Erik Bottcher

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Governor Kathy Hochul signed Francesco’s Law, landmark legislation I sponsored with Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson to strengthen New York’s gun safety laws and save lives. This new law requires all rifles, shotguns, and firearms in New York State to be safely secured when they are not under their owner’s immediate control. By requiring secure storage, we can help prevent suicides, accidental shootings, gun theft, and other preventable tragedies. This legislation is deeply personal to me. Francesco was just 17 years old when he died by suicide after gaining access to an unsecured shotgun in his home. He had been struggling with bullying, his sexual orientation, and his mental health. When I met his mother, Diana Cochran, and heard Francesco’s story, I saw so much of myself in him. When I was 15 years old, I spent a month in a psychiatric hospital following a series of suicide attempts. Like Francesco, I was a teenager struggling with my identity and mental health. But there was one crucial difference: My parents did not have a gun in our home. If they had, I truly do not believe I would be here today. A locked gun can mean the difference between a life lost and a life saved. I am enormously grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership in signing this legislation, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson, and the many gun violence prevention advocates who fought for this victory, including Rebecca Fischer and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Brady, Moms Demand Action, Everytown, GIFFORDS, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. Most of all, I thank Diana Cochran, who turned unimaginable grief into a powerful force for change. We cannot bring Francesco back. But because of his mother’s courage and determination, his name will forever be associated with saving lives. Francesco’s Law is now the law of New York State. And lives will be saved because of it.

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When people think about biodiversity, Manhattan probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. But cities have a critical role to play in addressing the global biodiversity crisis. 🌎🌳 I’m in Yerevan, Armenia, for #COP17, the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, where I had the opportunity to speak about our efforts to protect and restore biodiversity in New York State. During my time on the New York City Council, we planted over 1,000 new street trees in just four years, and I introduced and passed legislation requiring New York City to develop its first-ever Urban Forest Master Plan, with the goal of expanding NYC’s tree canopy to 30% by 2035. Our work also included advancing street redesigns that incorporate green infrastructure and supporting more housing in walkable, transit-rich neighborhoods to reduce development pressure on forests, farmland, and natural habitats. Now, as a State Senator, I’m working to build on that progress and advance policies that protect pollinator habitats, expand urban green space, restore native ecosystems, and promote sustainable development. Protecting biodiversity isn’t just about preserving distant rainforests and wilderness areas. It’s also about transforming the places where billions of people already live. Cities are not separate from nature. They are part of it, and they must be part of the solution.

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It was an honor to join California Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Gregg Hart for a panel discussion at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan, Armenia, on how cities can lead the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. 🌎🌳 As our population grows, we must move away from car-dependent sprawl and toward compact, walkable, transit-oriented communities that create more homes while protecting forests, farmland, wildlife habitats, and open space. In New York, I’m working to advance sustainable development, expand our urban forest, strengthen green infrastructure, and reduce our dependence on cars. Protecting nature and building thriving, affordable communities must go hand in hand. The future of our planet will be shaped not only by what happens in our forests and oceans, but also by the choices we make in our cities.