Legislator, District 4· 2026-01-01–2026-12-31 (one-year term: legislators elected in 2025 serve one year under the state even-year election law per Post-Journal October 2025; all 19 seats are on the November 3, 2026 ballot per WRFA; term begins January 1, 2026 per N.Y. Public Officers Law § 4, 1 and ends December 31, 2026; predecessor terms expired 12/31/2025 per Chautauqua County Board of Elections 'Offices Up for Election 2025'; winners per BOE GE25 Winner's List; start shown is the current-term start)
Sandra Lewis
Chautauqua County
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 9
- Total speaking time
- 14:22
- Avg per meeting
- 1:36
- Segments
- 262
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Top issues during term (19)(Public Safety)
Digital Evidence Storage and Software Costs
Adds hundreds of thousands of dollars in recurring software and cloud hosting costs across county departments.
Probation Department Peace Officer Retirement Plans
Budget-neutral for the county this year and for the next two years, offset by state grants and savings from unfulfilled part-time positions.
Criminal Procedure Law Section 7.30 Psychiatric Evaluations
Requires a $400,000 budget increase for 2026.
Automated Flock Surveillance Cameras
Fully grant-funded with no local tax impact.
County Employee Compensation and Workforce Retention
Allows department heads flexibility to adjust managerial salaries within existing departmental budgets.
Technology Assistance and Digital Literacy for Seniors
Training platforms like Get Set Up are provided free to New York residents.
State Grant Funding for Public Safety and Bail Reform
$560,370 in state grant funding with no local match required.
Public Comment Rule Restrictions
None.
Intimate Partner Violence Reduction (STRIVE) Grant
Brings in $970,007 in state grant funds with no local match required.
County Law Department Staffing and AI FOIL Requests
Adds a paralegal position and addresses a $52,000 potential departmental budget overrun.
Liability Settlement Threshold Adjustments
Streamlines legal settlement payouts up to $50,000 without full legislative votes.
Certified Peer Specialists Integration in County Services
Positions are budgeted and budget-neutral by replacing contracted services, while potentially saving thousands in hospital and emergency costs.
Youth Vaping and Tobacco Retail Density
Dental Health Workforce Shortage and Medicaid Access
Supported by a $25,000 sub-award from the Chautauqua Health Network originating from federal HRSA funding.
Family Court Indigent Legal Representation Funding
Over $1 million in legal vouchers were paid in 2025, exceeding the budget and requiring fund balance use.
Multi-Municipality Dog Shelter Facility Grant
County provides $67,500; participating towns contribute $5,000 each plus in-kind labor.
North County Brush Drop-Off Facility
Could reduce municipal fuel and labor costs for northern towns and cities, but might require county investment for site permitting and equipment.
Public Defender Family Court Representation Grant
$1 million annually over three years fully funded by the state, with no county tax levy requirement.
State-Mandated EMS Response Plan (Senate Bill 7501)
No immediate funding requested, though future resource needs may be identified.
Decisions during term (3)
Recorded while Lewis was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Voting record (0)(Public Safety)
No votes found matching Public Safety.