Release highlights key legislative action items that would improve New York’s business and regulatory climate
ALBANY, N.Y.—As the Senate and Assembly approach the final weeks of the 2016 legislative session, The Business Council reminds lawmakers that there remains ample time to pass bills that improve the state’s business climate.
“Our focus remains on measures, large and small, that will help private sector employers succeed in the Empire State, and allow them to provide more jobs and more opportunities for all New Yorkers,” said Heather C. Briccetti Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. “In the wake of a state budget that imposed dramatic new costs and mandates on business, we urge the legislature to take immediate steps to reduce or eliminate the numerous barriers to investment and job growth in New York State.”
In order to achieve these goals, the Legislature should give two-house approval to numerous bills already under active consideration; including:
Bills listed in numerical order
S.3095-A (Funke)/A.690 (Hevesi) creates a state information technology innovation center.
S.4108-C (Seward) authorizes auto insurance policies to transportation network companies.
S.4280-A (Seward)/A.6090-A (Cahill) provides a more comprehensive approach to supporting transportation network companies.
S.4672-A (LaValle)/A.5964-A (Ortiz) authorizes minority ownership of CPA firms by non-CPAs.
S.4771-E (Funke)/A.7610-E (Dinowitz) would modify state regulation of gift cards and gift certificates.
S.6090 (Little) provides for uniform regulation of certain wireless facilities.
S.6307-A (O’Mara)/A.8617-A (Morelle) authorizes on premise sale of alcohol Sunday mornings between 8 A.M. and 12 P.M.
S.7496 (Marcellino)/A.10024 (Nolan) codifies P-TECH program in statute, and makes $25 million available for their support(SED departmental bill).
S.7583 (Young)/A.10156 (Schimminger) expands Excelsior program eligibility for small business.
S.7728 (Boyle)/A.10248 (Steck) clarifies the State Liquor Authority’s ability to revoke, suspend, or cancel a license or permit.
S.7840 (Griffo) allows high load factor customers to “self-direct” energy assessments to support on-site projects.
S.7886 (Griffo) exempts business customers from utility’s obligations under the clean energy standard mandate.
The Business Council is also calling on lawmakers to reject a number of bills that would harm the state’s business community and add further unnecessary regulatory burdens on hardworking business owners and job creators; they include:
Bills listed in numerical order
S.29-A (DeFrancisco)/A.8025 (Brennan) new private right of action against insurance companies (see also S.4049-B (Lanza) and S.4223 (Seward /A.1329 (Weinstein)).
S 60-B (Squadron)/A.6975-C (Kavanagh) imposes a $5000 contribution cap on LLCs.
S.485-B (LaValle)/A.617-B (Rosenthal) mandates labeling of GMOs.
S.782 (Hannon)/A.1548 (Gottfried) mandates all acute care facilities and nursing homes to meet nursing staffing ratios.
S.1157-A (Hannon)/A.336-A (Gottfried) permits health care providers, including physicians, to collectively bargain with health plans, which would drive up health plan costs under a new exemption to New York antitrust laws.
S.2232-E (Peralta)/A.5501-C (Rosenthal) allows lien against employers and certain staff for alleged non-payment of wages.
S.2768 (Savino)/A.5561 (Titus) makes workers’ comp awards to claimants who voluntarily withdraw from the labor market and simply enrolled in Department of Labor re-employment services.
S.4781-A (Klein)/A.6932-A (Weinstein) adopts the “Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act of 2016"; (AG program bill).
S.4846 (Bonacic)/A.6714 (Weinstein) requires consent to general jurisdiction of NYS courts upon registering to conduct business in New York.
S.5751-A (Avella)/A.7625 (Fahy) dramatically increases financial assurance requirements for major oil storage facilities.
S.6045-C (Savino)/A.8332-E (Rodriguz) establishes, and requires employers to make available, a state-managed retirement savings program.
S.6824-A (Marchione)/A.9568-A (McDonald) unnecessarily extends the statute of limitation for newly listed superfund sites.
S.7219 (Savino)/A.10137 (Simotas) imposes a costly new coverage mandate on group health plans for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments.
S.7861 (Martins)/A.10141 (Bronson) imposes “prevailing wage” on most projects receiving any level of state financial support.
S.8005 (Savino)/A.10342 (Englebright) requires reduction of in-state greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.
###