Senator Frank Padavan announced that legislation he sponsored (S.409) passed the Senate. The bill, Padavan says, "is a common-sense approach to creating relationships between agencies that will help to protect our country and enforce our laws. When so many immigrants come to America and follow the law, it's disheartening to see those who are here illegally keep slipping through the cracks. My bill is aimed at those illegal immigrants who are a menace, the ones who break the law."

Padavan's bill specifically calls for cooperation between police agencies and the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding any person who is arrested under state law and who is reasonably suspected of being an illegal alien.

"Immigration issues are largely a federal topic, but sometimes we need to work together, just like we are asking the state and federal governments to do," Padavan said. "I have spent much of my career in the New York State Senate addressing immigration issues both on the state and federal levels and I think this is a fair, just and necessary bill."

The bill has been sent to the Assembly, where it stalled last year. Padavan concluded, "I know this is a good bill, and I hope that the Assembly sees that and chooses to move on it. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 we realized our agencies, both federal and state, didn't communicate well or even enough. This bill helps to solve that problem and I ask the Assembly to move on it accordingly."

The Senate and Assembly reached an agreement on new criminal justice legislation to protect the residents of New York. Senator Frank Padavan commented, "I've been working on tougher criminal justice penalties for years and now with some strong pressure on the Assembly and support from the governor we have them."

Topping the list of impressive and needed changes is the expansion of the DNA database. Padavan continued, "The DNA database is the most underutilized tool that law enforcement possesses because its pool, in its current state, is so small. By adding all felony offenses and 18 new misdemeanors to the list of crimes in which a DNA sample is required from convicted criminals, the number of required samples will raise from 14 percent to 50 percent. That is a change that is well overdue and will be far reaching when it comes to prosecuting and preventing crimes."

Additionally, the Legislature agreed to eliminate the Criminal Statute of Limitations for the prosecution of felony sexual assault crimes including rape and other violent sex crimes, closing a loophole that allowed rapists and sexual predators to go free. The Civil Statute of Limitations was extended from one year to five years to give rape victims a longer period of time to pursue legal recourse.

Padavan concluded, "Protecting the residents of New York is a top priority for me and my colleagues in the Senate. We've been fighting for these changes for years and thanks to our relentless pressure and victims and victims' family, the Assembly had no choice but listen to the voice of the people of New York. The passage of this legislation is great for New York and a bad day for its criminals."