Debra Mulé: Making government work by working together

On July 27, the Nassau County Legislature operated in the manner for which it was designed — as a deliberative body and a coequal branch of government. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t happen that way more frequently.

We unanimously adopted legislation launching the Blue Envelope Program, a thoughtful, compassionate proposal that will help first responders better communicate with neurodiverse residents and make interactions between law enforcement and our community safer for everyone involved.

That’s exactly how government is supposed to work. We identified a problem, worked together and found a practical solution that puts the interests of our residents ahead of politics — and in this dysfunctional, hyper-partisan age, that is something worth celebrating.

No political party has a monopoly on good ideas. They belong to the people we serve, and our responsibility is to recognize them, improve them when necessary, and give them a fair opportunity to succeed. If we approached every piece of legislation with that mindset, there’s no telling how much more we could accomplish for Nassau County.

Since joining the Legislature in 2018, I’ve learned that not every bill becomes law. That’s OK, because debate is healthy, and disagreement is part of representative government. But there’s a big difference between voting against a bill after debating it, and not allowing it to enter the legislative process in the first place.

My colleagues in the Democratic minority have introduced common-sense public-safety legislation with bipartisan support that has never been assigned to a committee for a public hearing. An example is our legislation to place EpiPens in Nassau County police vehicles. Police officers are often the first to arrive at medical emergencies. If someone is having a severe allergic reaction, having an EpiPen available before EMS arrives can mean the difference between life and death. Similar programs have been adopted around the country, in municipalities led by both Democrats and Republicans, including neighboring Suffolk County.

After the Republican majority declined to move our proposal forward with its inaction, we shared the idea with Rep. Laura Gillen. She introduced legislation based on the same concept in Congress, where it has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Maybe it ultimately becomes law. Maybe it doesn’t. But at least it is being considered as part of the legislative process.

Think about that: a common-sense public-safety proposal with bipartisan support is at least receiving committee consideration in Washington, which many would describe as the most politically polarized place in America. Here in Nassau County, however, where the idea originated, it hasn’t even been given a hearing by the Republican majority. How is that possible?

Then there’s legislation that would require automated external defibrillators in every county park and court facility. Every minute counts during sudden cardiac arrest. Immediate access to an AED dramatically increases a person’s chance of survival. That’s why they’re standard equipment in schools, airports and so many public places. We have proposed that county facilities meet that same standard — yet, like our EpiPen proposal, it has never received a hearing.

We have also filed legislation to require fentanyl test strips to be included in overdose prevention kits, but to no avail. Communities across America and of all political persuasions have embraced practical tools like test strips in response to the opioid epidemic. Even members of the Republican majority have in the past publicly expressed support for strengthening overdose prevention efforts with test strips.

These aren’t partisan proposals. They’re public safety proposals designed to save lives — and I believe they deserve exactly what the Blue Envelope Program rightly received: a committee assignment, a public hearing, an honest debate and an up-or-down vote.

No legislator or constituent should have their ideas denied the opportunity to be heard simply because of the party affiliation on the cover sheet. At the end of the day, our constituents don’t ask whether an idea came from the majority or the minority; they ask whether it would make their family safer and their community better.

The enactment of the Blue Envelope Program reminds us what’s possible when we work together. If we keep the process that led to its enactment as our guiding principle, I have no doubt there are many more great things this Legislature can accomplish together.

Debra Mulé represents Nassau County’s 6th Legislative District, and is the Legislature’s alternate deputy minority leader.