On the eve of the 2020 legislative session, NYS Senator Jen Metzger took a look back on her first year of office, which saw 21 of her bills signed into law—all of them passing the Senate with wide bipartisan support. Metzger’s legislative initiatives covered a diverse range of issues, from reducing regulatory burdens on farmers to expanding electric vehicle infrastructure in New York state, to combating Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
“It’s important that we work together to address issues of concern to our region and state, and I’m proud that these laws were supported by both sides of the aisle,” said Senator Metzger.
One of Metzger’s most important bills was a nation-leading law creating a framework for the production, processing, and sale of hemp and CBD products.
“We have a real economic opportunity in the production of hemp and CBD products, and I am eager to see our region capitalize on this opportunity for farmers and local businesses up the value chain,” said Senator Metzger, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Looking ahead to the 2020 session, Metzger’s priorities include legislation banning corporate donations to political candidates to make government more accountable to the electorate (a bill she introduced in 2019); extending rural broadband and cell service coverage and creating new service quality standards for telecommunications companies; fortifying emergency management services; working to lower property taxes; and strengthening efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.
