Julia’s Platform
Public Safety
Julia advocates for public safety in our communities as the Chair of the Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime & Correction Committee. She has led the passage of legislation to make it easier for victims to access resources and compensation and to bring accountability and transparency to New York’s police departments and legal system. She is the lead sponsor of the Fair & Timely Parole Act to bring fairness to New York’s parole system, and cosponsors Treatment Not Jail to ensure that mental health care is prioritized in our justice system.
Julia supports the entire Justice Roadmap policy platform.
Julia’s legislation:
S301: Repeals a law that leads to excessive sentences for people convicted of drug-related offenses, a relic of the harmful “war on drugs”
S302: Provides educational leave for eligible incarcerated individuals to participate in college coursework, proven to reduce recidivism and improve public safety
S306: Dignity Not Detention Act, which would prevent New York from entering into immigration detention contracts with ICE
S308: Adds reporting requirements for temporary release programs and takes steps to increase participation in programs in New York’s prisons
S313: End Predatory Court Fees Act, to stop the criminalization of poverty by eliminating court surcharges and fees, and require the courts to assess an individual’s financial ability to pay fines
S316: Voting Rights for Incarcerated People
Housing
Since joining the State Senate in 2019, Julia has led the fight to pass the Good Cause eviction bill, which would protect tenants in unregulated housing from unjust evictions and sky-high rent increases. Julia cosponsors the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) and the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), and advocates for the creation and expansion of social housing, such as community land trusts (CLT’s) to make truly affordable and accessible housing a reality.
Julia’s legislation:
S305: Good Cause Eviction. Prohibits eviction without good cause and protects tenants from unreasonably high rent increases
S1569: Community Protection Act. Protects homes and communities by curbing predatory housing speculation and making it easier for low-to-middle income families to own a home
Julia supports:
The entire Housing Justice For All platform, including:
Public Housing: Julia advocates for fully funding NYCHA’s capital repairs and operating costs to improve the quality of life in public housing and keep public housing under public control.
Healthcare
Julia is fighting to improve healthcare for all New Yorkers by supporting bills such as Fair Pay for Home Care and the New York Health Act to make healthcare universal and comprehensive — including long-term care for seniors and New Yorkers living with disabilities.
Julia’s Legislation:
S310: Professionalizes the important practice of community midwifery, making it easier and more sustainable for midwives to provide care
S311: Requires maternal healthcare providers to give maternity patients necessary information to make informed decisions about C-section delivery
S319: Requires anti-bias training for medical students, medical residents, and physician assistant students
S599: Seeks to curtail the price-gouging of prescription drugs, which are already unaffordable to many New Yorkers
S608: Prohibits selling any pharmaceutical drug for an unconscionably excessive price if the drug is subject to a shortage
Julia supports:
Fair Pay for Home Care
Ending Mandatory 24-hour Shifts for Home Care Workers
S7590: New York Health Act — creates a single-payer healthcare system
S4861: Repeals the Global Medicaid Cap
S2237-A: Coverage for All — ensuring that all New Yorkers can obtain health insurance, regardless of immigration status
Climate
Julia fought to pass the All Electric Buildings Act and was the co-prime sponsor of the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA), both of which became law in 2023, to mitigate the climate crisis by transitioning off of fossil fuels and expanding publicly-owned renewable energy across New York state. She also has fought to pass the NY HEAT Act, which would align the regulation of New York’s utility companies with our climate justice and emission reduction targets.
WORKERS’ RIGHTS
The cause of organized labor is the hope of the world. Julia has demonstrated her strong, unwavering support for the labor movement in New York by showing up in solidarity with workers at every opportunity and helping to win New York’s historic Excluded Workers Fund. She also cosponsors legislation to improve workplace conditions, increase wages, and ensure that all workers can exercise their right to organize and strike.