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New York, April 23 (EFE) .- The Senate of New York for the first time in its history with a Puerto Rican Caucus /Hispanic assess the impact of projects that may have law in this community as well as introducing measures and take other actions on their behalf.

The announcement was made today by the chairman of the Senate, most Democrats, Malcolm Smith, at a press conference on the steps of the Hall, accompanied by Senators Ruben Diaz, president of the Caucus, Hiram Monserrate and Martin Dilan Malave, three of the five senators with which the Latino community.

Also Marlene Cintron, director Executive Caucus.

Smith, first African American to chair the state Senate, surprised everyone by making the announcement in Spanish, which earned him an applause for Latinos.

The leader of the Democratic majority said that this is an important step in giving voice to this community and announced that next week a delegation will travel to Puerto Rico to meet with the governor, Luis Fortuno.

The meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 1, and will do the same with the chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives of the island.

We have to do more to meet the needs of Puerto Rican and Latino communities throughout the state, he said.

In forming this caucus under the leadership of Senator Diaz, and with my colleagues in the Senate, we will ensure that these communities have the ability to be heard on issues that are important to them, among which he mentioned education, health and immigration, Smith said.

For his part, Diaz, Smith thanked his concern for the Latino community in general and highlighted the achievements that Latinos have made in the state, noting that the first five Hispanic senators, all Puerto Ricans, who comprise the Caucus, and that first time chairing a committee in the Senate.

the State Senate for three decades was controlled by Republicans.

Diaz County The Bronx, also stressed that the secretary of the Senate is also Hispanic, Angelo Aponte, the person who virtually controls the state budget.

In addition to Diaz, the rest of the senators are Malave, Monserrate, Pedro Espada, vice president of that body, and Jose Marco Serrano.

The president explained that the Caucus will meet with the Puerto Rican government to establish working relations and then will do likewise with governments in other Latin American countries that are part of the Hispanic community in the state, where 27 percent of the population and who mostly live in the city.

New York is home to the largest number of Puerto Ricans outside the island and is the largest group among Latinos.

Meanwhile, the senator called the Caucus Malave as instrumental to achieve success for Hispanics.

I hope now we can respond to Latinos who were outside the system, argued Malave, elected by the county of Brooklyn.

Monserrate, elected in November, representing Queens, noted that Latinos are among the largest minority group and the fastest growth, there are many needs to meet and address many problems.

Caucus The responsibilities include creating a website to inform the community of available services and opportunities to receive state funds and identify resources available to make recommendations to the Majority Leader and the Finance Committee.

Work with the Executive to strengthen the Minority Business and Women's Caucus and the Black, Puerto Rican and Latino Assembly on issues of mutual interest.

It's the first time in 35 years that a Democratic majority by two votes, and what had happened until now was that all the positive legislation for our community was adopted by the Assembly, who was Democratic majority and had many Latinos, but not by the Senate , for his part said the executive director of the Caucus.

It was the Puerto Rican senators asked Smith to create this Caucus to begin identifying the bills in the Senate to impact positively not only to state, but in particular to Latinos, he added.

Cintron similarly indicated that the five members of the Caucus submitted legislation that will benefit Latinos and evaluate public policies that also impact the community.

In this regard commented that a draft was submitted to upgrade the minority affairs office of the State University (SUNY) to locate the chair because it is not doing enough for us when referring that none of the 32 campuses of this school is headed by a Latino.

It also hopes to address the problem of Latinos finish college in six years instead of four.