An impressive record of legislative achievements second to none!

•  Banned the sale and possession of deadly synthetic drugs 

• Supported body cameras for county police

• Banned drones from flying near county jail and corrections complex 

• Supported the upgrade of firing ranges for better police training for county and local departments

• NO COUNTY TAX INCREASE to protect our hard-working homeowners 

• New shared services with Westchester cities, towns, and villages to cut their costs 

• Increased use of technology to lower costs

 • Stopped new Coast Guard rules that would have parked oil barges on the Hudson River 

• Passed a ban on the use of no. 4 and no. 6 fuel oils – among the most polluting (eff. 2019) 

• Obtained almost $8 million to improve grit handling at the Yonkers Joint Treatment Plant and millions more for other overdue improvements

 • Increased use of LED lighting to cut costs and electrical usage 

  Perez supported the law to raise the age of tobacco purchase from 18 to 21 in Westchester County. The thought process behind raising the age was to serve as a deterrent for our children to have access to tobacco products for their own safety and wellbeing. 

Perez supported a law that will provide women and other minorities with a level playing field as it will help them better negotiate their salary. Studies have shown that women get paid 6.6% less than men in their first jobs and earn only 83% of what men earn, across all industries.

As Chair of the Committee on Legislation, Perez vetted and supported the Westchester County Immigrant Protection Act, which was signed into law by the Board of Legislators. This act does not interfere with the law when a crime is committed but rather protects people from being unjustly targeted simply for their immigration status. As a Hispanic immigrant, Virginia Perez was proud and happy to have been one of the Legislators who brought this to fruition. 

Perez vote in favor of the Home Improvement Licensing Law to protect workers and consumers in Westchester County. The law requires that the County considers judgments against contractors for non-payment or underpayment of employees when examining new applications or license renewals in addition to applicants disclosing any business-related judgments against them. There are many hard-working residents throughout the County who find themselves in situations like these and this law will help streamline the ongoing problems between unfair and unlawful contractors. 

As Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Security, Perez vetted and supported an ACT authorizing the County to enter into an inter-municipal agreement with the Lakeland Central School District. This allowed the County to assign a uniformed police officer to act as School Resource Officer at the Walter Panas High School. This agreement is open for other municipalities to enter and it provides a safe campus environment for the students. Some of the officer's duties include investigating allegations of criminal incidents, prevent juvenile delinquency, working closely with school administrators, and implementing classes in crime prevention. 

As a strong community advocate, Virginia Perez hosted town hall meetings to inform Yonkers residents of their rights against Bias & Discrimination. Members of the community were informed of the many resources and legal protections available under New York State Law.  To ensure that all questions were answered and all concerns were addressed, representatives from various government offices were in attendance. This included representatives from the New York State Police, Westchester District Attorney’s Office, and the Human Rights Commission. 

As Chair of the Committee on Legislation, Perez vetted and supported the Children’s Product Safety Act, which prevents the sale of infant and children’s products that include harmful toxic chemicals such as:

• Formaldehyde
• Benzene
• Lead
• Mercury
• Antimony
• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Cobalt  

Many children’s products including toys and clothing contain these eight toxic chemicals and known carcinogens. This law enables Westchester’s consumers of infant and children’s products to assure the health and welfare of infants, children, and the environment.

 As Chair of the Committee on Legislation, Perez vetted and supported joint legislative packages highlighting several legislative initiatives for the consideration of the New York State Legislature and Governor. Some of the legislative priorities included but were not limited to:

• Provide Medicaid mandate relief for counties
• Reform Early Intervention
• Oppose the MTA Payroll Tax
• Increase Highway Improvement Funding
• Extend earned income incentives to childless people without losing benefits
• Restore the 2% cut in local assistance and restore state share of public assistance

Virginia Perez supported a three-year agreement between Westchester County and New York City, where the United States Government’s Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and participating with the Cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. HOPWA was enacted to provide states and localities with the resources and incentives to devise long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and related diseases.