Queens lawmakers call for remote legislative session

State Sen. Jessica Ramos has turned her district office into a food pantry and has been distributing hot meals for residents in need during the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Ramos’ Office

By Victoria Merlino

Queens lawmakers urged the New York State Legislature to resume its session remotely on Thursday, a month after the COVID-19 pandemic forced members to leave Albany after voting on the state budget. 

Since passing the budget, the State Senate and the Assembly have not met in over 30 days. 

With only 10 days left in the session, Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Aravella Simotas said that they need to get back to work and start passing bills that will immediately help New Yorkers struggling during the pandemic. 

“I was elected to be a legislator. I want to pass laws that help my people as soon as possible,” Ramos said. 

Ramos’ district covers some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in the city, including Corona, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. As part of her response to the coronavirus, she has set up a food pantry that feeds hundreds of people at her district office. Despite the local work, she said it was time to focus on statewide policy.

“There are holes in the law that need to be fixed,” she said. 

Simotas said lawmakers needed to resume representing the communities that elected them. 

“We need to show New Yorkers that we are advocating for them,” she said.

The two Queens lawmakers were joined by legislators from across the city, including Bronx State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, Manhattan State Sen. Robert Jackson and Manhattan Assemblymember Carmen De La Rosa, as well as good government group Common Cause New York. 

Both Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said that legislators would resume passing bills eventually, according to the lawmakers, but a remote session has not yet been called. 

Lawmakers have been meeting virtually over Zoom and email to discuss bills that are in the works. Biaggi said that there have been several new bills drafted in response to the pandemic. 

“I do not have a loss of hope or faith that we are returning,” Biaggi said. 

While state lawmakers have been away from Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has “ruled” through executive order, changing 262 laws in 55 days, said Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner.

“Nothing about this situation is ideal, but democracy does not pause. It adapts,” she said.