Assemblymember John McDonald

10/24/2026

Weekly News from Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh
https://mailchi.mp/nycap/news-from-assemblymember-john-t-mcdonald-iii-rph-8znumgw9pe

10/23/2026

October is recognized as National Substance Use and Misuse Prevention Month. Today I held an event highlighting legislation that I introduced earlier this year, Nima's Law (A.10923-B/S.9567-B), to prohibit the retail sale of nitrous oxide, with exceptions for legitimate medical uses and food preparation. The risk and dangers of nitrous oxide misuse are far too great to continue allowing retail sales, especially when the growing misuse is correlated to accessibility. I was joined by Senator Chris Ryan, the Senate sponsor of the bill, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, a supporter of the legislation, and two mothers who lost their sons Nima and Zachary to nitrous oxide overdoses, Haleh Brown and Kate Boyle. Thank you to Haleh and Kate for sharing your stories and for your advocacy.

10/22/2026

Early Voting Starts This Saturday!

Early Voting runs Saturday, October 24, through Sunday, November 1.
Find an Early Voting location near you: Hours and locations vary by county, and registered voters can vote at any designated Early Voting location within their county.

Check your polling place, Early Voting locations, voter registration, and ballot status: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

10/21/2026

October is College Application Month! For the fifth year, SUNY is waiving application fees as part of the statewide College Application Initiative.

Students may apply to up to five SUNY campuses at no cost from Monday, October 19 to Monday, November 2. Fee waivers can be accessed through both ApplySUNY and the Common App.
Don’t miss this chance to save up to $250 on college application fees.

suny.edu/go

10/20/2026

I was pleased to attend the ribbon-cutting and open house celebrating the reopening of the Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose in Albany.

The Massry Center is an important part of our Capital Region’s arts and cultural community, providing a space for creativity, performances, and community engagement. Congratulations to everyone who helped make this reopening possible, and best wishes for continued success as the center welcomes the community back!

10/19/2026

I was happy to join the Mural Week celebration at Nine Pin C***r Works to celebrate the arts and the completion of Fruit of the City, a beautiful mural in downtown Albany.

Thank you to Governor Hochul for launching the NYS Mural Program, which we were proud to support as legislators. Congratulations to artist Hannah Williams, who brought this incredible piece to life in just two weeks! The mural captures the rich history of downtown Albany while highlighting an important part of New York’s economy and heritage: agriculture.

10/18/2026

Another busy week in the books from the new Wadsworth Center beam signing to visitors from the Watervliet schools and more. Please take a moment to review!

https://mailchi.mp/nycap/news-from-assemblymember-john-t-mcdonald-iii-rph-0ynyd5rf3b?e=721fdd7360

10/17/2026

This is one of many legislative and funding initiatives that I supported for our volunteer firefighters, and I am glad to see it signed into law today. Quadrupling New York State's personal income tax credit for eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers not only supports our current volunteer firefighters, who do incredibly important work in our communities, but also helps with recruitment efforts to encourage more people to join their ranks.

Governor Hochul signed legislation to quadruple New York State's personal income tax credit for eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, providing financial relief to first responders who dedicate their time to protecting communities across the state.

10/17/2026

McDonald Statement on the City of Albany Common Council Commuter Tax Proposal

Members of the City of Albany Common Council are considering a commuter tax for those who work in Albany and reside outside the city. This impacts both public and private employees. I understand the challenges that the City of Albany is facing financially and respect the fact that the Council wants to reduce the tax burden on residents of the city; however, I do not believe this approach is the solution. In fact, I believe this proposal will lead to loss of business, tax base, and, in time, residents. I do not believe it is right to place this additional burden on hard-working individuals in both the public and private sectors just because they live outside of the City of Albany.

Over the last 14 years, 10 of which I represented the Capital City, I have worked hard to increase financial support for the city, particularly because it is the host of state government, which demands many services for those visiting the city, whether it be traveling in for work, tourism, advocacy at the state Capitol, or state business. That is why we have provided state Capital City Aid to the city for the past decade, in the absence of a commuter or tax on nonresidents. I will continue to support all the local governments I represent and, even though I do not represent it anymore, I have supported and will continue to support the Capital City as it is critical for our region's success.

That said, a commuter tax is not the solution, and I will not support it at the state level.

10/17/2026

Today is National Move Over Day! The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, transportation agencies and law enforcement are reminding motorists to slow down and move over safely for stopped vehicles.

New York’s Move Over Law, first enacted in 2010, has expanded to protect emergency responders, highway workers, tow truck operators and all motorists stopped along the roadway. Drivers are required to exercise due care, slow down and move over when it is safe to do so. The law applies to both sides of the roadway.

The importance of this law is underscored by roadway safety statistics. In 2025, there were 366 work zone crashes on state Department of Transportation roads, resulting in 58 injuries and two fatalities.

Motorists are encouraged to remain alert, watch for flashing lights and reflective safety gear, reduce their speed and give stopped vehicles plenty of space. Taking these simple precautions can help prevent crashes and save lives.