their production of “Freaky Friday.”
Ms. Blickenstaff talked about how the magic of music and theater is needed in this world, especially in the time of the pandemic, giving the students a new appreciation for the show. She also talked about what this show means to her: what themes are present throughout the script, how the music made her feel, and what audiences can gain from watching this production.
We are so appreciative to Ms. Blickenstaff, the production team, High School Principal Jennifer Ashbery, and the district administrators who helped to make this happen!
The virtual show will be available for the public to stream on April 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. and April 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be bought at www.albionk12.org.
Photo by Tom Rivers: An angler tries to a catch a fish in the Oak Orchard River in Carlton.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that trout fishing season in New York State opens today. In preparation for opening day, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is stocking 1.8 million catchable trout in waters across the state.
In addition to larger size fish being stocked this year, some stream reaches will receive four stockings of trout.
“Every year, thousands of New Yorkers head outside on the opening day of trout season, and 2021 should be no exception, especially with a new trout management plan in place to improve access for anglers of all ages,” Cuomo said. “This is a longstanding and much-beloved tradition for generations of families, and I encourage New Yorkers to get outside, continue practicing safe behaviors like social distancing, and experience all the great fishing the Empire State has to offer.”
New York State offers a diverse set of fishing opportunities for wild and stocked trout. Under the State’s new Trout Stream Management Plan, DEC has grouped stream fishing opportunities into five distinct categories for improved management and easy-to-understand regulations to help make fishing more accessible and enjoyable for all anglers, from novice to expert.
“This year opening day represents the beginning of a new era in trout stream management for New York,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “After more than two years of committed work with our angling public, DEC will begin implementing the new Trout Stream Management Plan.”
This fall, anglers will be able to fish for trout throughout the state due to the creation of a statewide catch and release season that will run from Oct. 16 through March 31. While year-round trout fishing has been enjoyed in many areas of the state, the season will provide an opportunity for anglers who have otherwise had to wait for spring. DEC will select a suite of streams and conduct a three-year study to evaluate the new regulation to ensure that the new season has no negative impact on natural trout production.
“In addition to new and fewer types of special regulations, we have made significant progress toward achieving our fish production objectives to stock larger yearling fish and seed all stockings with some fish 12 inches or larger,” Seggos said. “Best of all, anglers can continue to enjoy our trout stream resources through the fall and winter months thanks to the creation of a new catch and release season.”
To prepare anglers for the 2021 trout season with the new management plan in place, DEC will host virtual outreach events in the coming weeks, including “how to” Facebook Live segments where viewers can learn about beginner trout fishing techniques.
To access additional information about how and where anglers can find their preferred type of trout angling opportunities, DEC launched an interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map to provide a one-stop-shop for information about stocking, fishing access, season dates, and regulations on the DECinfo Locator.
Links to the Trout Stream Fishing Map and a User Guide are available by clicking here.
ALBION – Despite pandemic illness restrictions, local churches are offering a variety of worship opportunities this Holy Week.
Many churches will be pre-recording or streaming live services on their Facebook, YouTube, or regular web pages. Some will hold in-person services with mask & distance requirements in place.
At least two churches in Albion will present Maundy Thursday Communion Services and Good Friday Tenebrae Services: Albion First Baptist (30 West Park St.) Thursday & Friday at 5 p.m., and Albion First Presbyterian (26 East State St.) Thursday & Friday at 6 p.m.
Most area churches will hold in-person Easter Celebrations at their regular worship times. Alleluia! He is Risen! Come hear the greatest story ever told, again or for the first time.
– Submitted by Rev. Aleka Schmidt, pastor of First Baptist Church and president of the Albion Area Ministerium
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2021 at 8:47 pm
The temperatures will take a dramatic turn Thursday, going from near 70 on Tuesday to a high of 36 on Thursday with snow showers likely, mainly between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. A half-inch of snow accumulation is possible.
The National Weather Service has cancelled a winter weather advisory for the Rochester area. “The storm system moving northward along the east coast is now expected to be farther east and weaker, resulting in far less snow than originally anticipated,” the Weather Service said about Monroe County. “Accumulations of 1-2 inches are possible late tonight and Thursday, mainly across the higher terrain of the interior Southern Tier and western Finger Lakes.”
The high temperatures for Orleans County after Thursday include mostly sunny and 38 on Friday, mostly sunny and 50 on Saturday, and mostly sunny and 53 on Sunday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2021 at 6:21 pm
Provided photo: This historical marker will soon be placed by the Erie Canal in Albion to commemorate Marquis de Lafayette, who as a young French aristocrat and military officer served with George Washington.
ALBION – A new historical marker will be dedicated April 14 in Albion. The sign will be placed by the Erie Canal near the gazebo on Platt Street.
The project is led by a middle school service learning class taught by Tim Archer.
The sign will commemorate Marquis de Lafayette, who as a young French aristocrat and military officer served with George Washington and was instrumental in the Continental Army securing American independence from the British monarchy.
The marker will be dedicated at 10 a.m. on April 14 in an informal event that includes the service learning class and Seventh Grade History Club.
In 1824 Marquis de Lafayette was invited to visit the United States for the first time in 41 years. As an American hero and one of the only surviving commanders from the Revolution, he was met with great enthusiasm in visits across 24 states.
Lafayette sailed on the Erie Canal on June 6-7, 1824, travelling between Lockport and Rochester during his farewell tour.
The sign is paid for from the Orleans County Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. The marker notes Lafayette’s journey on the Erie Canal during the farewell tour, and the sign will also include The Lafayette Trail logo.
The Lafayette Trail Inc. notified the Albion officials that the organization is planning bicentennial celebrations of Lafayette’s farewell tour in 2024-2025.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2021 at 4:35 pm
Active cases up from 93 to 118 in 2 counties in past 7 days
There are 29 more confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported today in Genesee and Orleans counties, bringing the total in the two counties to 7,216 since March 2020, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.
There have been 133 new cases in the two counties in the past seven days with 91 in Genesee and 42 in Orleans. The number of active cases in the two counties has increased from 93 to 118 in the past seven days, with new infections outpacing recoveries.
In Orleans County there are 12 new confirmed cases reported today for a total of 2,565 positive cases during the pandemic.
The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.
One of the new cases is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, where 129 residents have now tested positive during the pandemic.
Orleans is reporting that one of the new positive individuals in the county was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. One more of the previous positive individuals has recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are currently 3 county residents hospitalized due to Covid. A week ago there weren’t any Orleans residents hospitalized due to Covid.
In Genesee County there are 17 new confirmed cases of Covid reported today for a total of 4,651 positive cases during the pandemic.
The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.
Genesee is reporting 4 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Three of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Genesee County Jail, where 12 inmates have now tested positive for Covid.
Genesee has 5 residents hospitalized due to Covid, up from 4 on March 24.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined other members of the Assembly and Senate Minority Conferences today in calling on Gov. Cuomo to release $1.3 billion in CARES Act housing assistance funding to aid tenants and landlords.
If the money were to go unused by the end of September, it is possible the federal government could take the funds back, leaving tenants and landlords without much-needed assistance. Tenants have struggled to pay rent due to the pandemic, causing many small landlords to face difficulty in paying their mortgages.
“People need this money now more than ever, and to leave it sitting around during this time of great need is unconscionable,” Hawley said. “Helping everyday New Yorkers should be our number one priority during these times, and for most people their priority number one is keeping a roof over their heads. This money will go a long way toward keeping people’s rents and mortgages paid, and I see no reason we should wait any longer in getting it to those who need it most.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined Senate and House Democrats to announce comprehensive legislation to protect New Yorkers and families across the country from the growing plastic pollution crisis.
The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act is made up of a collection of “best practices” laws that have already been successfully enacted at the state level, or by other countries battling plastic pollution, to address the plastic pollution crisis that poisons air, water and land, and disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income Americans.
The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act would change the incentives of the plastic industry to reduce plastic production, increase recycling, and protect at-risk communities from the burden of toxic emissions from plastic waste. The legislation would shift the burden of cleanup to corporations that produce plastics, providing financial motivation to end burning and dumping; strengthening environmental justice protections; eliminating waste export loopholes; and expanding existing laws that have been proven to work on the state and local level.
“We must address the dangerous amount of plastic that is burned, buried, or dumped into our waterways,” Gillibrand said. “Rampant plastic pollution has already caused significant ecological damage to New York’s waterways, and has significantly harmed communities of color and low-income communities.”
“This comprehensive legislation will take major steps to strengthen environmental protections, expand successful state level legislation to combat plastic pollution — like the historic phasing-out out of single-use plastics taking place in New York — and place the onus on large corporations to cover the costs of cleaning up plastic waste from their products. I’m proud to join my colleagues on this critical legislation as we tackle the growing environmental and public health crisis caused by plastic pollution.”
Americans widely support steps to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Recent polling shows that two-thirds of Americans believe that businesses that produce or use plastics in their products should pay for collecting, sorting, and recycling plastics; 86% of Americans support requiring new plastic to contain at least some recycled material; and 80% of Americans support phasing out certain non-recyclable plastics altogether.
Specifically, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act would:
Require big corporations to take responsibility for their pollution by requiring producers of plastic products to design, manage, and finance waste and recycling programs;
Spur innovation and incentivize big corporations to make reusable products and items that can actually be recycled;
Create a nationwide beverage container refund program, modeled after the successful program pioneered in Oregon;
Reduce and ban certain single-use plastic products that are not recyclable;
Eliminate waste export loopholes by banning exports to countries who themselves re-export waste outside of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
Require the National Academy of Science to study and assess the direct and cumulative health, environmental, and economic impacts of plastic waste incinerators and other similar technology;
Establish minimum recycled content requirements for beverage containers, packaging, and food-service products, while standardizing recycling and composting labeling; and
Generate massive investments in U.S. domestic recycling and composting infrastructure, while pressing pause on new plastic facilities until critical environment and health protections are put in place.
The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act is endorsed by over 500 groups, including League of Conservation Voters, Center for International Environmental Law, Ocean Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Surfrider, Oceana, GreenLatinos, Society of Native Nations, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Environment America, 5 Gyres, Algulita, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, American Sustainable Business Council, Sierra Club, and Natural Resources Defense Council, 350 Brooklyn, 350 NYC, Atlantic States Legal Foundation (ASLF), AmPark Eco Core, Beyond Plastic, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Cafeteria Culture, Climate Crisis Policy, DDSao, DeliverZero, Green Ossining, Green Schools Alliance, It’s Easy Being Green, Invest With Purpose, Just Salad LLC, Nakworks, National Audubon Society, Oceanic Global, Only One, plastic tides, Riverkeeper Inc, Save the Great South Bay, Sisters of St. Joseph Brentwood, Sixth Street Community Center, Wellness in the Schools, and Zero Waste NYC.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 31 March 2021 at 1:55 pm
Julie Berry busy renovating Book Shoppe, will call revamped store, Author’s Note
Photo by Tom Rivers: Julie Berry, a Medina native, returned to her hometown on Nov. 2, 2017 to discuss her children’s book, “The Emperor’s Ostrich.” She is shown reading an excerpt of the book at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina.
MEDINA – A best-selling author and Medina native is embarking on a new venture. She is opening a book store in her hometown.
Julie Berry has purchased The Book Shoppe on Main Street from Fred and Gloria Fierch and is in the process of reinventing the store as Author’s Note.
While she’s renovating the physical store, Author’s Note is open for business online at www.authorsnote.com.
“This is a dream come true for me,” Berry said.
Berry and her family were living in Los Angeles when she learned last year from her sister, who lives in Medina, that the Book Shoppe was for sale.
“With Covid happening, we saw the purchase of the Book Shoppe and moving to Medina as a chance for our youngest to have a more normal life,” Julie said. “We moved back in November.”
“This town taught me to read and write,” she said. “I couldn’t bear to think of Medina without a book store.”
Berry has big plans for the book store, which will be managed by her cousin Erica Caldwell. Caldwell is no stranger to the book business, as she had worked there for Sue Phillips and also worked at the Lift Bridge Books in Brockport and owned Present Tense Books in Batavia.
Berry is in the process of completely renovating the book store and hopes to double the inventory.
“We plan to have a bursting collection of authors, new releases, classics, children’s books, best sellers, new voices and debut authors,” she said. “There will also be a large selection of children’s fiction and non-fiction.”
In this photo from December 2019, Susan Phillips, left, welcomes the new owner of The Book Shoppe, Gloria Fierch. Gloria and her husband Fred Fierch became owners of the store. They operated for about a year before selling it to Julie Berry. Phillips owned the store for 21 years.
Once Covid restrictions are further lifted and it’s safe to do so, Julie plans to offer a lot of new programs, such as cookbook clubs, mystery clubs and fiction clubs. The store will be stocked with puzzles, games stationary, coffee and a lot of new brands.
“I see Author’s Note creating a community for book lovers and connecting readers to their favorite authors,” Berry said. “I think of all books as being an ‘author’s note’ to the world. I hope this community will see this book store as my love note to Medina.”
Online ordering is available at www.authorsnote.com for shipping nationwide or free local delivery. Customers may pay online or in-store. Berry offers free home delivery within the Medina zip code. As they grow, she will extend that service to other communities.
Julie hopes people will help her dream become a reality by buying gift certificates, books and merchandise; following her on social media on Twitter at authorsnoteshop and on Facebook and Instagram at authorsnotebookstore.
Berry, a daughter of John and Shirley Gardner of Medina, graduated in 1991 in the last class from the old Medina High School on Catherine Street. She attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she studied technical communications and met her husband Phil, an actor, writer and producer with a background in entrepreneurship and software engineering.
She and her family were living in Boston, where she worked in technical sales and marketing, when she decided to pursue her love of writing.
“I had always wanted to write and I decided to try writing a humor column for The Metro West Daily News, a suburban Boston newspaper,” she said. “It was really fun and it helped me develop my voice as a writer.”
Favorable comments from readers were very encouraging and fueled her desire to keep writing. She went back to school at Vermont College of the Fine Arts to earn a master of fine arts in creative writing for children and young adults. She received her degree in January 2008 and her first book, a fairy tale fantasy titled The Amaranth Enchantment was released in March 2009.
The mother of four children, one of whom is a student at Medina High School, Julie has published 25 books since her first one, some under a pen name and some under her real name.
New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry has two new books coming out. Cranky Right Now is a companion book to Happy Right Now, and will be released May 11. The book is illustrated by No. 1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Holly Hatam. Berry hopes to have a launch celebration at Author’s Note, whether in person or virtually. Crime and Carpetbags, a sequel to Berry’s middle grade fantasy adventure Wishes and Wellingtons. It will be released in October from Sourcebooks.
Her books have been published all around the world. She is a New York Times Bestselling Author and recipient of the American Library Association of Printz Honor for The Passion of Dolssa, a book which was short-listed for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. All the Truth That’s in Me was also short-listed for the Edgar Award and for the Carnegie Medal in the United Kingdom. She has won other awards in Europe and the Silver Inky Award in Australia.
Her latest novel for young adults, Lovely War, is a love story set during World War I. It won the Amelia Walden prize from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Golden Kite award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Berry said she reads as much as she can and she is always learning. Her interests include mythology, history, philosophy and religion, and her books cover a wide range of subjects.
Provided photo: A special Zoom meeting was held on Tuesday with Roy-Hart students and 2012 Roy-Hart alumnus Ryan Czaja, now a junior product engineer at Takeform in Medina and chief of the Middleport Fire Department. He provided insights on how the Technology and Engineering Program contributed to his collegiate and professional success.
Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School
MIDDLEPORT – The Royalton-Hartland School District has found that increased interest in its Technology and Engineering Program is helping many students to keep engaged in academic work during the challenges of the pandemic.
Guided by Gary Bell, high school principal, and Michele Parker, technology teacher, up to 100 high school students – about 25% of the student body – are participating in a variety of program courses, including those that are part of the Niagara County Community College CAP (College Acceleration Program).
These offerings begin with Design Drawing and Production (DDP) where students are introduced to drafting, CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), basic drafting principles, concepts, and industry standards. From there they move to Advanced CAD, Architecture, and Manufacturing. Students can take hands-on courses, such as, Materials Processing, Principles of Engineering, Energy and Transportation. Micro-Computer Applications, Computer Science, and Digital Photography classes further open a world of opportunities for students interested in computer technology.
As they proceed through the course sequence, students eventually are drawn to the program’s multi-function room where they can construct project components – such as small building models – and become acquainted with the use of robotics and drones.
“For many of these students, engaging in these hands-on, creative and interactive offerings keeps them going academically and mentally in light of the instructional challenges posed by Covid-19,” said Dr. Hank Stopinski, superintendent of schools.
Through its technical education program, Roy-Hart students are able to earn up to 14 college credits in the courses for enrollment in Niagara County Community College (NCCC) – a tuition savings for students and families.
“We have experienced a high degree of success with students who have completed the program,” said Ms. Parker. “Many have gone on to both two and four-year colleges, with several now using their skills in the Armed Forces.”
“We have one of the highest graduation rates in Niagara County,” Bell said. “Our students are all hard workers – balancing school and work. They need experiences and opportunities and this program provides it.”
Financing for custom program furniture and touch panels came through funds made available by FMC Corporation to be requested by the Royalton-Hartland School District for qualified projects under the Environmental Benefit Projects Policy of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, in accordance with a 2019 Order on Consent between FMC and NYSDEC.
Photo by Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of Governor: Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a pop-up vaccine site in New York City on March 17.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation (S.854-A/A.1248-A) legalizing adult-use cannabis, fulfilling a key component of his 2021 State of the State agenda. The bill signing comes after the Governor, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced this past Sunday, March 28, that an agreement had been reached on the legislation.
The bill establishes the Office of Cannabis Management to implement a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp. The bill also expands New York State’s existing medical marijuana and cannabinoid hemp programs. The legislation provides licensing for marijuana producers, distributors, retailers, and other actors in the cannabis market, and creates a social and economic equity program to assist individuals disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement that want to participate in the industry.
The development of an adult-use cannabis industry in New York State under this legislation has the potential to create significant economic opportunities for New Yorkers and the State. Tax collections from the adult-use cannabis program are projected to reach $350 million annually. Additionally, there is the potential for this new industry to create 30,000 to 60,000 new jobs across the State.
“This is a historic day in New York – one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits,” Cuomo said. “This was one of my top priorities in this year’s State of the State agenda and I’m proud these comprehensive reforms address and balance the social equity, safety and economic impacts of legal adult-use cannabis. I thank both the Leader and the Speaker, and the tireless advocacy of so many for helping make today’s historic day possible.”
The New York State Cannabis/Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act contains the following provisions:
Establish the Office of Cannabis Management
The Office of Cannabis Management will be charged with enforcing a comprehensive regulatory framework governing medical, adult-use cannabinoid hemp. It will be governed by a five-member board, with three members appointed by the Governor and one appointment by each house. OCM will be an independent office operating as part of the New York State Liquor Authority.
Medical Cannabis
The legislation will allow people with a larger list of medical conditions to access medical marijuana, increase the number of caregivers allowed per patient, and permit home cultivation of medical cannabis for patients.
Adult-Use Cannabis
The legislation will create a two-tier licensing structure that will allow for a large range of producers by separating those growers and processors from also owning retail stores. The legislation creates licenses for producers and distributors, among other entities, and the legislation will implement strict quality control, public health and consumer protections. A social and economic equity program will facilitate individuals disproportionally impacted by cannabis enforcement, including creating a goal of 50% of licenses to go to a minority or woman owned business enterprise, or distressed farmers or service-disabled veterans to encourage participation in the industry.
The Bill implements a new cannabis tax structure that will replace a weight-based tax with a tax per mg of THC at the distributor level with different rates depending on final product type. The wholesale excise tax will be moved to the retail level with a 9 percent state excise tax. The local excise tax rate will be 4 percent of the retail price. Counties will receive 25% of the local retail tax revenue and 75 percent will go to the municipality.
Cannabinoid Hemp
The legislation permits the sale of hemp flower in the cannabinoid hemp program, and allows for smokeable forms only when adult use retail stores are operational.
Adult-Use Cannabis Tax Revenue
All cannabis taxes will be deposited in the New York state cannabis revenue fund. Revenue covers reasonable costs to administer the program and implement the law. The remaining funding will be split three ways:
40 Percent to Education
40 Percent to Community Grants Reinvestment Fund
20 Percent to Drug Treatment and Public Education Fund
Municipal Opt-Out
Cities, towns, and villages may opt-out of allowing adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries or on-site consumption licenses by passing a local law by December 31, 2021 or nine months after the effective date of the legislation. They cannot opt-out of adult-use legalization.
Traffic Safety
The New York State Department of Health will work with institutions of higher education to conduct a controlled research study designed to evaluate methodologies and technologies for the detection of cannabis-impaired driving. After completion of the research study, DOH may create and implement rules and regulations to approve and certify a test for the presence of cannabis in drivers.
The legislation includes additional funding for drug recognition experts and law enforcement to ensure safe roadways.
The use of cannabis by drivers will remain prohibited and will carry the same penalties as it does currently.
Personal Possession and Home Cultivation
The following conditions apply to growing cannabis at home and personal possession of cannabis outside the home:
Personal possession outside of the home: up to 3 ounces cannabis and 24 grams of cannabis concentrate
Home possession: amends limits of what is permitted in the home, which must be kept in a secure location away from children
Home grow: permitted under the bill subject to possession limits in 18 months after first adult-use sales begin for adult recreational use and subject to regulations of the Medical Program being promulgated no sooner than 6 months: 3 mature plants and 3 immature plants for adults over 21, 6 mature plants and 6 immature plants maximum per household
Criminal Justice and Record Expungement
The cannabis penalty framework will be restructured to avoid the criminalization seen in prohibition. Reduced penalties will be implemented for possession and sale.
Creates automatic expungement or resentencing for anyone with a previous marijuana conviction that would now be legal under the law and provides necessary funding
Adds cannabis to the clean indoor air act which establishes a baseline on where cannabis can be smoked or vaped
Municipalities and local governments are permitted to make laws that are more restrictive than the CIAA. Contains various provisions to ensure that cannabis is treated as a lawful substance and to prevent discriminatory enforcement
Protections for the Use of Cannabis and Workplace Safety
Unlawful discrimination will be prohibited and workplace safety protections will be implemented.
Public Health and Education Campaign
OCM will establish a robust public health and education campaign and work with neighboring states and associations to coordinate actions and policies to protect regional health and safety.
This legislation builds on years of work to understand and decriminalize cannabis for adult use. In 2018, the Department of Health, under Governor Cuomo’s direction, conducted a multi-agency study, which concluded that the positive impacts of legalizing adult-use cannabis far outweighed the negatives. It also found that decades of cannabis prohibition have failed to achieve public health and safety goals and have led to unjust arrests and convictions particularly in communities of color.
In 2019, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to decriminalize the penalties for unlawful possession of marijuana. The legislation also put forth a process to expunge records for certain marijuana convictions. Later that year, the Governor spearheaded a multi-state summit to discuss paths towards legalization of adult-use cannabis that would ensure public health and safety and coordinate programs regionally to minimize the cross-border movement of cannabis products.
“Today, New York stepped up and took transformative action to end the prohibition of adult-use marijuana,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “This legislation is a momentous first step in addressing the racial disparities caused by the war on drugs that has plagued our state for too long. This effort was years in the making and we have finally achieved what many thought was impossible, a bill that legalizes marijuana while standing up for social equity, enhancing education and protecting public safety.”
“Passage of this bill will mean not just legalizing marijuana, but also investing in education and our communities, and it brings to an end decades of disproportionately targeting people of color under state and federal drug laws,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. “I thank Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes for her years of advocacy and efforts to make this bill a reality. My colleagues and I knew it was important to do this the right way – in a way that would include those targeted and frequently excluded from the process. Now, this legal industry will create jobs across our state, including for those who have had their lives upended by years of unjust drug laws.”
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 31 March 2021 at 10:59 am
The abbreviated 2020 “Fall 2” high school football season swings into high gear with a series of three games over the next two days.
Medina will kick off that busy stretch as the Mustangs make their Class C North Division debut by hosting long-time Niagara-Orleans League foe Newfane at 7 p.m. Thursday at Vets Park.
Both teams are shifting to Class C after having played for decades in Class B.
This will be the 56th meeting between the teams in the series which dates back to 1954. Medina holds a 43-10-2 lead but Newfane has won the last two meetings by scores of 34-6 in 2017 and 15-6 in 2018.
Albion will open its season on Friday as the Purple Eagles visit Pioneer at 7 p.m. for a Class B contest which was not on the original schedule.
The Purple Eagles had been scheduled to open at Iroquois while the Panthers were to host Lew-Port. However, both Iroquois and Lew-Port are now on Covid-19 related pauses resulting in this last minute matchup to give both teams a game on opening weekend.
Also on Friday evening the fledgling Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville 8 man team will have its home opener as the Silverbacks will host Perry at 7 p.m. at Roy-Hart.
The Silverbacks will be looking to bounce back from a 50-28 loss at Holley last weekend in their debut game while Perry will likewise be looking to rebound from a 68-34 loss to undefeated (2-0) Red Jacket. Perry is 1-1 having defeated South Seneca 51-0 in the season opener.
Holley was to have rounded out the busy stretch by hosting Frewsburg in a non league 8 man contest on Saturday but that game has been cancelled as Frewsburg is now in a Covid-19 related pause..
