ALLIANCE LEGISLATIVE TEMPLATES:

Directions:   Please COPY AND PASTE our legislative Memorandum of Support templates for the appropriate legislative bill, either on your Organization's letterhead OR in the event you are a constituent then you can just use a plain sheet of paper BUT individual constituents please remember to put your full name, your full street and City/Town/Village address,  Zip Code and DATE at the top of the template (phone number is optional). Remember in all of the underlined empty spaces please fill in the appropriate information which is applicable to you as the author of the memorandum of support.

If you don't know who your Senator or Assemblyman is or their office address, please use our Contact page to fill in your name, physical address, City, Town or Village, Zip Code and email address. We will gladly advise you, via e-mail, of your local Senator and Assemblymen's office mailing contact information and District Office telephone numbers, as you should also take the time to call each of their District Offices and express your support for our legislative bills, as well as mailing in your two memorandums of support.  Your two telephone calls are equally as important as mailing your letters of support.  Only one thing gets a legislator's attention and that is flooding their District Office with your emailed or faxed  letters  of support and your telephone calls. The squeaky wheel (letters, faxes & phone calls) gets the grease so to speak !

Important points to remember:

Ideally you need to send four letters, either via USPS mail or by FAX.  Please send one to the Senate Majority Leader, one to the Assembly Majority Leader, one to your local Senator and one to your local Assemblyman and if possible please send the Alliance a copy of your letter too, as we deliver binders of Memorandums of Support to each legislator's office.  All  four letters can utilize the same language  format in the body of the letter. In the letters to your LOCAL Senator and Assemblyman PLEASE  make sure to add ( copy & paste ) the following very important  sentence as the last line:

 " I request that you personally sign on as a CO-SPONSOR to this bill,  thereby showing your full and complete support of this bill for all New York State public service RETIREES. Thank you. "

Please note:     The reasoning for this statement above being added is that it's a proven fact that the more Co-Sponsors on any bill, helps facilitate the bill's movement through the committees, to the floor for a vote and eventually being passed and signed into law.

Please hand sign all Memorandums of Support too.

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The memorandums of support letters would need to be addressed to the following legislators:

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins

District Office:   28 Wells Ave., Building # 3, 5th Floor

Yonkers, New York  10701

                District office (914) 423-0979  /  Albany Office (518) 455-2585

District office FAX # (914) 423-0979  /  Albany office FAX # (518)426-6811

Assembly Majority Leader Carl Heaste

District Office:  1446 East Gun Hill Road

Bronx, New York  10469

District office (718) 654-6539  /  Albany Office (518) 455-3791

District office FAX # (718)654-5836  /  Albany office FAX # (518) 455-5103

 

Senator ____________________________ ( your local Senator )

District office:   ______________________________________

______________________________________

District office (   ) ________    /  Albany office (518) ________

District FAX # (   ) ________  /  Albany office FAX # (518) ________

 

Assemblyman _______________________ ( your local Assemblyman )

District office:   _______________________________________

_______________________________________

District office (   ) ________    /  Albany office (518) ________

District office FAX # (   ) ________  /  Albany office FAX # (518) ________

 

Memorandum of Support form template for our " FORGOTTEN VETERAN's " bill:

Top of page:  Organization Official name / address  /  on letterhead stationary  OR  Constituent name / address on paper

Date:     ______________________

To:          Senate Majority Leader OR

Assembly Majority Leader OR

Senator _____________ OR

Assemblyman ___________

FAX # (   ) ________       Page # 1 of 1       (THIS IS NECCESSARY ONLY IF YOU CHOSE TO FAX YOUR MEMORANDUM)

Dear  (use legislator's name here )_____________________ ,

I'm writing to you requesting that you support the following " FORGOTTEN VETERAN'S "  bill bearing  Senate bill # S03968-2019 and Assembly bill # A06452-2019.  The Senate version was introduced by Senator John Brooks who fully supports Veterans and this bill passed in the New York State Senate 2019 legislative session.  Unfortunately, the Assembly version which was introduced by Assemblywoman Didi Barrett failed to even move out of the very first committee in the Assembly. This must change in 2020 !

This very important bill covers all Military Veterans who served from World War Two forward up to the middle east conflicts.  On May 31, 2016, Governor Cuomo signed the active military buyback program into law, which only allows for active duty military members serving from May 31, 2016 and forward to buy back their military time, prior to being discharged from active duty, towards their New York State pensions.  All other honorably discharged Military Veterans, who have so proudly served the USA and New York State during the previous 76 years are completely excluded and get absolutely no credit of any kind in their New York State pensions  or recognition for their sacrifices, pain and patriotism as the real " FORGOTTEN VETERANS" !

This is unconscionable and irresponsible of all of the politician's who constantly use this political rhetoric when making speeches about praising our Military Veterans !  The real truth is... that these political words and speeches fail to do anything positive for our Military Veterans and falls completely short on really helping honor our older Military Veterans.  We owe all our Military Veterans so much gratitude and many of them have small pensions,  little money or are homeless today.  The saddest part of not getting this important bill signed into law is that we are losing so many Military Veterans of the greatest generation this country ever saw and this bill would have and can help them immensely today as a token of our appreciation for every one of these Military Veterans for their sacrifices, pain and heroism.  You must pass this " FORGOTTEN VETERAN'S " bill into law in 2020 !

An often over looked fact by the politicians is that this Veteran's Supplementation Bill money will come directly out of the New York State Local Retirement System fund balance and not affect the New York State budget by even one penny !!  Subsequently, there is no valid reason for this bill not to be passed and signed into law by Governor Cuomo out of respect for all VETERAN'S.  Remember retirees always vote in every election !

Thank you for your time and anticipated 100% cooperation to make this bill reality in this 2020 legislative session.

Sincerely,

Your signature __________________________

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Memorandum of Support form template for our Health Insurance Protection bill:

Top of page:  Organization Official name / address  /  on letterhead stationary  OR  Constituent name / address on paper

Date:     ______________________

To:          Senate Majority Leader OR

Assembly Majority Leader OR

Senator _____________ OR

Assemblyman ___________

FAX # (   ) ________       Page # 1 of 1       (THIS IS NECCESSARY ONLY IF YOU CHOSE TO FAX YOUR MEMORANDUM)

Dear  (use legislator's name here )_____________________ ,

I'm writing to you requesting that you support the following " Health Insurance Protection "  bill bearing  Senate bill # S03854-2019 and Assembly bill # A04203-2019.  The Senate version was introduced by Senator Andrew Lanza and there was no movement in the New York State Senate 2019 legislative session.  The Assembly version which was introduced by Assemblyman David Weprin  also did not move at all in the 2019 Legislative session. This must change in 2020 !

This very important retiree " Health Insurance Protection"  bill has absolutely no cost factor to Governor Cuomo's budget at all BUT protects all New York State retirees Health Insurance benefits for the rest of their lives !  Retirees in New York State have had changes made to their Health Insurance benefits and co-pay increases without the retiree being involved in the process of changing these benefits and co-pays! Years ago, when the retirees were active, full time employees of New York State, these employees negotiated for these important Health Insurance benefits in lieu of pay raises and other benefits.  Now that these active employees have become retirees, they no longer have Union representation and are at the mercy of their elected  representatives and the Governor whom they hope will protect these Health Insurance benefits the active employees were promised at the time they retired would keep for the rest of their lives.

Just to make you aware of the gross disparity by not passing this Health Insurance bill and getting it signed into law for all retirees...in the past a legislative bill affording these same Health Insurance benefits protection was passed , signed into law to PROTECT ALL NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS ONLY, by inclusion into the New York State Pension Law Legislation !!

WHAT MAKES NEW YORK STATE POLICE OFFICERS AND NEW YORK STATE FIREFIGHTERS, WHO WORK THE MOST HAZARDOUS, DANGEROUS JOBS IN THIS STATE, ANY LESS IMPORTANT THAN NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS WHO GENERALLY DON'T FACE DANGER AND DEATH 24/7 AS DO POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS DO ON EVERY SHIFT THEY WORK ???

This is unconscionable and irresponsible of all of the politician's who constantly use this political rhetoric when making speeches about praising our Police Officers, Firefighter and EMS first responders !  The real truth is... that these political words and speeches fail to do anything positive for our Police Officers, Firefighters and EMS first responders and falls completely short on really helping honor  and protect them appropriately.  Just look back at what happened to all the Police Officers, Firefighters and EMS after 9/11 in New York City...it took almost 20 years to pass the necessary health protection after so many perished.

You must pass this " Health Protection " bill into law in 2020 !  There is no valid reason for this bill not to be passed and signed into law by Governor Cuomo out of respect for all Police Officers, Firefighters and EMS first responders. Remember retirees always vote in every election !

Thank you for your time and anticipated 100% cooperation to make this bill reality in this 2020 legislative session.

Sincerely,

Your signature __________________________

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Memorandum of Support form template for all our COLA bills:

Top of page:  Organization Official name / address  /  on letterhead stationary  OR  Constituent name / address on paper

Date:     ______________________

To:          Senate Majority Leader OR

Assembly Majority Leader OR

Senator _____________ OR

Assemblyman ___________

FAX # (   ) ________       Page # 1 of 1       (THIS IS NECCESSARY ONLY IF YOU CHOSE TO FAX YOUR MEMORANDUM)

Dear  (use legislator's name here )_____________________ ,

I'm writing to you requesting that you support the following " COLA "  bills bearing  Senate bill # S05901-2019, Senate bill # S05902-2019 and Senate bill # S05902-2019.  These three Senate bills were introduced by Senator Andrew Gounardes and there was no movement on any of these three bills in the New York State Senate 2019 legislative session.

The Assembly versions of these three bills were never introduced in the New York State Assembly as promised by Assemblyman Peter Abbate Jr. and are still awaiting introduction in the 2020 Legislative session. This must happen and  change in 2020 !

These are three very important retiree " COLA"  bills  and have absolutely no cost factor to Governor Cuomo's budget at all BUT enhances all New York State retirees COLA benefits for the rest of their lives !  The COLA Legislation bill was signed into law at inception in 2000 and has not been improved upon at all for the last 20 years !  Retirees in New York State have faced rising inflation, rising food costs, rising utility costs, rising heating costs, rising home taxes and  rising Health Insurance co-pay costs along with decreased Health Insurance coverage.   Retirees live on a fixed income and can't sustain any more increases in living costs without getting some much needed COLA enhancements. Retirees can only stretch a dollar just so far and many go without important necessities such as prescription medication and life saving medical care.  This is unconscionable and is inexcusable !

This is unconscionable and irresponsible of all of the politician's who constantly use this political rhetoric when making speeches about praising our dedicated retirees !  The real truth is... that these political words and speeches fail to do anything positive for our retirees and falls completely short on really helping retirees live a comfortable, stress free life style in their golden years.

You must pass these "COLA Enhancement " bills into law in 2020 !  There is no valid reason for these COLA bills not to be passed and signed into law by Governor Cuomo out of respect for all retirees.  Remember retirees always vote in every election !

Thank you for your time and anticipated 100% cooperation to make these COLA bills reality in this 2020 legislative session.

Sincerely,

Your signature __________________________

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