Although it has been a busy year, legislation-wise, for New York State Senator Michael Balboni, his main focus has been, and continues to be, homeland security and the fight against terrorism. During a recent interview with Anton Newspapers, the senator touched on a wide array of issues concerning the protection of American citizens, both on a local and a nationwide basis.

In January, Senator Balboni was appointed chair of Veterans Homeland Security and Military Affairs. This homeland security work has brought about a series of hearings, including hearings in Buffalo, Albany, Brooklyn and on Long Island, the location of his senatorial district, the Seventh Senatorial District. The hearings addressed, among other issues, border security, bio-terrorism, critical emergency preparedness, and response and the first responders, the police and firefighters.

Four more hearings are scheduled for the Fall, dealing with cyber-terrorism, agri-terrorism (food), terrorism in relation to economic development and international trade, and minority participation in communication and homeland security. Along these lines, a commission is set to address minority participation and the creation of public address (p.a.) announcements broadcast in more than one language, broadcast in languages appropriate for each community. "We must develop a sensitivity,'' Senator Balboni stated.

Over the summer much of the senator's work will also delve into protecting the U.S. Cyber security is a vital area, and homeland security technology is at the top of the list of critical areas of concentration. The senator talked about a billion dollar grant from the federal government to help make the technology field safer and also to reduce costs in this area. One major technology development is the future use of ground radar at U.S. borders instead of using police.

Senator Balboni talked about his desire for a technology forum and a test system at the state level, one that could be made into a model for local municipalities.

Among the senator's activities in his quest to insure our homeland security was a recent tour of a National Guard base and work on funding for naval high-speed intradictim, four fast, armed boats to help with Coast Guard work at Indian Point.

On a more local level, much security work involves hospitals. One bill Senator Balboni spoke about deals with blood and tissue samples in hospitals. Licensing of the people who work with the blood and tissue samples would "beef up" this system and help to "beef up" responding to bio-terrorism.

The senator's work also deals with working to prepare North Shore-LIJ Hospital Health System, "one of the best in the nation for bio-terrorism," according to Senator Balboni. North Shore-LIJ is a regional resource center for addressing terrorism, equipped recently with a large grant. North Shore acquires the working knowledge and is then willing to share what they have learned in order to help other such facilities with their response efforts.

Working on homeland security brings Senator Balboni in touch with all levels of government. In addition to working on a joint legislative commission with the state assembly (he chaired the Disaster Preparedness and Response hearing), this fall the senator will co-chair the National Conference of State Legislators on Protecting Democracy. At various times he will also be traveling to Washington D.C. and to Boston. He has already been to Atlanta, where his work on fighting terrorism brought him to the nation's Center for Disease Control (the CDC).

"I focus a lot of time and a lot of traveling now on homeland security,'' Senator Balboni said. On a national level, on trips to the nation's capital, he will often meet with Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and with other federal agencies. And he has spent time meeting on homeland security at the White House. Often at these meetings the senator is seeking funds: "We need money based on threat,'' he explained.

And with a nation handling so very many threats these days, Senator Balboni and a colleague are now in the process of writing a law review article on security clearance. "We need a seamless system,'' he said, one where different levels of security are able to share vital information on security threats.

But homeland security is not the senator's only issue. There is much more. The budget is one important area. Continuing his work with hospitals, the senator noted that, due to his legislative work with the State Assembly, they have been able to restore funds for health care and for education. ''Otherwise we would have injured our district,'' Senator Balboni said. Funding was restored to the hospitals in his district --- North Shore-LIJ, Winthrop Hospital and St. Francis Hospital. The senator noted that if funding had not been restored for education, property taxes would have risen.

He would also like to focus a bit on finding funds for the local fire departments, as well as money for village roads, a most frequent request.

And he is most hopeful that the state's brownfield superfund will be refunded.

Senator Balboni did emphasize, too, that much work for the local community is accomplished through his work with NYS Assemblyman Tom Di Napoli.

"This has been a very, very busy year, the busiest of my career," Senator Balboni reported. "Twenty-six bills were passed in the senate ... I hope a lot will go into law," he said, adding. "I enjoy this tremendously."