October 29, 2001 NYS Legislation Update by John Bergener

New York State bills to watch. Full text of Assembly bills can be found at http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/ or http://www.nysenate.gov/legislation for NYS Senate bills.

Remember in Nov 2012 how your NYS Senator & Assembly member voted on 2011 A08354 Redefining (Gay) marriage that was passed into law last year.

NYS Assembly vote
Amedore No
Tedisco No
Reilly Yes Retiring
Sayward Yes
Canestrari Yes Retiring
Jordan No
McEneny Yes Retiring

NYS Senate vote
Hugh Farley (R-Niskayuna) No
Betty Little (R-Queensbury) No
Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga) Yes Defeated

Gov Cuomo signed the bill into law on 6/24/11
The full roll call is at the bottom of this page

The NY Legislators are planning to come back in Dec 2012 to raise their own pay and maybe pass other things as well. NYS now has the second highest paid Legislators in the USA they want to be #1 in pay again even though the NYS is broke. They are waiting until after their re-election in the hope the voters will forget in two years when they run again.

Email your Assemblyman at http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/ and your NYS Senator at http://www.nysenate.gov/senators & Gov. Cuomo at http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact/GovernorContactForm.php now to tell them NOT to raise their pay or you will remember in 2014.

Mandate Relief will help reduce local taxes
S5889C/ A08644A -2011 Medicaid mandate relief will initially freezes local Medicaid costs, providing $180 million in immediate local savings statewide. The Senate Actions Jan 24, 2012: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE Assembly 01/20/2012 amend and recommit to health 01/20/2012 print number 8644a The proposal will eliminate the automatic three percent annual spending increases currently required by statute. Starting in the fourth quarter of 2012, the local share would then be reduced by five percent, providing counties with an additional $75 million — totaling $255 million in savings for county governments. Between 2013 and 2019, local Medicaid costs will continue to be gradually reduced as the state assumes an increasing share of the burden. The end result would completely eliminate Medicaid costs from county budgets, providing municipal governments with the flexibility to substantially reduce local property taxes. Sponsors NYS Senator Sponsor: Patrick Gallivan (R Erie), David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange) and Assembly members Amy Paulin Scarsdale, Ellen Jaffee Pearl River, Kenneth Zebrowski New City PLEASE E-MAIL YOUR NYS SENATOR AND ASSEMBLY member & ask them to become a CO-SPONSOR.
A9099-2011: Relates to providing local governments greater contract flexibility and cost savings Sponsor: Paulin Scarsdale
***Passed** Tier VI Pension Reform takes effect April, 1 2012 in addition to raising the state retirement age to 63 for new employees. It increases the amount deducted from their pay from the current 3% to up to 6% for higher earners which reduces the amount local governments must pay for current pensions. This could provide a little tax relief if local governments choose to pass the savings on taxpayers.
**Passed** the 2012-13 NYS Budget now that it is adopted we will finally find out what is in it and how it will effect local taxes.
Other Major Bills
A.8688/S.6779 (Would Restrict internet political speech) The vague text of a bill about protecting kids from cyber bullying would cover free speech directed at “elected officials” The bill could have been limited to people who post about minors but it was written broadly to include elected officials. Assembly sponsors Murray, Conte, Boyle, Graf, Montesano, Tenney, Conte, Lopez P, Duprey, Johns, Finch, Calhoun, Curran, Corwin, Saladino, McDonough, Hanna, Rabbitt, Ra, Jordan, Losquadro, Fitzpatrick, Palmesano. NYS Senate sponsors O’MARA see also http://www.infowars.com/new-york-bill-outlaws-internet-political-speech/ and http://www.lipolitics.com/huntington/2012/05/23/conte-under-fire-for-supporting-anti-cyberbullying-bill/

S6255/A9055 Part M & S6256/A9056 Part B Allow governor to replace Civil service employees with cronies with questionable credentials.

S140 (NYS taxes used for state Pension increase) MAZIARZ R-C, Newfane — Permits N.Y. state and N.Y. city teachers’ retirement system members to claim retirement credit for up to 10 years of federal teaching service. STILL IN CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE

S174 (Will protect kids from being raised by drug addicts) MAZIARZ R-C, Newfane — Provides that before a person may receive public assistance benefits, he or she must submit to and pass a drug test. STILL IN SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

A5926 / Versions: S86-2011 (Gun control) Squadron. (D) NYC —Bans the sale, use or possession of 50-caliber or larger weapons and directs the division of state police to embark on a program whereby persons currently in lawful possession of such weapons may be reimbursed for the fair market value thereof upon turning such weapons in to a designated officer. STILL IN CODES COMMITTEE

S862-2011 (Reduces parental rights) Young R, C, I Olean —– Eliminates the requirement for parental consent to an adoption when one parent has an order of protection against him or her for the protection of the other parent, a person in lawful custody of the child or the child. STILL IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE

A85 / Versions: S892-2011 (Pro-abortion) Liz Krueger. (D) NYC Provides for the dispensing of emergency contraception under certain circumstances and conditions. PASSED BY HEALTH COMM NOW IS WAYS AND MEANS COMM.

A3653 / Versions: S900-2011 (Requires use of foreign languages in NYS) Toby Ann Starves. (D) Queens Requires motor vehicle sales and lease contract terms be written in the language in which such contracts were negotiated; requires retail motor vehicle dealers who negotiate primarily in languages other than English deliver to consumers a translation of such contracts in the language in which such contracts were negotiated; provides remedies to aggrieved consumers. On Assembly calendar FOR A VOTE.

A6183 / Versions: S1060-2011 (Helps parents protect kids from bad websites) Kevin S. Parker (D-Brooklyn) Relates to offering parental controls for Internet services; allows the attorney general to bring a civil action against any Internet provider that violates certain requirements. STILL IN CODES COMM.

S2337 / Versions: A2282-2011 (Set limits on binding arbitration used to set police & fire pay CURRENTLY costs to tax payers may NOT be considered This could reduce a major cost to some local government budgets.) Robin Schimminger (D) Erie county Requires the public arbitration panel to which a dispute is referred to consider above all other factors the financial ability of the public employer to pay, as defined in this bill. STILL IN CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS COMM

S1269-2011: Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D) Queens Provides for the use of binding arbitration for certain represented members of the unified court system (requires more taxes by adding more state employees to those covered by binding arbitration) STILL IN CIVIL SERVICE AND PENSIONS COMM

S2488A-2011 (Prevent private groups from making lists of gun owners): Relates to pistol permit privacy and makes all personal information regarding pistol or revolver licensees confidential except to law enforcement agencies and to individuals requesting information about a named individual. On Senate calendar FOR A VOTE.

A5039 GENDA (Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act -Allows men to use ladies rooms!) You remember, this bill is the one referred to as the ”Bathroom Bill”, because theoretically, if at the moment a man feels like a woman he will have the right to use the public women’s restroom. In the liberal’s touchy-feely heart it is meant to stop discrimination against cross dressers and gender confused people.

***Information*** There is no bill for this but one is needed. Route 9 & the Northway are nearing their designed max traffic capacity especially at rush hours. The current proposal is to widen the Northway to eight lanes which cost several billion. A much less expensive solution is a Commuter rail over the existing tracks between from south of Albany to Saratoga and/or a new bridge between the Northway’s twin bridges and the Rexford bridge’

***Information*** The Assembly and the NYS Senate linked NYC Rent control extension to the Upstate & Long Island 2 percent Property tax cap and them to combined them into one bill. Passed both houses in June 2011 now law. For the tax cap if inflation is greater than 2 percent the tax increase can match the inflation rate. (note pension costs and court judgments are not included in the cap) Both parts have a four year sunset clause. School districts must hold a election to override the cap. City, Towns, Villages & Counties only must hold a public hearing in November/December and get 6/10 vote of their town board, city council, County legislative body, or board of supervisors.
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