Assemblymember Karen McMahon (D-Amherst) announced on Friday that legislation she sponsored to assist homeowners during the COVID-19 pandemic was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. The bill (A5374), sponsored by McMahon in the Assembly and Senator Sean Ryan (D-Buffalo) in the Senate (S5132), was passed unanimously in both houses.

“The most recent state budget included a provision that rendered homeowners with past-due property taxes ineligible for the STAR exemption,” said Assemblymember McMahon. “Unfortunately, far too many people have struggled to make ends meet as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delaying the enforcement of this penalty is a simple step we can take to help homeowners in arrears on their property taxes. I’m proud that all of my colleagues in the Legislature were in agreement and I’m thankful to Governor Hochul for her signature.”

The legislation delays, until the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency, the enforcement of a statute that deems those homeowners with past-due property taxes ineligible for the Basic STAR exemption. The STAR exemption is the only property tax exemption that is funded by New York State. Since its beginning in the 1990’s, the STAR exemption has become the most extensively used program in the state, with nearly 3.3 million exemptions. The law will take effect immediately.