ASA was retained by CLMHD toward the end of February of 2023 and confronted with an extremely delicate policy issue. Daniel’s Law -- legislation in honor of Daniel Prude who died after his encounter with police in Rochester while he was experiencing a mental health crisis -- involves comprehensive reform to our statewide emergency and crisis response efforts. While well intentioned and meaningful, the approach as written would have effectively removed the integral local government unit influence and perspective essential in community planning.

ASA worked with our client, the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, to allow volunteer fire departments to begin billing a patient’s insurance for the services they render. There had been a prohibition on billing for over three decades – it was a national anomaly as all other states’ volunteer-run ambulances enjoy this capability. It had been estimated that around $100 million annually was failing to be collected, with costs cratering volunteer fire department-run ambulance budgets and directly contributing to a chronic disinvestment in emergency medical services throughout New York's suburban and rural counties.

Since New York adopted the State’s statutory framework in 1934 to regulate the distribution, sale and consumption of alcohol following the end of prohibition, wine and spirits stores were completely prohibited from selling alcohol on Sundays until 2003.  And after being granted the legal permission to conduct sales on Sundays in New York, Wine and Spirit Retailers were only allowed to sell between the hours of Noon and 9pm. Having been left out of New York’s “Brunch Bill’ in 2016, which permitted restaurants to begin serving alcohol at 10am instead of noon on Sundays, the Sunday hours restriction on Wine & Spirit stores was a law that was long overdue for modernization in New York. 

In recognition that electrical demand in New York City will continue to rise while transmission congestion will hinder new resources from reaching the city, in 2010 Transmission Developers, Inc. (TDI) was formed to provide a solution.  TDI proposed the Champlain Hudson Power Express – a bold idea to bring clean renewable energy into NYC through HVDC electric cables reaching up the Hudson River to vast hydropower resources, representing the longest underground project of its kind ever attempted in North America.  

When SUNY and Governor Cuomo announced the opportunity for capital funding through the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program in 2011, UAlbany had the vision to bring together scientists and entrepreneurs from across disciplines to collaboratively find solutions to society’s most complex challenges. The plan was to open a research and development complex centered on UAlbany’s core strengths including Climate and Atmospheric Science and Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity. 

As the largest bike-sharing system in the United States, Citi Bike sought to expand use of E-Bikes in New York State as part of its continued mission to promote healthy and environmentally friendly transportation options in New York City.  ASA worked with the Governor’s transportation team and the Senate and Assembly sponsor to secure key changes to the legislation that would allow for the dimensions of the e-bikes to be able to accommodate the disabled and helped make changes in the bill to promote safer user habits for riders. 

The 92 Street Y (92Y), one of New York City’s premier arts and cultural centers sought to modernize and renovate its historic Kaufmann Concert Hall to upgrade out-of-date equipment, redesign the seating, and ensure that the top technology would be in place to continue to extend 92Y’s stellar programming beyond its walls. The funding would also allow the 92Y to expand its Educational Opportunities Program, which provides an integrated arts curriculum free of charge to New York City public students. ASA worked with 92Y to develop a proposal for their renovation project to the New York City Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) and assisted them in a targeted outreach plan to REDC members and staff, local elected officials and key legislative committee members to build support and demonstrate the importance of this project to the REDC. The 92Y was awarded $736,000 toward its project in December of 2018. 

In early 2016, Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHN) incorporated both Kingston and Benedictine Hospitals in Kingston, NY forming what is now Health Alliance, an integral healthcare delivery system and major employer for Ulster and the surrounding counties. In service of their mission to create a full service, sustainable, and state of the art facility, ASA has worked with leadership at HealthAlliance, WMCHN, and our partners at the New York State Department of Health to secure an additional $80 Million dollars in funding for ongoing enhanced quality programs and investments in modernizing the infrastructure of the combined campus...

Having already partnered with Centene, one of the nation’s largest Medicaid Managed Care providers, ASA was uniquely positioned to guide them through the acquisition of Fidelis Care. Working closely with Department of Health regulatory and executive staff, the Department of Financial Services, the Office of the Attorney General, and key stakeholders in the state health insurance industry, the resulting transaction now places the lives of more than 1.5 million New Yorkers in Centene’s care.

Empire Resorts, the licensed operator of Resorts World Catskill casino, is licensed to build a $1 billion entertainment and resort casino in Sullivan County. This facility, the largest in New York State, is set to open in March of 2018. As Empire prepares for opening...