Russell legislation streamlines hospital construction review process

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced the Legislature passed a bill she
authored that would make the process of obtaining approval for certain repair and maintenance
projects for hospitals more efficient (A.7665-B). The measure now heads to the governor’s desk for his
consideration.

“The current burdensome regulations can leave hospitals waiting for approval for vital, much-
needed renovations for months and even years,” Russell said. “It is not necessary for routine repairs
and maintenance to undergo the same scrutiny as major projects such as building a new hospital wing.
It wastes crucial time and money. This bill will help expedite hospital repairs without jeopardizing
patients’ health and safety.”

The Certificate of Need (CON) program, administered through the New York State Department
of Health (DOH), is a review process that governs the construction and renovation of New York State
hospitals. Health care providers are required to submit a CON application to the DOH and obtain its
approval or the State Hospital Review and Planning Council’s (SHRPC) approval before building new
hospitals or renovating existing ones, and before acquiring major medical equipment.

Currently, the DOH has to approve all hospital construction projects in excess of $3 million, and the
SHRPC has to approve projects in excess of $10 million. In addition, the DOH is not required to act on
CON applications within a specific time frame.

Assemblywoman Russell’s legislation would eliminate the requirement for prior approval, regardless
of the project’s cost, for projects, such as:

• Routine repairs or maintenance;

• Non-clinical infrastructure projects, such as expanding parking lots, replacing roofs, elevators and heating, ventilating and air systems; and

• Equipment replacements, including acquiring state-of-the-art equipment to be used in place of outdated equipment.

“I urge the governor to sign this bill into law,” Russell said. “It streamlines the review process, cuts
red tape and helps improve patients’ health and well-being by helping hospitals install the most up-to-
date medical technology in a timely and efficient way.”

-30-

Assemblywoman Russell announces 2011 Summer Reading Challenge

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced the kick-off of the Assembly’s annual
Summer Reading Challenge, which encourages children to read throughout the months of July and
August to maintain their skills for school in the fall. This challenge is in coordination with the New
York State Library’s “Summer Reading at New York Libraries” initiative.

“I can not stress enough how important reading is to our children’s development and success,”
Russell said. “Children who read more not only read better, they also write better, spell better and have
much larger vocabularies.”

The Summer Reading Challenge is a great way to prevent the “summer slide,” which is when
children forget some of what they learned during the school year because they didn’t put their newfound
knowledge to use over the summer. It is estimated that school summer breaks will cause the average
student to lose up to one month of instruction, with disadvantaged students being disproportionately
affected.*

“The Summer Reading Challenge is about reducing the summer learning loss and encouraging
children and parents to make reading and learning a year-long activity,” Russell said. “A little bit of
reading each day can have a big impact on our student’s success. I encourage everyone to participate.”

To participate in the program, children must read alone or with someone else for at least 15 minutes
each day for 40 days throughout the months of July and August. They must mark off the days they read
on a calendar and send it to Assemblywoman Russell’s office at the end of the summer. Children who
complete the challenge will receive a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading Certificate. Last
year, nearly 250 children in Assemblywoman Russell’s district completed the challenge.

For more information about the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge, contact Assemblywoman Addie
Russell by email at russella@assembly.state.ny.us or call her office at 315-786-0284.

-30-

* The New York State Library, www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/research.htm

Russell’s reform proposals included in mandate relief, tax cap legislation

Today, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced passage of a mandate relief
package that includes some of the provisions contained in her own reform proposals. The mandate relief
package – part of an omnibus bill which includes the state’s property tax cap – contains reforms that will
help local governments and school districts drive down costs.

Along with addressing a variety of other mandates, the package will allow piggybacking on
information technology (IT) equipment and service contracts with federal government contracts. It also
permits school districts with less than 1,000 students to share superintendents and allows school districts
to provide regional transportation services with BOCES, reforms that Assemblywoman Russell has been
pushing.

“Piggybacking is a simple concept that will save taxpayer dollars by allowing local governments
to take advantage of better prices on equipment and services,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “I fought
hard to make sure piggybacking was included in the bill. And while the provision relates specifically
to IT, as opposed to a more expansive bill I have introduced, I am hopeful that we can expand upon the
concept in the future.”

The bill also caps real property taxes for municipalities and schools at 2 percent of the previous
year’s levy and prohibits local governments and schools from exceeding the cap without a 60 percent
vote to override. The tax cap will take effect in 2012 for the school-budget year 2012-13 and will expire
in 2017.

Assemblywoman Russell said the tax cap takes into account a number of factors important to many
communities by allowing local governments and school districts to adjust the tax levy upward if there
is a growth in the property tax base and exempting certain court orders and judgments arising out of
litigation. It also provides for an exemption if pension contributions exceed 2 percent.

“This bill provides a tax cap that will place even more pressure to keep property tax increases down.
It is just as important, maybe even more important, to provide relief to local governments and school
districts from the policies that have been driving their expenses. I fought hard to ensure we started
enacting mandate relief measures in this bill. The mandate relief included in this bill is a start. I intend
to continue to band with my colleagues in the Assembly to push for more relief so we can further assist
local governments and school districts to contain real property taxes,” Assemblywoman Russell said.

-30-

Russell bill preserves access to health care for rural New Yorkers

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced passage of legislation (A.5366-B)
she sponsored that would allow rural hospitals designated as Critical Access Hospitals to receive
cost-based reimbursements from Medicaid for outpatient services.

“Rural hospitals in the North Country and across New York State serve as lifelines to the
communities where they are located, and increasingly operate as outpatient clinics as well,”
Russell said. “We must do everything we can to keep their doors open and help them remain
financially viable.”

The Critical Access Hospital Program (CAH) was created by Congress in 1997 to improve
rural health care access for Medicare recipients. Medicare reimburses these hospitals on
a “reasonable cost basis;” the same rules, however, do not apply for Medicaid patients. For
many Critical Access Hospitals, current Medicaid reimbursement rates do not reflect the actual
cost of providing care, causing them to endure financial burdens. Allowing these hospitals to
receive cost-based reimbursements will help ensure they remain open to the public.

There are currently 13 hospitals in New York State that are designated as Critical Access
Hospitals, including three in the North Country. Critical Access Hospitals – like River Hospital
in Alexandria Bay – provide services that are essential to their community, including outpatient
services. Because they provide care in a rural area they have more challenges, but they also play
a critical role in preventative care that can save health care dollars in the long run.

“When it comes to these hospitals, it’s about access to quality and affordable health care.
Paying these hospitals on a ‘reasonable cost basis’ will go a long way to ensuring there is access
to health care, enable these facilities to maintain their quality of care and not push additional
costs onto other patients to balance their budgets,” Russell said. “Many of us in the North
Country depend on hospitals and their health care clinics for basic health care and to manage
their health problems without having to travel long distances. If any of these hospitals were to
close it would have a devastating impact on our region.”

-30-

Leaders meet with Governor's Staff, Lt. Governor Duffy on North Country Issues

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) met with representatives from the Governor’s office regarding several North Country issues.  Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush arranged the meeting which also included representatives from Ft. Drum including Fort Drum Garrison Commander Col. Noel T. Nicolle, Deputy Commander for Fort Drum Medical Activity Ltc. Kyle Patterson, Fort Drum Garrison Command Sergeant Major CSM John McNeirney, Fort Drum Department of Planning Community Planner Michael Richardson, Denise Young, Executive Director of the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization and Senator Patricia Ritchie.  The meeting is part of the ongoing effort to address several issues important to the North Country and Ft. Drum.

The group provided statistical information regarding the percentage of air medical calls from Jefferson County within the 14 county region that includes the North Country.  Jefferson County accounts for 25 percent of all the calls.  The four county region north of Syracuse accounts for 55 percent of those calls.   Further, patients 18-54 years of age have a 39% greater risk of death if they are transported to trauma centers by ground instead of air according to a recent CDC study.  Assemblywoman Russell also pointed to the difficulty in timely transport of North Country patients such as those on islands or other remote locations.   

Additionally, Assemblywoman Russell raised the critical need for housing in the communities surrounding Ft. Drum.  There are estimates that the community needs 1035 additional rental units with two or three bedrooms.   The group made the point that the housing shortage affects military families and civilian families alike.  The tight housing market has affected everyone who resides in Ft. Drum area, not only in finding housing but also being able to afford housing.  As our military is allowed more time home between deployments, ensuring there is adequate housing for reuniting families was a core concern of the group.

Once the meeting with staff concluded, Assemblymembers Blankenbush and Russell along with Ms. Young and the representatives from Ft. Drum met with Lt. Governor Robert Duffy to emphasis the issues facing the North Country.  Lt. Governor Duffy recently attended a ribbon cutting ceremony and announced state funding for housing development in Watertown.  He offered to work on the issues and have the new Secretary of Housing, formerly a member of the NYS Assembly, Darryl Towns meet with officials to help find solutions.  

“The governor’s staff and Lt. Governor Duffy have offered to assist the North Country and the needs of Ft. Drum.  They stated the importance of Ft. Drum to the state and the need to review the specific needs of the region relative to the housing shortage and gap in air medical service,“ Russell said.  “I could not be more pleased with their response and the sincerity in which they expressed the willingness to look at ways to support the region,” Russell added.

The meetings concluded with a pledge to continue the dialogue and for a follow-up meeting in the near future, given the time sensitive nature of the housing concerns. 

-30-

Legislature approves bill to promote commemoration of the War of 1812 200th Anniversary

June 17, 2011

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced that the Assembly and Senate have passed legislation she sponsored that would establish a War of 1812 commemorative commission (A.3722-A) to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the war fought between the United States and the British Empire, what is present-day Canada. Commemoration activities are expected to draw thousands of tourists from the US and Canada to historical sites across Northern New York.

The North Country played a key role in the War of 1812. Sackets Harbor was the site of two decisive battles during the war and the center of American naval and military operations for the upper St. Lawrence Valley and Lake Ontario. By 1813, Sackets Harbor had become the US Naval Headquarters for the Great Lakes region and was home to thousands of troops.

“The commemoration of the War of 1812 has great historical and economic significance for the North Country,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “Not only are we celebrating 200 years of peace with our neighbors to the north, Canada, but as the anniversary approaches we have a great economic opportunity to draw thousands of interested tourists to our region.”

Assemblywoman Russell has been working with several local and statewide groups, including the Seaway Trail, Inc., Fort LaPresentation and the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, to work toward the establishment of the commission. Russell said that when tourists visit the North Country’s historical sites, they will spend money locally and help boost the region’s economy.

“While tourists are here, they will dine in our restaurants, stay in our hotels and motels, shop at our stores and discover everything the North Country has to offer,” Russell said. “Many Canadian provinces and other states have already created official commissions to commemorate the war. With this legislation, New York will be able to catch up and ensure that we will host commemorative events and benefit from the economic activity here in the North Country.”

Constance B. Barone, Site Manager, Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site said, “With the Governor’s pending approval of this legislation, the War of 1812 Bicentennial may soon have a solid foundation upon which to implement the numerous observance plans we have developed over the past few years in anticipation of marking the 200th anniversary of this seminal event that engaged both the north country and our neighbors in Canada."

Barbara O'Keefe, Director, The Fort La Presentation Project said, “I am very pleased that this legislation has now passed both houses and look forward to its enactment with the Governor's signature.  This will mean that we can confidently carry out the significant events that commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812."

The legislation, which passed the Assembly on May 23rd and the Senate on June 16th, now heads to Governor Cuomo’s desk for his signature.

-30-

Assemblywoman Russell announces passage of a bill supporting fishing in New York State

June 17, 2011

Assemblywoman Addie Russell announced today that her bill (A3480B) to allow anglers to use up to three fishing rods has passed the Assembly.  The Senate bill, sponsored by Senator Tom Libous, has also passed the Senate and is now being forwarded to the Governor for his consideration.  The current limit is two rods. 

Upstate New York is one of the world’s best fishing regions, and the north country is particularly blessed with fishing resources.  This bill enhances the experience for anglers as it increases the chance of catching a fish.  Several states, including Michigan and New Jersey already have a 3-rod rule in place are seeing a favorable impact to their sporting tourism as a result.

“It is important that we give our sportsmen and recreational tourists a favorable probability of catching fish so they can be successful and continue to visit the prime fishing spots on our lakes and rivers.  Enhancing our fishing experience will help to boost the economy as increased business for lodging, eateries, gas stations, and related businesses that rely on recreational tourism will mean increased revenues,” said Assemblywoman Russell. 

Patricia McKeown, executive director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce said, "I applaud Assemblywoman Russell and Senator Libous for sponsoring this legislation.  Anything that keeps us competitive with other fishing destinations is a boon to our entire region."

-30-

Russell Discusses Mandate Relief bill on procurement on Capital Pressroom

Assemblywoman Addie Russell discussed several bills that she introduced or is co-sponsoring which she deems are, "the core of what is mandate relief."  
 The link is provided here: Capitol Pressroom June 16th 2011

Russell legislation would pave way for research center at Clarkson’s downtown campus

Today, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced passage of a bill (A 6726-A) that
would allow the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries to develop a center for advanced
environmental technology at Clarkson University’s historic Old Main Building in downtown Potsdam.
“This is an exciting project for Clarkson University, Potsdam and the surrounding communities as a
whole,” said Russell. “The science and technology fields are the job creators of the future. In order to
compete for these jobs, we need to have world-class facilities right here in the North Country.”
Clarkson University President Tony Collins said, “This is a win-win for Upstate and Downstate New
York because the legislation will enable Clarkson to use these funds to renovate and equip the
University’s historic Old Main Building in Potsdam to develop real-time, technology-based monitoring
and forecasting network platforms for deployment on New York’s great rivers, the Hudson and St.
Lawrence.”
Russell’s legislation would allow the Beacon Institute to access funding through the Dormitory
Authority to renovate Clarkson’s 116-year-old Old Main Building and design and construct an advanced
research facility at the site. The Old Man Building, like much of Clarkson’s downtown campus, has sat
idle since the university moved most of its operations to the hill more than a decade ago.
“The new research center will not only help spur job growth in the science and technology fields but
it will also help breathe new life into downtown Potsdam,” said Russell. “I am pleased that we will see
more redevelopment of Clarkson’s downtown campus as a result of this project.”
The Beacon-Clarkson collaboration will support research and development in partnership with the
River and Estuary Observatory Network (REON), a joint effort between the Beacon Institute, Clarkson
University and IBM.
REON, the first technology-based monitoring and forecasting network of its kind, will provide
minute-to-minute monitoring of data from the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers. Researchers say
monitoring systems like REON will allow scientists to better understand and predict how large river and
estuary ecosystems work. That knowledge, in turn, will translate into better public policy and
management of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers, and rivers and estuaries worldwide.
“To say that the technology has broader applications would be understatement. These rivers will
serve as test-beds for the advancement of a technology that can be commercialized to meet a global
demand for technology that provides early warning and identification of isolated threats to water quality
before they become larger problems requiring costly multi-year remedial actions,” Collins said. “I am
very appreciative of Assemblywoman Addie Russell’s work in the Assembly and Senator Joe Griffo’s in
the Senate in passing this legislation that authorizes the University to receive state funds to support our
collaboration with the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries.”
-30-

Assemblywoman Addie Russell recognizes Women Veterans in Albany

On Monday June 13, 2011, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, recently named Chair of the Women Veterans Sub-committee, welcomed several women veterans to the New York State Assembly in conjunction with the ceremony commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Women's Armed Services Act of 1948 by passing a resolution declaring June 12, 2011 "Women Veterans Recognition Day."  All the branches of the military were represented at the ceremony.


Prior to the ceremony on the floor of the Assembly, a luncheon was held in honor of women veterans.  At the luncheon Assemblywoman Russell opened by saying, “I view serving as chair of this committee an honor and want to begin my work as chair by listening to the concerns of the women who have served our country."  


During the discussions at the luncheon, many of the women shared their experiences, including difficulty in being recognized as Veterans, even being encouraged to join auxiliary organizations instead of membership in veterans organizations.  Others raised awareness of chemical exposure that have not been widely addressed in the women veteran population.  Two other major concerns expressed were the need to better address Military Sexual Trauma (MST), the topic of a second resolution that was passed in the Assembly as part of the day's ceremony, and the need to expand treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to address the unique needs of women suffering from the disorder. Their input will serve as the foundation for developing an agenda for the sub-committee.


The discussions also revealed that there is little in the way of networks or organizations specifically for women veterans and that there is a desire to find a way to fill that void.   "I look forward to a continuing dialogue with more women veterans and addressing the several issues identified that New York State can play a pivotal role in resolving." 


Currently 68,000 female veterans reside in New York State and over 14% of the enlisted service members are active duty women.  "As the Assembly has paused to recognize the contributions of women veterans, I want to encourage everyone to reflect on the long history, from the fight for independence to our current actions in the middle east, of women that either supported military actions before being officially allowed into the military and those that have served or are currently serving in our nation's military"  Russell said.

NNY-Kingston Initiative Press Availability

MEDIA ALERT

June 9, 2011

On Friday June 10, 2011, Assemblywoman Addie Russell, together with Kingston Mayor Mark Gerretsen host the second NNY-Kingston Initiative Meeting.  The meeting will be held at Fort Drum at the Hillside Lodge for invitees only.  

There will be a PRESS AVAILABILITY from approximately NOON-1PM.  Members of the media should report to the media office at Fort Drum no later than 11:45am.  

-30-

Russell legislation would eliminate requirement on small campgrounds

Today, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced the passage of a bill that would
eliminate a burdensome requirement on small campgrounds by no longer requiring them to have a
dumping station (A.7667-A), a victory for small businesses and area tourism.
The bill would allow campgrounds with 15 or fewer campsites to provide campers with a list of
nearby dumping stations to dispose of their sewage as opposed to requiring the campgrounds to install
dumping stations. For many small, independently owned campgrounds, installing a dumping station is a
very expensive task. The high costs associated with it would either be passed onto campers in the form
of higher rates or could even force small campgrounds to close altogether.
“Removing the dumping station requirement will help small campgrounds keep costs under control,
allowing them to offer their grounds to campers at a reasonable rate,” Russell said. “This commonsense
measure is a win-win scenario that’s good for businesses and good for working families looking for
affordable recreation options.”
Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the North Country, especially in the Thousand Islands
region, which generates $433 million annually, and supported more than 8,300 jobs in 2008, according
to a 2009 study1. Seven and a half percent of all employment in the Thousand Islands region is tourismrelated.
“Tourism generates a lot of business and creates a lot of jobs in our area,” Russell said. “This bill
aims to protect a vital sector of our local economy by making state requirements more sensible. There is
no need to overbuild sewage dumping stations. There are often many facilities that allow the public to
dispose of their sewage at a nominal cost.”
The bill would allow campgrounds to provide campers with a list of at least three dumping stations
within a 30-mile radius of the campground. The list may include private dumping stations if the private
facility gives the campground authorization. To alleviate any environmental concerns, the campgrounds
that do not have dumping stations are required to inspect each campsite upon the arrival and exit of a
camper and at least once per week while the campsite is occupied.

-30-

1 The Economic Impact of Tourism in New York State: Thousand Islands Focus. Prepared by Tourism Economics. April 2009.

News from Assemblywoman Addie Russell

ASSEMBLYWOMAN ADDIE RUSSELL SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO PROTECT MILITARY FUNERAL SERVICES FROM PROTESTORS

Two measures sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) would protect funeral services from disruptive demonstrations.  The legislation would establish a 300 foot buffer zone around services beyond which demonstrators couldn’t disturb mourners (A7698) and empower local governments to require permits for any demonstrations taking place within 1,000 feet of the services (A7697).

“Recently, several radical groups have grabbed national attention and risen to infamy for heartlessly protesting military funerals,” Addie Russell said.  “While these protestors have the right to free speech, they most certainly do not have the right to intimidate and threaten the well-being of funeral attendees, including the family members of the deceased.  These bills would build on current law and give grieving families and friends a necessary buffer from those who would harass them.”

“There is a time and place to express ideological differences and funeral services are not it.”  Assemblywoman Russell said.  “New York will not tolerate individuals or groups who use the most somber of moments to further their agendas—political, religious or otherwise.”

-30-

Assembly to Honor Women Veterans at Capitol

Women Veterans from across New York State

are invited to attend ceremony

North Country Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa), the newly appointed Chair of the Subcommittee on Women Veterans, is inviting women veterans from across New York State to join her and her colleagues for a recognition ceremony for women veterans at the State Capitol in Albany on Monday, June 13^th.  “This annual event commemorates the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act by President Harry S. Truman on June 12, 1948. The act enabled women to serve as permanent, regular members of the Armed Forces and was a major triumph for military women, the Armed Forces and the country as a whole,” said Russell, whose Assembly district includes a portion of Fort Drum, home of the US Army’s 10^th Mountain Division.

Women veterans are invited to attend a special ceremony at the onset of the Assembly Session scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in the Assembly Chamber at the Capitol. Assemblywoman Russell and her Assembly colleagues will honor women veterans by taking up a resolution to declare June 12, 2011 as Women Veterans’ Recognition Day in New York State, commemorating the 63^rd Anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act.  The Assembly will also take up a resolution to memorialize the state’s Congressional delegation to pass the Defense Sexual Trauma Response Oversight and Good Governance Act. Prior to the ceremony there will be a luncheon for those veterans attending the ceremony in room 104-A of the Legislative Office Building.  It will begin at 11:00 a.m.  

“It is important for each and every one of us to honor the brave women that have selflessly answered our nation’s call to service, including those women veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Russell. “New Yorkers will never forget our military heroes, and as Chair of the Subcommittee on Women Veterans I will work to ensure that we honor their sacrifices and provide them with the care and opportunities they deserve when they come home.”

While in Albany, Assemblywoman Russell encourages women veterans to visit the New York State Women Veterans Memorial located on Madison Avenue near the New York State Museum.

Those interested in attending the ceremony and luncheon should contact Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell by June 10^th by phone at (315) 786-0284 or by email at russella@assembly.state.ny.us.

-30-

ASSEMBLYWOMAN RUSSELL’S BILL TO EXPAND THE OGDENSBURG FOREIGN TRADE ZONE PASSES THE ASSEMBLY

June 1, 2011

     

     Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell (D-Theresa) announced that her bill to expand the Ogdensburg Foreign Trade Zone (A.3724) has passed the Assembly.  Russell said, “This measure expands the existing foreign trade zone to include all of St. Lawrence County.  This will be another reason for companies to locate their U.S. plants here and more opportunities for existing businesses to grow.  By being located in an Foreign Trade Zone businesses will be better able to compete with off shore producers.  Businesses located in an Foreign Trade Zone could avoid tariffs and duties on raw materials, enabling them to price their products more competitively and thus to export more locally manufactured goods.”  The legislation must now pass in the Senate before it is forwarded to the Governor for his consideration.