An Informational Video for Future Citizens at Boys State

By: Nathaniel Aftel

A bill in the Assembly was proposed to create an informational video about Boys State for the future attendees of the program. Citizens at Boys State this year recently took a survey that asked general questions about their knowledge of the program prior to arriving. The overwhelming majority, 97%, said that they had little knowledge on many of the aspects of Boys State. This included having little knowledge on the elected positions, the system of each party and the election process as a whole.

Assemblymen opposed to the bill say that the informational video will limit the responsibilities and independence of the citizens of Boys State. They are skeptical that the video will include information that the citizens are supposed to figure out on their own. One Nationalist Assemblyman who was against the bill said the citizens, “have to take initiative.” Another said the video will take away, “responsibility of leadership.” Leadership, independence and initiative are major characteristics that every Boys State citizen is expected to possess.

But those for the bill claim the video will not dive deep into very specific information. They claim that the video will only explain the major elected positions, the party systems as well as other general aspects. One Assemblyman said that while he thinks it is important for citizens to take responsibility, he does think it is a good idea if the citizens come to Boys State knowing some background information. Another Assemblyman who supports the bill said that he himself did not know about some of the major aspects of Boys State until three days after being there. The Assemblymen who support the bill also say that if the citizens have information about the program beforehand, it may inspire more of them to run for higher positions such as Governor. It may also make citizens more comfortable with the election process as a whole.

The bill ended up passing in the Assembly with an overwhelming majority. This means that future citizens of Boys State will have more knowledge on the major aspects and activities before it starts. The video will also include a message from the previous year’s Governor. There is no doubt that this was one of the most important bills brought into law as it can change many of the proceedings at Boys State.

Further bills at the sessions

By: Oliver Wu

The Banking, Finance, and Insurance Committee, led by David Skrzyniarz (#0192), Carlos Bernal (#0306) and Samuel Caslin (#0303), unanimously passed a bill that reorganizes the state tax system to have the state tell citizens how much they owe in taxes. This would bypass the need for tax consultants and services based on the fact that the state already knows how much you owe in taxes. Some concerns were raised over the administrative costs of such a system, and an amendment to ensure that the system is modeled off of the online IRS Direct File pilot program which ran earlier this year passed overwhelmingly. In the end, there was unanimous support from the Assembly for the Tax Filing Act.

Another bill banned elected officials in New York State from owning and trading stocks. An amendment proposed limiting the scope of the bill to include only those elected to statewide office, but it was soundly defeated. The bill was narrowly passed.

The Veterans Committee introduced a bill that would provide a $600 a month food credit to active combat veterans who opt in. An amendment proposed including all veterans, instead of only those who saw active combat, but excluded those who were not honorably discharged. The amendment also expanded the use of the money from just food to both food and housing. The expanded program would be paid for by increasing restrictions of existing welfare programs for civilians. The amendment was soundly rejected, and the bill itself also failed to pass.

Next, the Assembly considered a bill passed in the Senate that would have mandated death penalty by lethal injection for those charged with a capital crime and convicted by unanimous agreement. Assembly members raised concerns over the cost of keeping more death row inmates and the possibility of wrongful convictions. A proposed amendment more strictly defined what constitutes capital crimes, including first degree murder and aggravated rape. Both the amendment and the bill were rejected.

The following bill was also received from the Senate. It concerned the expansion of small modular reactors (similar to, but smaller than, conventional nuclear power plants), setting specific goals to accomplish by 2035. The Assembly proposed and passed an amendment which shortened the timeline of the bill’s execution to 2030. It also swapped the use of state funds to finance the project with a carbon tax that would force high emitters to pay for their emissions. Both the amendment and the overall bill were passed, in one of several environmental bills that have been considered.

Additionally, the Academic Adolescent Mental Support Act was passed by the Assembly. The bill outlined a process for students from SUNY (State University of New York) schools to lead mental health discussions in schools, rather than older guidance counselors, in order to better relate to the struggles of the younger generation. An amendment included greater details, specifying that students who speak must be vetted and evaluated by a PhD-holding expert and the school board of the district to ensure quality. Both the amendment and the bill were passed.

The Assembly and the Senate will continue working together until the conclusion of the Boys’ State program to debate and pass legislation. In the end, the best bill will be sent to the State Legislature in Albany for consideration by state lawmakers.