March 16, 2018

Independent Democratic Conference

Room 913 CAP
Albany, NY 11247

To: Marisol Alcantara, Tony Avella, David Carlucci, Jesse Hamilton, Jeffrey D. Klein, Jose
Peralta, Diane Savino and David J. Valesky:

As members of the Independent Democratic Conference, you claim to support women’s

rights. However, your support for Republican John Flanagan as leader of the State Senate has
prevented the first woman from becoming Majority Leader and ensured that decision-making is
still in the hands of three (or four) men in a room. We request that you join our call for
Democratic State Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to participate in budget negotiations.

It is shameful that a room of only men may determine what sexual harassment reform is
included in the budget this year. These men will decide whether taxpayers must continue to pay
for sexual harassment settlements, whether confidential settlements are banned, and what a new
sexual harassment policy will look like. Refusing to let a woman in the room for these
negotiations sends a clear message to women across New York that our rights and our bodies
should be legislated by men.

We demand that you join our call for Democratic State Minority Leader Andrea
Stewart-Cousins to participate in budget negotiations. It is time for you to send a message to
women that our voices matter. We look forward to your speedy response.

Thank you,

Jessica Ramos
Alessandra Biaggi
Rachel May
Jasmine Robinson