NYS Gov. Cuomo's State Address

On January 15, 2019, NYS Governor Cuomo delivered his annual State of the State Address, laying out his priorities for the year ahead. One notable agenda item includes legalizing marijuana.

According to Governor Cuomo, his plan, the 2019 Justice Agenda, “is an ambitious and far-reaching set of proposals to advance social and economic progress for all New Yorkers. The Time Is Now.”

The 2019 Justice Agenda includes actions to:​

End our unjust and discriminatory cash bail system

Advance reproductive justice and women’s equality by passing RHA and a constitutional amendment to codify Roe v. Wade into state law, passing ERA, increasing protections against sexual harassment in the workplace, modernizing pay equity law, reducing maternal mortality and morbidity and racial disparities, and more

Strengthen our gun laws by passing a Red Flag Law and extending the background check waiting period to 10 days

Protect LGBTQ rights by passing the Gender Identity and Expression Non-Discrimination Act and banning conversion therapy once and for all

Remove corporate money from politics by closing the LLC loophole and banning corporate campaign contributions

Make voting easier with universal vote by mail, statewide early voting, same-day voter registration, making election day a state holiday, and more

Pass the DREAM Act and open the doors of higher education to thousands of New Yorkers

Invest an additional $150 billion into our state’s nation-leading infrastructure program

Launch the Green New Deal - a nation-leading clean energy and jobs agenda that will combat climate change and put the state on a path to carbon neutrality

Expand protections for public-sector union members

Codify key ACA provisions into law, including coverage for pre-existing conditions

Invest an additional $2.5 billion in clean water infrastructure to ensure the quality of our drinking water for generations to come

Legalize the adult use (21+) of marijuana and reduce the impacts of criminalization that affect communities of color

Achieve economic justice by continuing the phase-in of middle class tax cuts, extending the millionaire’s tax, and making the highly successful property tax cap permanent

For a full list of this year’s proposals, see the 2019 State of the State book online at https://www.governor.ny.gov