Assembly Member Brian Cunningham

Wishing everyone a happy !

As we honor the LGBTQ+ community, let us recognize the resilience and courage it takes to live authentically in the face of discrimination. Everyone deserves love, acceptance, and equality, no matter their gender or identity.

Despite the chaotic state of the world today, I hold firm to the idea that the future is bright, and at this year’s NYSABPRL Scholarship Luncheon we celebrated the young leaders helping to make it so.

A special congratulations to Aiden-Aaron Gonzalez, senior at Eagle Academy for Young Men in my own District 43. I had the honor of presenting him an official Assembly proclamation and scholarship check thanks to NYSABPRL College Scholarship Program. As Valedictorian for his class, Aiden-Aaron is a dedicated community volunteer and a future student at Drexel University whose commitment to academic excellence and service reflects the very best of our community.

Thank you to NYSABPRL for their continued investment in New York’s next generation, and to all of this year’s scholarship recipients: your journey is just beginning.

It’s always a special opportunity to spend time with friends from across the aisle.

On today’s recording of “Off the Floor with Brian Cunningham”,
Assemblymember AJ Beephan sat down to talk about our shared bill Melanie’s Law being signed by the Governor, his love for Duchess County, and his adventures in the sky as a licensed pilot.

Thanks for coming by AJ, and here’s hoping red and blue can come together more often.

New Yorkers should never have to worry about going into credit card debt just to receive basic medical care.

With the passing of Bill A8460 in the Assembly and the Senate, we have taken a major step toward ensuring that written consent be required before hospitals store patients’ credit card information.

I thank Senator Persaud and our co-sponsors for their diligent work, and look forward to this bill crossing the Governor’s desk for signing.

I was proud to honor Mrs. Norma Varlack Greaves with a New York State Assembly Citation in recognition of her 95th birthday and a lifetime of service to the Prospect Lefferts Gardens community.

For more than four decades, Mrs. Greaves has been a steadfast presence on Sterling Street, sharing her gifts as a music teacher, caregiver, community advocate, and devoted woman of faith. Her remarkable journey reflects the rich legacy of Caribbean families who helped shape Brooklyn and strengthen our communities.

On behalf of the New York State Assembly, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Greaves on this extraordinary milestone. Happy 95th Birthday!

And with one final vote, the state budget has been passed! It was a long wait, but with the persistence and collaborative spirit of my dedicated colleagues, we were able to pass improvements and protections for New Yorkers from all walks of life.

During this past week I filled in as speaker pro tem, overseeing the session’s proceedings. Myself and other members of the New York State Black Legislative Task Force celebrated Pastel, Seersuckers, and Sundress Day, where we dressed in our Sunday best. Couple that with an amazing podcast shoot with my friend Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson, and partnering on a senior wellness fair back in Central Brooklyn, it’s fair to say we had another packed week.

We have one more week to wrap up this year’s legislative session and there’s plenty to get done. Stay in touch for more updates!

BUDGET UPDATE:

Coming out of a long budget season, here’s what actually changed for New Yorkers and what it means for your family.

Housing: SCRIE & DRIE income eligibility raised from $50K to $75K — keeping more seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities in their homes, with stronger tenant protections.

Affordability: A new $3,000-per-child tax credit, $150–$200 energy rebate checks, and guardrails so utility companies can’t pass excessive costs onto you.

Public Safety: Cracking down on repeat speeders near our schools and closing the ghost-gun loophole.

Immigrant Protections: Through New York For All — keeping schools, hospitals, and houses of worship as safe places, requiring federal officers to identify themselves, and limiting local cooperation with ICE.

Swipe through for the details. Questions about how this applies to you? Reach out to my office — we’re here to help.