Hahn Reflects on First 100 Days in Office

Since the beginning of the year, Suffolk County Legis. Kara Hahn, D-Setauket, has met more than 150 times – on average, more than one meeting per day – with local residents, officials, fellow county leaders, not-for-profit organizations, and business leaders to work on the issues facing Suffolk County.

“They inspire me," she said in a statement, "and while these are tough times from an economic standpoint, I am convinced that we can continue to protect and enhance our way of life by focusing on innovative solutions to the issues that confront us."

April 11 marks her first 100 days in office, a time at which elected officials often look back at and sum up their contributions thus far.

In Hahn's case, she sponsored or cosponsored 11 bills, including one that would prohibit Suffolk's water treatment plants from processing hydrofracking waste water, which passed in the legislature. Another would promote government transparency by requiring that audio recordings of legislature meetings be available online within two hours of the conclusion of the meeting. Still another would launch a pilot program in the Suffolk County Police Department's fourth and sixth precincts which would supply police vehicles with Narcan, an emergency treatment which can help in the case of suspected overdose of an opioid drug.

Hahn lobbied to have a second school resource police officer in place for the sixth precinct, and her blood drive collected enough pints to save the lives of 85 people. She has handed out more than 50 proclamations and certificates of merit to people who have made contributions to the community within the fifth legislative district.

She leads the legislature's Environment Committe, is vice chair of the Human Services committee, and serves on the county's Parks and Recreation and Public Safety committees; she is also a member of the Suffolk County Government Operations Task Force.

Still, there is much more to be done.

"The government that took office this January inherited an enormous deficit crisis that will require tough decisions and our county has many environmental and public safety challenges,” Hahn said.  “But ... I know we can forge ahead and make significant progress.”