Legislative
Highlights, 2000
Staff
Contact:
Issues
Areas:
E-COMMERCE
Passed
Both Houses
Telemarketing
- S.8132 (Fuschillo) /A.10817A (Klein). Establishes the no telemarketing
sales call statewide registry regarding telemarketing solicitations.
Telemarketing
- S.8116 (Maziarz) / A.7641B (Clark). Enacts the Telemarketing and Consumer
Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act.
High Tech
New York - S.8020 (Alesi) / A.8107A (Sweeney). Authorizes the development
of a "high-tech New York" website by the office of science, technology
and academic research to promote the development of high tech businesses
in New York.
Credit card
security - S.7902 (Spano) / A.1511B (Matusow). Provides enhanced security
to debit and credit card transactions by prohibiting the printing of the
debit or credit card number on transaction forms and other restrictions;
affords the same protections to debit cards as exist for credit card transactions.
Other
Bills of Interest
Trade Secrets
- S.7240 (Alesi) / A.10117 (Schimminger). Enacts the uniform trade secrets
act to provide improved trade secret protection to industry; provides
statutory rights and remedies to parties who have had trade secrets misappropriated.
Supported bill as passed by Senate. Amended in Assembly (A.10117-B) with
new Senate companion (S.8217) containing objectionable provisions. Opposed.
LABOR
AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Staff
Contact: Tom
Minnick
Passed
Both Houses
Health Care
Worker Whistleblower - S.8133 (Spano) / A.11435 (Nolan). This bill would
move beyond the current whistleblower protections in the law and provide
special protection by prohibiting retaliatory actions by health care employers
against health care employees who provide information to a public body
concerning alleged violations of the law, rules or regulations
by the employer.
Daily Count
of Workers - S.6935 (Marcellino) / A.11275 (Nolan). This bill would require
contractors to keep daily records that would show the number of workers
by trade at a job site during any public works project.
Toxic substance
signs - S.492 (Onorato) / A.4779 (Butler, D.). Mandates the contents of
signs that must be posted in the workplace where toxic materials are present.
Directs the Health Department to develop posters and information sheets
for such purposes and provides for civil penalties for violations.
Other
Bills of Interest
Minimum Wage
- S.4465C (Spano) / A.10080 (Nolan). This bill would increase the state's
minimum wage from $5.15/hr. to $6.75/hr. effective January 1, 2001 and
automatically trigger future increases to the state's average weekly wage
as determined by the Department of Labor. It passed the Assembly on June
7th and remained in the Senate Labor Committee.
Sexual Orientation
Discrimination - S.782A (Goodman) / A.811A (Sanders). This bill would
amend the human rights law and prohibit discrimination based on sexual
orientation in employment, credit, public accommodations and education
while preserving an exception for religious institutions or organizations
based on religious principles. It passed the Assembly on June 13th
and remained in the Senate Rules Committee.
Workers'
Compensation Exemption - S.4124B (Alesi) / A.368B (Robach). This bill
would provide exclusion from Workers' Comp. coverage for any injury or
occupational disease sustained during the commission of a felony or misdemeanor
for which the employee is convicted. This bill passed the Senate on March
21st and remains with the Assembly Labor Committee.
Domestic
Violence Court Proceedings - S.6433A (Spano) / A.9867A (Hochberg). This
bill would prohibit employers from discriminating against employees who
are victims of domestic violence and are absent from work to attend court
proceedings related to it. It also requires employers to permit use of
available leave time or grant additional time if none is available. This
bill passed the Assembly on June 13th and remains in the Senate
Rules Committee.
Unpaid Leave
for Victims of Domestic Violence - S.7579 (Dollinger) / A.10960 (John).
This bill would permit victims of domestic violence to take unpaid leaves
to address ongoing domestic violence. This would include the inability
to work resulting from domestic violence or a threat of domestic violence,
medical attention needed as a result of domestic violence, attendance
at counseling sessions, the seeking of legal assistance, including attending
court and the seeking of other services needed by the victims of domestic
violence. The bill passed the Assembly on June 6th and remains
in the Senate Rules Committee.
Group Health
Insurance Notification - S.7806 (Seward) / A.10411 (Carrozza). This bill
would require employers to provide 30 days written notification prior
to canceling group health insurance. No cancellation would be effective
until 30 days from the mailing of the written notification. It passed
the Assembly on June 14th and remains in the Senate Rules Committee.
Employee
Personnel Files - A.2708 (Tocci). This bill would require all employers
to notify employees of the existence of personnel files, permit the employees
to review and copy the personnel files and allow employees to request
correction of information in the file or submit a written statement refuting
information in the file. Would provide civil action by employees for violations.
It passed the Assembly on March 20th and was delivered to the
Senate.
Use of Sick
Time - A.5446 (Nolan). This bill would entitle employees in the public
and private sectors to use their sick leave to care for ill or injured
children and parents after their personal leave is exhausted. Will not
override a contrary collective bargaining agreement in effect prior to
the effective date. It passed the Assembly on March 8th and
was delivered to the Senate.
Comparable
Worth - For the second consecutive year, six bills advancing the comparable
worth concept passed the Assembly. Five of them have Senate companion
bills which have remained in their respective Senate committees.
- Comparable Worth in the private sector
A.5147
(Nolan) - Passed 5/10/00
S.837
(Marcellino) Senate Labor
- Comparable Worth in the public sector
A.1337 (Stringer)
- Passed 5/10/00
A.4156
(Grannis) - Assembly Gov't Employees
S.835
(Marcellino) - Senate Civil Service & Pensions
- Comparable Worth through the Human Rights Law
A.5031
(DiNapoli) - Passed 5/10/00
S.3457
(Balboni) - Senate Invest., Tax & Gov't Operations
- Comparable Worth in the public sector
A.4171
(Grannis) - Passed 5/10/00
A.7206
(Carrozza) - Assembly Gov't Employees
S.6343
(Stavinsky) - Senate Civil Service & Pensions
- Class Actions under the Human Rights Law
A.1881
(Christensen) - Passed 5/10/00
S.3039
(Balboni) - Senate Invest., Tax & Gov't Operations
- Amend the New York State Constitution
A.818
(Christensen) - Passed 5/10/00
Paid Family
Leave - Last year, President Clinton directed the U.S. Department of Labor
to issue regulations allowing individual states to use their unemployment
insurance trust funds to finance paid family leave. The final federal
rules have been issued and they are effective on August 14, 2000. The
Society for Human Resource Management, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and
the LPA are filing suit to overturn the new regs.
Currently,
in New York State, we have three one-house Assembly bills that would promote
the concept of paid leave in New York State.
A.5167 (Nolan),
a bill which would authorize the payment of New York State statutory disability
benefits to non-disabled employees who qualify for a federal family/medical
leave, was proposed in February 1999, referred to both the Assembly Labor
and Ways and Means Committees and advanced further to the Rules Committee
and on to the Assembly Calendar on June 6, 2000.
A.8994 (Nolan),
a bill which would authorize payment of New York State Unemployment Insurance
benefits to employees who would otherwise qualify for federal FMLA, or
who would qualify except for the firm's size or the employees service,
was proposed in July 1999. It also provides for in-person assistance at
UI offices. The bill remained in the Assembly Labor Committee during the
2000 session.
A.9056 (Nolan),
a bill identical to A.8994 except for the in-person assistance, remained
in the Assembly Labor Committee during the 2000 session.
WORKERS'
COMPENSATION
Passed
Both Houses
SIF Investments
/ IME's - S.8176 (Rules) / A.11473 (Rules @ the Request of the Governor).
Allows the State Insurance Fund to invest up to fifty percent of its surplus
or reserve funds in preferred stock, common stock and mutual funds in
the same manner as other carriers. This legislation also provides the
Workers' Compensation Board with the authority to oversee independent
medical examiners.
Officer Salary
- S.5212 (Alesi) / A.10133 (Morelle). Permits the actual salary of a corporate
officer or sole proprietor to be used to calculate workers' compensation
premiums charged and the benefits paid. Support.
Other
Bills of Interest
Chiropractor
Fees - S.4117B (Spano) / A.2946C (Tocci). This legislation would provide
that the level of renumeration for chiropractors be equivalent to that
provided to physicians. Additionally, the legislation would provide for
the "unbundling of services" and allow chiropractors to charge for each
individual diagnosis, treatment, evaluation or procedure administered
at each visit. Passed Senate June 14, 2000. Assembly Ways and Means. Opposed.
Payment of
claims - S.3495A (Maziarz) / A.4637A (Morelle). This legislation would
allow payment of medical expenses of claimants by their health insurance
carrier in the event such expenses are normally covered pending determination
of claim. Senate Labor Committee. Passed Assembly. Support.
Illegal Acts
- S.4124A (Alesi) / A.368B (Schimminger). Workers' Compensation benefits
would not be paid for an injury or occupational disease sustained in the
perpetration by the employee of a felony or misdemeanor for which the
employee is convicted. Passed Senate, Held in Assembly Labor. Support.
Controverted
cases - S.6136 (Morahan) / A.5159 (Nolan). Would require workers' compensation
insurance carriers and self-insured employers to pay the representation
costs of claimants who prevail in controverted cases. Senate Labor Committee,
Third Reading Assembly. Opposed.
Sexual offense
- S.7607 (Spano) / A.9789B (Stringer). This legislation not only provides
that an employee who suffers injuries as the result of sexual offense
can collect under the workers' compensation system, but that they may
also sue their employer for negligent acts or omissions. Senate Rules,
Assembly Rules. Opposed.
Approval
of medical procedures - A.11431 (Nolan). This legislation would raise
the level of special services from $500 to $1500, provided for an administrative
resolution procedure which would have done away with the three person
panel that currently exists and replaced it with a one person provider.
This administrative resolution procedure did not allow the carrier or
self-insured the opportunity to comment. The legislation further set up
a workers' compensation system penalty fund and an advisory committee.
Assembly Labor. Opposed.
Passed
Both Houses
Energy efficient
appliances - S.7172A (Morahan) / A. 5302-A (Colman). Requires the state
to purchase energy efficient appliances and provides a phase-in schedule.
Opposed.
Indian Point
2 - A.10096 (Silver) / S.7094 (Velella). Con Ed recovery bill in conjunction
with Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant. Opposed.
Safety Training
- S.7511B / A.11357 (Rules). Underground facilities safety training account
and training programs, funded by penalties for violations.
Other
Bills of Interest
PILOT - S.7897A
(Wright). Provides for PILOT agreements for nuclear power plants. Passed
Senate and referred to Assembly. No Assembly companion. Support.
Retail Divorcement
- S.5110 (Nozzolio) / A.6340 (Abbate). Oil producers / refiners retail
divorcement act. Passed Assembly. Died in Senate on third reading. Opposed.
Clean Energy
Fund - Four bills were introduced establishing AClean Energy Funds@:
S.7323B (Marcellino).
Establishes a "Clean Energy Fund" supported by a surcharge on electricity
bills and NYPA contributions. Also, mandates certain amounts of "clean
energy technologies" and limits utility fees in some instances. Senate
Energy Committee. Opposed.
A.8506C (Englebright).
Not a same as S.7323B but very similar. Establishes "Clean Energy Fund"
and mandates levels of clean energy technologies by utilities/generation.
Funding through mandated surcharge on all electricity bills and NYPA contributions.
Assembly Energy Committee. Opposed.
A.6099C (Tonko).
Similar to the above referenced bills. Establishes a "Clean energy initiative"
and "Clean Energy Fund Balance" through an expanded Systems Benefits Charge
and contributions by NYPA. Limits utility fees, mandates levels of clean
energy. Emphasizes switch to alternative energy sources (e.g. solar, wind).
Passed Assembly. Opposed.
A.11165 (Brodsky).
Another bill which mandates an energy fund through NYPA contributions
($1 billion over ten years). Limits utility fees levied in order to maintain
electric reliability, establishes electric plant emission levels, mandates
levels of "clean energy technologies". En Con Committee - referred to
Codes. Opposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION
Staff
Contact: Ken
Pokalsky
Passed
Both Houses
Pesticide
Legislation B The legislature adopted a bill allowing New York City and
other counties to require 48-hour notice to neighbors prior to certain
outdoor pesticide applications (see S.8223/Marcellino and A.1461-A/DiNapoli).
This new notice requirements affects the Acommercial lawn applications,@
as that term is defined in the bill. It excludes the application of general
use pesticides on property owned or leased by the applicator; nor does
it apply to utilities, agricultural applications or golf courses. Notice
would have to be given to occupants of residential buildings B and owners
of other properties B if they abut the property on which pesticides will
be applied, and their abutting boundary is within 150 feet of the point
of application. The bill contains a number of also exemptions from the
48 hour notice provision, including one for Aemergency applications,@
and one for the use of Areduced risk pesticides@ registered by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. This bill also requires perimeter signs
in most instances where general use lawn pesticides are being applied
to an area greater than 100 square feet; and requires the posting of consumer
awareness information in most retail stores that sell general use lawn
pesticides.
Other
Bills of Interest
Superfund/Brownfields
B The Governor reintroduced his program bill from last year (see S.8018/Marcellino).
Similar language was included in the Executive Budget proposal, but it
was not acted on by the legislature. The Business Council opposed S.8108,
but has offered amendments to the Administration. No superfund/brownfield
legislation passed either house during the last week of session.
Vehicle
Refueling B The DEC proposed legislation late in session (see S.8113/Marcellino
and A.11437/Glick) that would ban the refueling of motor vehicles from
mobile tanks over 55 gallons, with limited exceptions. The Business Council
opposed this bill, and it did not pass in either house. A more limited
bill (S.8237) that would have created an advisory committee on the issue,
and given the DEC general regulatory authority on Amobile fueling,@ passed
the Senate only.
School Purchasing
- This bill (S.3617-B/Marcellino and A.5178-A/Englebright ) directs the
Office of General Services to develop Aguidelines@ to be used by schools
in the purchase of Aenvironmentally sensitive goods and services,@ including
construction materials, Athat minimize adverse impacts on children and
the environment.@ No other criteria was included in the bill. The original
version of the bill passed the Assembly, but was recalled. Neither house
passed the final version.
Sustainable
Development B The Business Council supported legislation creating a "sustainable
development task force" to help better coordinate environmental and economic
development goals (S.7847/Balboni and A.8490-A/Grannis). The bill passed
the Assembly only.
Passed
Both Houses
Physician
Profiling / Hospital Report Cards B S.8127 (Hannon). Establishes a physician
profiling system in New York State. The bill requires the Department of
Health to post on its Web site information about the practice histories
of physicians. Included would be information about a doctors' education,
hospital affiliations, professional awards, malpractice history and hospital
dismissals that stemmed from harm to patients. The bill also requires
the state to develop other quality assurance measures, including hospital
report cards and data about outcomes of various medical procedures. The
bill did not include anything on office-based surgery. The Business Council
supports.
Prostate
cancer screening B S.976 (Skelos) / A.5037 (DiNapoli). Requires health
insurance policies to include coverage for prostate cancer screening.
The bill applies to men fifty and over who are asymptomatic and forty
and over for men with a family history of prostate cancer.
Lawyer contingency
fees in medical malpractice cases B S.554 (Defrancisco) / A.8762 (Rules).
Lifts the cap on the amount of contingency fee a trial lawyer can receive
in a medical malpractice case. A sliding scale fee system was established
previously as a medical malpractice system reform. The Business Council
opposes; wrote memo in opposition.
Other
Bills of Interest
Moratorium
on health insurance mandates B S.6275-A (Seward) / A.9615 (Grannis). Provides
that new health insurance mandates shall not apply to business until they
have been tested on the state workforce, after which time a review and
analysis could be done on the costs of the mandate. Modeled after a Kansas
law. Support.
Small business
health insurance tax credit B S.7507 (Seward). Provides a twenty percent
tax credit for employers with fifty or less employees, who provide health
insurance to their employees. Some restrictions apply. Support.
Allow all
small business access to the HCRA Small Business Program B S.7556 (Hannon)
/ A.10208 (Morelle). Support.
Collective
bargaining for physicians B S.7541-A (Hannon) / A.9484-A (Canestrari).
Allows individual physicians to band together and collectively bargain
with health maintenance organizations. Oppose.
Definition
of medical necessity B S.5161-D (Stafford) / A.7440-D (Colman). Would
dramatically change the terms and conditions of the health-care system
by putting in statute very broad and vague definition of medical necessity.
Strongly oppose; wrote memo in opposition.
Infertility
mandate B S.3131-B (LaValle) and A.7303 (Silver). Would mandate that group
health insurance policies cover the costs of infertility treatment. Oppose;
wrote memo in opposition. Note: the bills do not match. The separate versions
passed in their respective houses.
Prescription
drug price controls B S.6068-B (Marchi) / A.9786 (Lafayette). Would impose
strict government price controls on the price of prescription drugs. Oppose;
wrote letter of opposition to Senator Bruno / Speaker Silver. Neither
bill passed.
Dispute
resolution of bills between hospitals and HMO's B S.6745-A (Seward) and
A.11235
(Gottfried). Sets up guidelines for the payment of hospital bills by HMO's.
Note: the bills do not match. The Business Council supported the Senate
bill and opposed the Assembly bill.
Conversion
of non-profit health organization to for-profit. S.7836 (Seward) and A.8846
(Grannis). Establishes ground rules for the conversion of a non-profit
health organization to for-profit. Support; wrote letter urging action
to Senator Bruno / Speaker Silver.
INSURANCE
Passed
Both Houses
Distributing
Dividends by Domestic Life Companies - S.6730-A (Seward) / A.10029-A (Grannis)
B Permits domestic stock life insurers to distribute dividends to shareholders
in a new manner.
Bank/Insurance
Parity - S.8090 (Farley) / A.11375-A (Greene) - Imposes additional restrictions
on the insurance activities of banking organizations consistent with the
Gramm-Leach-Biliey Act also extends for 3 years provisions of certain
banking laws relating to the sale of insurance by banks.
Other
Bills of Interest
Commercial
Insurance Deregulation - S.6120-A (Seward), S.5525-A (Seward) / A.7686
(Grannis) - Allows commercial insurers to participate in a deregulated
marketplace under certain conditions. Also, makes changes to RBC standards,
investment standards, and penalty levels. Support.
Civil Authority
Insurance - S.7576-A (Seward) / A.11134 (Grannis) - Permits insurers to
provide coverage for economic lose due to property damage to also cover
economic loss due to acts of civil authority. Support.
Wrongful
Death - A.8013 (Weinstein) / S.5487 (Lack) - Would expand New York's wrongful
death statue by authorizing compensation for grief and emotional loss.
Opposed.
Prejudgement
Interest - A.566 (Kaufman) - Would require prejudgement interest in personal
injury actions or that would provide for non-economic damages in wrongful
death cases. Opposed.
BUSINESS
LAW/GENERAL COUNSELS
Passed
Both Houses
Stock Options
- S.6780 (Skelos) / A.11208 (Rules). Requires the issuance of stock options
and rights to corporate directors, officers and employees to be performed
pursuant to the policies of all the stock exchanges and automated quotation
systems on which the corporation's stocks are listed or authorized. Support.
Other
Bills of Interest
Trade Secrets
B S.7240 (Alesi) / A.10117 (Schimminger). Enacts the uniform trade secrets
act to provide improved trade secret protection to industry; provides
statutory rights and remedies to parties who have had trade secrets misappropriated.
Supported bill as passed by Senate. Amended in Assembly (A.10117-B) with
new Senate companion (S.8217) containing objectionable provisions. Opposed.
S.2277 (Volker)
/ A.4509 (Morelle). Enacts comprehensive civil justice reform. Support.
TAXATION
Passed
Both Houses
Hotel Tax
- A.11451 (Rules) / S.8173 (Rules). Increases the Nassau County Hotel
Tax from 0.75% to 3%, increases the Nassau County entertainment ticket
surcharge, imposes a $10 fee for Nassau County Police accident reports,
and imposes a surcharge on Nassau County Traffic and Parking Violations
Agency-issued parking tickets in Nassau County. Oppose.
Other
Bills of Interest
Railroad
Taxes - S.8032A (Stafford) in Senate Rules / A.11450 (Rules, request of
Tokasz) in Assembly Ways & Means. Amends Real Property Tax Law to
expand the current exemption for railroad transportation properties by
adding a ten-year exemption for all newly constructed and rehabilitated
capital assets built to improve freight or passenger service with the
approval of the Department of Transportation. Support.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Passed
Both Houses
45 Day Notice
Provisions - S.6777-B (Skelos) / A.9995-C (Morelle) - Provides that the
PSC shall be deemed to grant the authority for the issuance of stocks,
bonds and other forms of indebtedness within 45 days of the submission
of an application therefor by a telegraph or telephone corporation.
Other
Bills of Interest
Service Quality
Standards - S.6222 (Volker) / A.8964-A (Tonko) - Maker provisions establishing
services quality standards, credits, reporting requirements and penalties
for telephone companies providing local exchange service.
Building
Access - S.7059 (Wright) / A.10054 (Tonko) - Defines telephone service
for the purpose of section 102 of the public service law, provides that
landlords shall not interfere with the installation of facilities necessary
to provide telephone service upon his or her premises.
SMALL
BUSINESS
Passed
Both Houses
Filing Liens
- S.2375C (Stafford) / A.4241C (Morelle). Clarifies the application of
provisions relating to filing of liens on single family residences.
Other
Bills of Interest
Minimum Wage
- S.4465C (Spano)/A.10080 (Nolan). Increases the state minimum wage from
$5.15 to $6.75 as of 1/1/2001; and provides that on or before 1/1/2002
and annually thereafter, such statutory wage shall be increased to reflect
the increase in state average weekly wage for covered employment as calculated
by the Labor Department. Passed the Assembly. Oppose.
CONSUMER
Passed
Both Houses
Liquor Tasting
- S.1932 (Stafford) / A.8437A (Lentol). Permits distilled spirits to be
tasted in off-premise licensed establishments. Support.
Restaurant
Inspection - S.7636A (Velella) / A.10335A (Klein). Requires retail food
establishments to post a copy of the date and results of its most recent
sanitary inspection; directs the department of agriculture and markets
to train inspectors as "retail food specialists" to aid retail food stores
in complying with sanitary requirements; sets frequency of required inspections,
with inspections to be more frequent in the event of failure; provides
for cessation of retail operation or suspension or revocation of food
processing license in the event of failure of three consecutive inspections.
Food Labeling
- S.6463 (Johnson) / A.9464 (Magee). Repeal of a standard identity for
baked beans.
Agriculture
Development - S.6465 (McGee) / A.9460 (Destitio). Establishes the food
and agriculture industry development program within the department of
agriculture and markets to provide matching grants to projects involving
new product development, alternative production, processing, distribution
and marketing technologies, introduction of high technologies, or organizational
methods that further development of the food and agriculture in New York.
Other
Bills of Interest
Batteries
- S.143B (Spano) / A.6315B (Abatte). Requires all battery operated ionization-type
fire or smoke alarms sold in the state after January 1, 2001 to use long
life batteries. Passed Senate. Opposed.
CONTRACT
PROCUREMENT
Staff
Contact: Tom
Minnick
Passed
Both Houses
State Procurement
- S.8226 (Goodman) / A.11523 (John). Relates to the prioritizing the purchasing
of re-manufactured commodities through the state procurement process;
makes related provisions permitting libraries and such library systems
to make purchases through the office of general services centralized contracts.
Support.
Energy Efficiency
Standards - S.7172A (Morahan) / A.5302 (Colman). Allows the President
of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority with the
Commissioner of OGS to promulgate minimum energy efficiency standards
for appliances and energy using products purchased by the state. Oppose.
Other
Bills of Interest
Re-manufactured
Goods - A.6984D (Morelle) / S.3857D (Balboni). Would prioritize the purchasing
of re-manufactured commodities through the state procurement system. Passed
the Assembly.
State Procurement
- S.8008 (Goodman). Extends the Procurement Stewardship Act for five years.
Passed Senate.
TRANSPORTATION
RR
Tax Bill - see Taxation section.
Passed
Both Houses
Southern
Tier Rail Authority - S. 2895B (Magee) / A.2492C (Parment). Passed both
Houses. Authorization to acquire and repair 146 miles of track in southern
tier. On June 13th S.2895B (Magee) / A.2492C (Parment) which
creates a Southern Tier Rail Road Authority in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus,
Livingson, and Steuben Counties, was passed by both Houses of the Legislature.
The Authority will be given the authorization to acquire and improve 146
miles of railroad in the southern tier counties included in the authority.
The new authority will also be eligible for as much as $1.1 million in
multi-modal funding. The Business Council has recently established a Rail
Freight Sub-committee under the Transportation Committee and will be reaching
out to its railroad and transportation members to investigate rail freight
in New York State. The sub-committee will be charged with researching
and compiling information on rail topics such as this new proposal.
Transportation
of Cigarettes - S.8177 (Fuschillo) / A.11455 (Rules) at the request of
the Governor. Relates to penalties for the transportation of cigarettes.
Opposed.
Motor Carrier
Permits - A.11168 (Gantt) / S.7641 (Stafford). Extends provisions relating
to motor carrier eligibility for divisible load permits. Support.
CONSTRUCTION
Other
Bills of Interest
NYC Housing
- S.4988 (Goodman) / A.4508 (Sanders). Regulates Major Capital Improvements
(MCI) in NYC housing. Passed Assembly. Senate Rules. Opposed.
Bidder Registry
- S.6798 (Spano) / A.11083A (Nolan). Establishes a bidder registry for
public works contractors. Passed Assembly. Died in Senate Rules. Opposed.
FINANCIAL
SERVICES
Passed
Both Houses
Bank/Insurance
Parity - S.8090 (Farley) / A.11375-A (Greene). Imposes additional restrictions
on the insurance activities of banking organizations consistent with the
Gramm-Leach-Biliey Act also extends for 3 years provisions of certain
banking laws relating to the sale of insurance by banks.
Credit Union
Expansion - S.8061-A (Farley) / A.7701-C (Greene). Removes the limitation
on credit unions which prohibit the issuance of shares of a credit union
to another credit union where such sale would result in the aggregate
amount of its shares held by other credit unions exceeding 30% of its
capital.
Pre-Paid
Burial Accounts - S.4744 (Fuschillo) / A.7248 (Pheffer). Provides that
monies paid in advance for funeral merchandise or services may be deposited
and held in trust in a credit union, in addition to other banking institutions.
