2003 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM - SMALL BUSINESS

Following is The Business Council'sn2003 Legislative Program. It identifies priority issues to be addressed by the Committees and Councils during 2003.

Fundamental Changes

• Support proposals to make health insurance more affordable by a) allowing employers to purchase a foundation plan free of some Insurance mandates, b) creating a health insurance tax credit, and c) opposing new mandates and creating a cost-benefit commission.
  
• Support legislative measures to a) increase the jurisdictional limit of the small claims and commercial claims parts of District Courts and upstate City Courts from $3,000 to $5,000 and b) amend laws governing jurisdictional limits of the Justice Courts, by increasing both the jurisdictional limits of their regular parts and their small claims parts, from $3,000 to $5,000.
  
• Support initiatives which clearly define the term "Independent Contractor".
  
• Support comprehensive legislation reforming New York State's costly civil justice system.

Other Changes

• Amend the Workers' Compensation Law to limit the payment of benefits in permanent partial disability cases to a period not to exceed 500 weeks, and implement reasonable objective medical guidelines for the determination of disability awards.
  
• Support electronic commerce, but oppose any mandates on all businesses.
  
• Support the collection of state and local taxes on tobacco and motor fuels sold by Native American tribal stores to non-Native Americans.

The Business Council of New York State, Inc.
 152 Washington Avenue  |  Albany, New York 12210-2289  |  518.465.7511