My top legislative priorities for 2026 are rooted in delivering dignity, opportunity, and equity for the people I serve. I am focused on advancing humane and comprehensive immigration reform, protecting access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring technology is developed and governed responsibly. I will continue fighting to safeguard civil and voting rights, and to expand access to safe, affordable housing so every family can thrive in the Ninth Congressional District and across this country.
Inside Government is a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY features United States Representative Nydia Velázquez. Representative Velázquez serves the Seventh Congressional District which includes parts of Queens and Brooklyn. What are your top legislative priorities for 2026? Immigration, foreign policy and housing
I am proud of the Prison Reform Omnibus bill that passed at the end of session. New York's prisons have been plagued by a systemic pattern of violence toward incarcerated individuals, with little accountability or oversight. Within the last year, correction officers murdered two incarcerated men. The civil rights of incarcerated New Yorkers are routinely violated. The situation in our state's prisons is an emergency. This bill is a crucial step toward ending this violence.
After being elected with only two weeks left of session, I'm proud of all three of the bills that I introduced. Despite the short timeframe, I was able to get three bills passed: S8256, which creates a clear accommodation for sabbath observance for trash tickets; S8257, which improves access to fertility care; and S8265, which ensures continued access to backup devices for patients with cochlear implants.
Inside Government is a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY features New York State Senator José M. Serrano. Senator Serrano represents the 29th Senate District which covers neighborhoods in the Bronx and Manhattan, including Highbridge, Mott Haven, Port Morris, Hunts Point, Clason Point, Randall's Island, East Harlem/El Barrio, and Yorkville.
This year alone, I passed over 30 bills. It's hard to choose just one - whether it's S5320 expanding tuition assistance for students experiencing homelessness, S3121 protecting tenants from unfair rent fees, or S2126 uplifting underrepresented educators. With the Ignazio Giacalone Act, S1165A, we honor families of sanitation workers lost after 9/11. And with S8181, we protect first responders' health and dignity. Each bill reflects equity, fairness, and sacrifice - together, building a stronger, more just New York.
I'm proud to have passed my bill A2698 directing DOH to create an awareness campaign regarding the usage of hormone replacement therapy for treating menopause and perimenopause. Too many people, especially Black, working-class, and immigrant women, go without the care they need simply because they don't know what's available or because providers don't take their symptoms seriously. As a maternal health nurse, I believe every stage of reproductive life deserves real support. Menopause is no exception.
