[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

WITH THE RESULTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, THERE HAS BEEN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE FUTURE OF THE FEDERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP HAS PROPOSED A PLAN TO ELIMINATE THE DEPARTMENT AND SEND ALL EDUCATION NEEDS BACK TO THE STATES.

WHILE IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT THOSE SPECIFICS WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK.

A BIG PART OF BUDGET TALKS AT THE CAPITOL EARLIER THIS YEAR WERE CENTERED AROUND THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA.

NOW THIS IS THE METHOD THAT HAS BEEN USED TO DETERMINE STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND THE LEGISLATURE HAVE TAPPED THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO MODERNIZE THE FORMULA OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND THE BODY IS SLATED TO PUBLISH A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IN EARLY DECEMBER.

TO UNPACK THE EDUCATION PRIORITIES HEADING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, DAVID LOMBARDO OF THE CAPITAL PRESS ROOM SPOKE WITH THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT MELINDA PERSON.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, PRESIDENT PERSON.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

HAPPY TO BE HERE SO ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, TALKED ABOUT SHUDDERING THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS WELL AS TYING FEDERAL FUNDS TO WHAT'S TAUGHT OR MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY NOT TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS.

IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS IS GOING TO WANT TO GO ALONG WITH ANY OF THIS OR MIGHT HAVE THEIR OWN PLANS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU BRACING FOR FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 2025 AS IT PERTAINS TO NEW YORK EDUCATION POLICY OR FUNDING?

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE QUANTITY OF FUNDING THAT NEW YORK STATE GETS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EDUCATION.

JUST IN TITLE I, WE GET OVER $1.4 BILLION, AND THAT MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE HIGHEST NEED SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK STATE AND SO WHEN THAT MONEY IS EITHER CUT OR THERE ARE STRINGS ATTACHED TO IT, IT HURTS THE HIGHEST NEEDS SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE IN NEW YORK AND IT ENABLES, I THINK, A REAL PROBLEM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IF YOU MUST ADOPT THIS POLICY IN ORDER TO GET THIS FUNDING, IT WILL PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATORS AND POLICYMAKERS TO RESIST WHAT IS-- WHAT COULD BE BAD POLICY DECISION MAKING.

ARE YOU ANTICIPATING ANY CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO IMPACT THIS UPCOMING STATE BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE ON MARCH 31ST, OR IS THE PACE OF PLAY IN WASHINGTON MAKE IT SO THAT ANYTHING THAT MIGHT COME DOWN THE PIKE TO NEW YORK IS MORE ABOUT 2026 AND BEYOND?

IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS MIGHT BE RELEASED AND HOW THEY WILL IMPACT EDUCATION IN NEW YORK STATE.

SO WE ARE PREPARING OURSELVES FOR, YOU KNOW, FIGHTING WHATEVER MIGHT HURT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE IN NEW YORK, BUT I THINK WE WILL HAVE SOME TIME TO WORK WITH OUR LEGISLATORS IN WASHINGTON TO PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS.

SO LET'S FOCUS A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME AND BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE IS SCHEDULED TO PUT OUT A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO UPDATE FOUNDATION AID, THE FORMULA THAT IS WHAT WE USE TO DETERMINE THE BULK OF THE STATE DOLLARS THAT FLOW TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AROUND NEW YORK.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE RANGE OF ISSUES THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING, ARE THERE SOME THAT ARE NON-STARTERS FOR YOU, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO APPROACH THEIR REPORT AS WELL AS, I GUESS, THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS WITH AN OPEN MIND?

SURE.

WELL, I THINK THEIR REPORT WILL BE ONE OF MANY REPORTS THAT I THINK WE WILL SEE THIS COMING BUDGET SEASON, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD JUST A FEW MONTHS TO START TO DO THE ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF UPDATING THE FOUNDATION NEED FORMULA, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS FROM THE ORIGINAL CFE CASE, THE CAMPAIGN FOR FISCAL EQUITY, THEY'RE DOING SOME RESEARCH.

WE HAVE THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE.

WE ALSO HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE BOARD WHICH IS THE GROUP OF REAL EDUCATION EXPERTS HERE IN NEW YORK STATE SPECIFICALLY, AND EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THE DATA.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW EDUCATION FUNDING HAS CHANGED, HOW EDUCATION DATA HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, SINCE THE FORMULA WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED, AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE AND HOW.

AND IT WILL BE REALLY IN THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE THIS.

BUT THERE WILL BE NO SHORTAGE OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES FOR THEM TO CHOOSE FROM IN TERMS OF GUIDANCE.

IF I WAS A CYNICAL, JADED REPORTER, I MIGHT THINK THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER REPORTS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS, ASIDE FROM THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE STUDY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS A PRODUCT OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, I MIGHT FEEL OR ASSUME THAT THESE OTHER REPORTS ARE IN ANTICIPATION OF THINGS COMING OUT FROM THIS ROCKEFELLER REPORT THAT I'M NOT GOING TO LIKE AND THAT I WANT TO START A NARRATIVE AND START THE CONVERSATION ON MY TERMS.

ARE YOU THAT CYNICAL AND JADED?

DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE IMPETUS FOR THESE OTHER REPORTS IS THAT?

I WOULD SAY NO.

OKAY.

AND I TWO-- I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID THAT.

AND FEEL OPTIMISTIC.

I LIKE TO LET HISTORY BE A GUIDE.

I WAS AROUND WHEN THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA WAS WRITTEN BACK IN 2007.

WAS THERE ONE REPORT THAT SPECIFICALLY SAID THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO REFORM AND WRITE A FOUNDATION NEED FORMULA?

NO.

THERE WERE THREE, FOUR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES THAT DID RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS AND PUT OUT A REALLY INFORMED VARIETY OF OPINIONS AND THEN THE LEGISLATURE PICKED AND CHOSE THE PIECES OF THOSE THAT MADE SENSE TO THEM.

AND SO I THINK IT WILL BE A SIMILAR TYPE OF THING WHERE WE HAVE LOTS OF EXPERTS IN THE ROOM AND THE DIRECTION WILL REALLY BE TAKEN FROM THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AS IT SHOULD BE.

WELL, GETTING TO THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE THEN, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS GOING TO BE IN NEXT YEAR'S STATE BUDGET FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE SAW I THINK MORE THAN $35 BILLION IN STATE AID FOR SCHOOLS IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 800 MILLION COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

IS THERE A NUMBER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET?

IF SO, HOW DO YOU REACH THAT CALCULATION?

WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A PROPOSAL OUT THERE.

WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT DATA FROM THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE COST OF WHAT WE CALL PRESENT LAW, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY FUNDING THE CURRENT FORMULA, AND SO WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT A REQUEST, AN ASK OF THE LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE THINK IS NECESSARY TO FUND AND FULLY FUND THE FOUNDATION NEED FORMULA AND THE OTHER FORMULAS IN THE STATE AID PACKAGE.

I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE ARE LOOKING TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE FORMULA, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY LOOK AT THE PIECES OF THE FORMULA THAT ARE FOCUSED ON CUTTING AID, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT THE PIECE OF THE FORMULA IN LIKE STUDENT NEEDS THAT HAVE GROWN OVER TIME, THAT ARE GOING TO DRIVE COST INCREASES IN THE FORMULA.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND UPDATE THE FORMULA IN A HOLISTIC WAY.

IT'S POSSIBLE WHEN WE UPDATE THE FORMULA, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USING MORE RELEVANT CENSUS DATA, THINGS THAT AREN'T 20 YEARS OLD, THERE COULD BE WINNERS AND LOSERS.

IS THAT OKAY?

IS IT ALL RIGHT IF WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WE CALCULATE THAT BASED ON YOUR NEW POPULATION, MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T BE GETTING AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU WERE IN THE PAST, OR DOES POLITICS AND THE DIFFERENT INTEREST GROUPS HERE PREVENT US FROM HAVING A SYSTEM LIKE THAT?

DOES IT HAVE TO ONLY BE A CASE OF INCREASES FOR EVERYBODY?

I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE SAFE HARMLESS PROVISION.

VAGUELY, VAGUELY.

I THINK WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY RELY ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO COME UP WITH THEIR FUNDING, IS THAT THEY HAVE SOME LEVEL OF PREDICTABILITY TO THEIR FUNDING.

WHAT WAS PROPOSED LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF MAJOR CUTS, SOME DISTRICTS WERE LOOKING AT 40% CUTS IN THEIR STATE AID, WHICH HAS CREATED A LOT OF FEAR OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WHAT YOU SAW IN RESPONSE TO THAT WAS A STRONG BIPARTISAN REJECTION OF THAT IDEA.

THAT CONCEPT THAT WE WOULD JUST ACROSS THE BOARD START TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO I THINK WHATEVER APPROACH WE COME UP WITH HAS TO BE REALLY THOUGHTFULLY DONE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY GIVE DISTRICTS PREDICTABILITY, FIRST AND FOREMOST.

WELL, LOOKING TO ANOTHER ISSUE, ALONGSIDE THE GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE TRAIL TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR SOME SORT OF STATEWIDE ACTION GOVERNING THE USE OF CELL PHONES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, THOUGH, REPORTEDLY WANTS THIS LEFT TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DECIDE WHAT THOSE POLICIES SHOULD BE.

WHAT SORT OF WIGGLE ROOM IS THERE BETWEEN THOSE POSITION, AND CAN YOU RECONCILE A STATEWIDE DIRECTIVE AND LOCAL CONTROL OVER THIS TYPE OF ISSUE?

I THINK WE CAN.

WHILE WE SUPPORT A STATEWIDE DIRECTIVE, WE STILL WANT LOCAL FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THE STATE TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN, AND I THINK THE COMMISSIONER WOULD AGREE.

THIS ISSUE HAS-- IN THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS, HAS BEEN LEFT TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DECIDE, AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IS INSUFFICIENT.

WE HAVE LOCAL DISTRICT POLICIES THAT ARE LOOSELY WORDED, NOT ENFORCED, AND WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF DISTRACTION, INABILITY TO FOCUS AND A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ON TOP OF THAT, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE TO COME IN AND GIVE DIRECTION TO OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND OUR LOCAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS AND LEADERS THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, KIDS DESERVE SEVEN HOURS A DAY FREE FROM THESE DISTRACTIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR CELL PHONES, AND WE THINK THAT SCHOOL-- WHICH THE PURPOSE OF SCHOOL IS A PLACE FOR LEARNING, THAT THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE FREE FROM THESE DISTRACTIONS, AND HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT AND HOW THEY WANT TO MANAGE THAT PROCESS, WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE A LOCAL DECISION WITH INPUT FROM COMMUNITY, FROM PARENTS, AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE EXCEPTIONS, RIGHT?

THERE ARE KIDS WHO USE THEIR PHONES FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.

THERE ARE KIDS WHO USE THEIR PHONES FOR-- TO MONITOR THEIR BLOOD INSULIN, RIGHT.

THERE ARE-- A FORENSIC CLASSROOM I VISITED, THEY USED THEIR PHONES TO TAKE PICTURES OF FAKE BLOOD SPLATTERS.

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT USE A PHONE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY THIS SORT OF ADDICTIVE ELEMENT THAT IS MAKING IT HARD FOR KIDS TO FOCUS AT SCHOOL.

BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FLEXIBILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, DOES THAT MEAN, OKAY, SCHOOL, YOU CAN PUT THE CELL PHONES IN A BROWN BAG OR YOU CAN PUT THEM IN A GREEN BAG.

YOU CHOOSE.

WHAT DOES THAT FLEXIBILITY LOOK LIKE BECAUSE SOME OF THAT STUFF-- THOSE EXCEPTIONS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, THOSE CAN BE WRITTEN IN AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL.

SO WHAT ARE THE LOCAL DECISIONS THAT WOULD BE LEFT UP TO SCHOOL LEADERS TO ACTUALLY DECIDE?

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT POUCHES VERSUS A-- A LOT OF SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW HAVE THE LITTLE, YOU KNOW, THE SHOE HOLDER THINGS IN THE CLASSROOMS.

IT IS INSISTING THAT THEY COME UP WITH A POLICY THAT-- FROM BELL TO BELL, SO FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL DAY, THAT KIDS CAN HAVE SORT OF THE FREEDOM FROM THIS DISTRACTION.

THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN COME UP WITH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS CAN CALL THEIR PARENTS IF THEY NEED TO OR WANT TO?

RIGHT.

SOME DISTRICTS HAVE COME UP WITH THEY HAVE A TECHNOLOGY LOUNGE.

SO THEY HAVE A PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN GO AND USE THEIR PHONE IF THEY NEED TO.

THERE ARE LOCAL DECISIONS ABOUT NOT JUST POUCHES OR PHONE LOCKERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF A KID VIOLATES OUR POLICY, RIGHT, AND THAT'S A LOCAL DECISION AS WELL.

THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND WE THINK THAT THOSE SHOULD BE DECIDED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

IS ULTIMATELY THE OUTCOME THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS TO BRING BACK PAY PHONES, THE BIG PAY PHONE IS WHAT WE HOPE TO REALLY PUSH IN THIS?

I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE OLD DAYS OF, CAN I GO TO THE OFFICE SO I CAN CALL MY MOM BECAUSE I FORGOT MY VIOLIN, RIGHT?

WE WANT TO RETURN TO A MORE-- A SIMPLER COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED TEACHING 7TH GRADE MATH IN A LOCAL DISTRICT WHERE A KID TOOK A PHONE CALL FROM THEIR MOM WHILE I WAS TEACHING, RIGHT.

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN OUR CLASSROOMS THAT THIS IS ACCEPTABLE?

RIGHT?

AND I THINK-- I THINK PARENTS AND COMMUNITY AND ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENTS, WE ALL AGREE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER TO TRY AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE, PRESIDENT PERSON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CHATTING WITH US.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE ON UPDATES TO THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

IN RECENT YEARS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN NEW YORK STATE.

OVER THE YEARS, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL HAS MADE CRACKING DOWN ON THEFT A FOCUS, BUT A BILL CURRENTLY IN THE LEGISLATURE WOULD TAKE THINGS A STEP FURTHER BY REQUIRING CONVERTERS TO BE MARKED WITH A SERIAL NUMBER.

RECENTLY, THE BILL'S SPONSORS MET WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN BUFFALO IN AN EFFORT TO GARNER SUPPORT IN THE OFF-SESSION.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE EFFORTS, WE SPOKE WITH STATE SENATOR SEAN RYAN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US, SENATOR.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

OF COURSE.

NOW CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT IN NEW YORK STATE?

WHY WAS THIS SUCH A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR YOU?

WELL, THERE'S TWO CONFLUENCES GOING ON.

WE SEE COPPER PRICES ARE GOING BACK UP AND YOU MAY REMEMBER A DECADE AGO IT WAS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE STEALING COPPER, BUT COPPER IS BACK TO AN ALL-TIME HIGH ON THE WORLD MARKET SO WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE OF COPPER THEFT AROUND THE STATE, AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE BAD, OLD DAYS OF PEOPLE STEALING STATUES, GUTTERS, BREAKING INTO HOUSES TO TAKE THE PIPES AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALREADY HAD THE CRISIS WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND IT'S THE SAME THING.

IT'S DRIVEN BY METAL VALUE.

SO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAVE EYE COUPLE DIFFERENT MINERALS THEM, INCLUDING PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM, AND THOSE ARE ALL VERY VALUABLE, AND THEY'VE GONE UP IN VALUE.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THIS INCREASED THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, AND YOU KNOW, EVERY CAR HAS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

IT'S PART OF YOUR POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM.

IT'S AROUND YOUR MUFFLER, BUT IT TURNS OUT WHEN THEY DESIGNED THOSE, THEY DIDN'T THINK OF ANYONE-- NO ONE WOULD WANT TO STEAL THAT, JUST LIKE NO ONE STEALS YOUR MUFFLER.

WHEN THE MINERAL PRICES INCREASES, SUDDENLY THAT BECAME A TARGET.

YOU CAN REMOVE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FROM A CAR IN THREE MINUTES.

BOY, IF YOU WANT TO HEAR AN ANGRY CONSTITUENT CAR IT'S WHEN THEY WALK OUT THE NEXT MORNING AND THEY START THEIR CAR AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A TANK BECAUSE THE WHOLE MUFFLER SYSTEM STOPS WORKING WHEN YOU CUT OUT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

IT COST A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE CONSUMER TO REPLACE THAT.

AND CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR BILL WILL ACTUALLY BE DOING?

I KNOW THIS SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY INTUITIVE BILL FROM MY PURVIEW.

SO WHY DO YOU THINK PUTTING SERIAL NUMBERS ON CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WILL BE IMPACTFUL?

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE JUST GIVEN ALL THE ISSUES WITH THEFT OVER THE YEARS?

WELL, IT'S INTERESTING.

SO ACTUALLY THIS BILL WAS INFLUENCED BY THE SCRAP METAL DEALERS, THEMSELVES.

YOU KNOW, THE BIG DEALERS ARE ALL VERY REPUTABLE AND THEY HAVE ENOUGH WORK AND THEY DON'T WANT TO MESS AROUND WITH POTENTIALLY STOLEN GOODS.

SO THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT A CATALYTIC CONVERT HEARS NO IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ON IT.

SO YOU CAN'T TELL IF IT JUST CAME OFF A CAR OR IT CAME OFF, YOU KNOW, LEGITIMATELY A CAR THAT WAS TOTALED AND SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO SELL THE PARTS OFF.

SO WE IN AN IDEAL WORLD WOULD HAVE YOUR CAR'S VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ETCHED ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.

THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF WASHINGTON.

AS WE ALL KNOW, WASHINGTON IS PRETTY BROKEN THESE DAYS IN TERMS OF FUNCTIONING AS A GOVERNMENT.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE SECOND STEP IS WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE DEALERS TO ETCH ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER A UNIQUE NUMBER AND THEN THE SCRAP DEALERS CAN SIMPLY LOOK UP THAT NUMBER AND IF THE NUMBER SAYS SEAN RYAN ON IT AND YOU'RE NOT SEAN RYAN, THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUY YOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR CALL THE POLICE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS IS REALLY MY FIRST TIME IN GOVERNMENT WHERE AN INDUSTRY GROUP HAS COME TO ME AND SAID, WE NEED MORE REGULATION.

WE NEED HELP ON THIS.

WE CAN'T KEEP BEING THE MIDDLE BROKER IN THESE DEALS.

PEOPLE ACCUSE US, THE SCRAP DEALERS, OF BEING DISHONEST, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T TELL WHAT THIS IS.

SO THE OTHER PART OF THE BILL, IT WOULD REQUIRE SCRAPYARDS TO TAKE PHOTO I.D.

OUT OF ANYONE COMING IN AND SELLING THE PRODUCT AND THE SCRAPYARDS WOULD ALSO THEN PHOTOGRAPH WHATEVER THE PERSON BROUGHT IN.

IN ADDITION, THEY WOULD HAVE VIDEO CAMERAS MOUNTED AND THEY WOULD RECORD THE LICENSE PLATE AND THE REGISTRATION OF ANYONE DRIVING IN.

SO IT ALLOWS REALLY A WHOLE LITANY OF STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THE POLICE COME LATER, THEY CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHO THE PERSON WAS WHO CAME IN, EITHER WITH HIS CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OR SAY, YOU KNOW, A COPPER ORNAMENT AND THEY COULD TRACE IT BACK.

AND A FEW WEEKS AGO, YOU AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER MONICA WALLACE MET WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN BUFFALO TO PUSH FOR THIS BILL.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THOSE EFFORTS AND WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS?

YEAH.

WE HAD REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE POLICE CHIEFS' ORGANIZATION THERE, THE RECYCLED METALS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE STATEWIDE COALITION OF SCRAP DEALERS.

YOU KNOW, THEY CALL CAME TOGETHER, AND WE ALL IDENTIFIED THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE REALLY HEARTENING PART WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGREED ON THIS SOLUTION, THE SCRAP DEALERS AGREED ON THIS SOLUTION, AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AGREED THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PUSH THIS SOLUTION.

SO IT'S REALLY RARE FOR ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ECONOMY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY, YOU KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO STOP THIS THEFT.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO TAKE THE MARKET AWAY.

WE NEED TO MAKE IT SO IF YOU DO STEAL A CATALYTIC CONVERTER, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT.

YOU CAN'T SELL IT, BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A MARKET FOR THESE STOLEN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARREST SOMEBODY WITH A CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAR IT CAME FROM.

THEY CAN'T TRACE IT TO THEFT.

EVERY BICYCLE IN AMERICA HAS A NUMBER ON IT AND THAT CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD THAT BICYCLE.

WELL, IF WE FIGURED OUT A SYSTEM TO DO THAT WITH BICYCLES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A SYSTEM TO DO IT FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T JUST GO BACK TO HOW ANGRY AND VIOLATED CAR OWNERS FEEL WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND OVERNIGHT, SOMEONE TOOK PARTS OFF THEIR CAR AND NOW THEIR CAR DOESN'T FUNCTION.

UH-HUH.

AND WHAT THAT LEADS TO, MISSED WORK THAT DAY, MISSED PROBABLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL, AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND IT ALL PILES UP.

SOMEHOW YOU HAVE TO GO TO A DEALER.

THEY HAVE TO ORDER THE PART.

IT MIGHT TAKE DAYS.

YOU'RE ACCRUING THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR.

SO IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG PAIN IN THE NECK WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN ADDITION TO THE COST, IT'S LIFE-DISRUPTING.

SO WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, HAVE A SOLUTION.

ASSEMBLY MEMBER WALLACE HAS REALLY WORKED HARD ON THIS BILL.

SHE'S BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM THE INDUSTRY TOGETHER.

SHE'S HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE BOTH FOUND OUT WE WERE SORT OF SWIMMING IN THE SAME WATER.

SO WE THEN PUT OUR EFFORTS TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, AND THE OTHER THING WITH THIS IS THAT, IF THE SERIAL NUMBER'S STAMPED ON YOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IF YOU PAY THE COST TO DO THAT AT THE DEALER, YOUR INSURANCE WILL THEN OFFER YOU A REBATE.

SO YOUR INSURANCE WILL COME DOWN AS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO THAT COST TO THE CONSUMER, THE ETCHING, THAT WILL BE WASHED AWAY BY YOUR SAVINGS ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE PROGRAMS.

BECAUSE THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS EITHER, BUT YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT REAL SOLUTION IS A NATIONAL SOLUTION, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER FOR THAT.

SO WE THINK WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A STATEWIDE SOLUTION TO MAKE IT SO CONSUMERS ARE SAFE.

THEY'RE NOT GETTING THEIR PIECES OF THEIR CAR STOLEN OVERNIGHT.

CEMETERIES AND CHURCHES AREN'T BEING VICTIMIZED OF PEOPLE STEALING COPPER AND WE DO THIS BY TAKING THE MARKET AWAY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU SAW HAPPEN.

WHEN COPPER PRICES PLUMMETED, NO ONE STOLE COPPER ANYMORE BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A FINANCIAL REWARD.

SO WE GOT TO MAKE IT SO YOUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IF YOU'RE A THIEF, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT YOU DID YOUR WORK AND THERE'S NO ONE TO BUY YOUR PRODUCT AND THEN PEOPLE USUALLY GO ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.

SO WE LIKE TO RETURN TO THE OLD DAYS OF NOT MANY YEARS AGO WHERE NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT STEALING A CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GET BACK TO.

AND LASTLY, WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH LAWMAKERS TO GARNER SUPPORT FOR THE BILL IN THE OFF-SESSION AND HOPEFULLY GET IT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE FINISH LINE NEXT YEAR?

YEAH.

I'VE BEEN SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH MY FELLOW SENATORS AND I KNOW THAT ASSEMBLY MEMBER WALLACE HAS BEEN SHARING THIS WITH FELLOW ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.

THEY'RE VERY OPEN TO THE IDEA THAT, OH THIS CAN BE A SOLUTION.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE TAKEN STEPS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT THE RECYCLED METALS ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN THE LEAD, WORKING WITH THE POLICE CHIEFS ALL ACROSS NEW YORK STATE SO THE RECYCLED METAL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SEEING ON THE GROUND, THE POLICE CHIEFS KNOW WHAT THEIR IMPEDIMENTS ARE TO INVESTIGATING THESE CRIMES SO THEY CAME TOGETHER AND SAID WE THINK THIS IS A HOLISTIC SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, AND YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NOT A SILVER BULLET, BUT IT'S ONE MORE TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF CONSUMER THEFT.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY,S THEY ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US TODAY, SENATOR.

OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH STATE SENATOR SEAN RYAN, REPRESENTING THE 61ST STATE SENATE DISTRICT.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE EFFORTS AND EXCLUSIVE "NEW YORK NOW" CONTENT, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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