Carl Heastie: Legislative Record
Wage Theft Prevention Act (2010)
Heastie was the prime sponsor of the Wage Theft Prevention Act, which established a framework for the State Department of Labor to identify and remedy instances of wage theft and help workers reclaim illegally withheld earnings .
Nicotine Water Prohibition
Heastie championed the passage of a law prohibiting the sale of water containing nicotine to children under 18 years old, a public health measure that preceded his rise to the speakership .
Domestic Violence Lease Release
Heastie authored legislation allowing victims of domestic violence to be released from lease obligations when remaining in the residence would keep the victim in a dangerous environment .
Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting
As an Assembly member prior to the speakership, Heastie sponsored legislation to require mandatory reporting of alleged child abuse of students in New York City .
Criminal Justice
Under Heastie's leadership as Speaker, the Assembly passed: Raise the Age legislation increasing the age of adult criminal responsibility to 18 (2017 budget); elimination of cash bail for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony offenses (2019 budget); speedy trial reform (2019 budget); discovery law reform (2019 budget); decriminalization of marijuana possession (2019); the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act legalizing adult-use cannabis (2021); a policing accountability package in response to the death of George Floyd (2020); and the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act (2021) .
Labor and Economy
Key legislation under his speakership includes: The graduated minimum wage increase to $15 per hour (2016); paid family leave; and the $2.1 billion Excluded Worker Fund providing pandemic relief to immigrants ineligible for federal assistance (2021 budget) .
Housing
The Assembly under Heastie passed permanent rent regulation laws and a comprehensive tenant protection package (2019); an eviction and foreclosure moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020); and a multi-year $2.5 billion investment in affordable and supportive housing (2016) .
Education
Education legislation under his leadership includes: The Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act (2019); the Higher Education Road to Success Initiative; implementation of the My Brother's Keeper initiative in New York; and multi-year investments totaling more than $7.3 billion in additional school aid since 2015 .
Elections
Heastie led the Assembly in passing early voting legislation establishing a nine-day early voting period and streamlining voter registration (2019) .
Environment
Environmental legislation under his speakership includes: The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets (2019); a ban on plastic carryout bags (2019 budget); and multi-billion dollar investments in water quality infrastructure (2017-18 budget) .
Assembly Labor Committee Chair (2013-2015)
Heastie chaired the Assembly Labor Committee from 2013 until his elevation to the speakership in February 2015. In this role, he served as the principal legislative negotiator on minimum wage increases and labor protections .
Speaker of the Assembly (2015-Present)
As Speaker, Heastie presides over the 150-member chamber, controls the legislative calendar, assigns committee chairs, and serves as one of the three key negotiators (alongside the Governor and Senate Majority Leader) in state budget deliberations .
Caucus and Organizational Memberships
Heastie has been a member of the Democratic State Committee since 1996 . He served as chair of the Bronx County Democratic Committee from 2008 to 2015 . He has been affiliated with the Assembly Majority's Families First agenda, the overarching policy framework guiding the Assembly Democratic conference under his speakership .