Assemblywoman
Vivian E. Cook
Fall 2005   



Dear Neighbors:

It is my pleasure to share with you my Fall Newsletter. This newsletter contains highlights of the new laws of 2005. There were thousands of bills introduced in the legislature this year, nearly eight hundred of which have been signed into law by the Governor. The legislative process is tedious and it often may take a number of years before a bill becomes a law. The Assembly standing committees hold public hearings on legislative proposals all over the state throughout the year. These public hearings are held in an effort to investigate and explore effective solutions to crises much like the one we are currently facing with the gasoline and home heating prices. This year there were numerous public hearings held on various issues that resulted in the development of legislative proposals. These new laws are designed to protect and improve the quality of life for all New York State residents.

I have also included an article on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies provide you with a free copy of your credit report. I would also ask that you take advantage of the free annual credit report. It is important that you review and monitor your credit accounts for any unusual activity to help safeguard your finances and prevent identity theft.

In closing, I would like to remind you that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You may call the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline at 1-800-877-8077 to learn about resources available. You may be eligible for a free or low cost mammogram available to women with low income. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity.

I am compelled to take a moment to offer my condolences and prayers to the families victimized by Hurricane Katrina. We must keep our fellow Americans in our thoughts as they struggle to rebuild their lives. Anyone interested in donating to the Hurricane Katrina Relief effort may do so by calling the American Red Cross at 1-800-HELP-NOW.

As the winter season approaches, I hope that we all do our best to maintain our properties and keep them attractive and hazard-free. Caring for our homes and businesses demonstrates our pride in our community and our consideration for our neighbors. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. I am sure you will find it useful and informative. If I may be of assistance to you in any way, please stop by or call my office at (718) 322-3975.

Best wishes,
signature
Vivian E. Cook
Member of Assembly



2005 SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW legislative bill
Banks

Holocaust Victims Claims - Ensures accountability in the operations of the Holocaust victims claims processing office. (Chapter 249)

Children and Families

Permanency Hearings for Children - Establishes comprehensive provisions relating to permanency hearings for children placed out of their homes; expands judicial review of proceedings relating to children placed outside of their homes; expands consideration of aggravated circumstances when dealing with the placement of children. (Chapter 3)

Child Support Collection - Extends for two years, until June 30, 2007, the law allowing the Department of Tax and Finance to enforce and collect court ordered child support or combined spousal and child support when arrears are more than four months past due. (Chapter 116)

Child Support Court Order - Expedites the process to ensure child support is properly paid by authorizing judge to immediately issue an order of child support after an order of filiation has been issued in a paternity suit. (Chapter 576)

Placement of Children - Increases oversight, control and accountability concerning the placement of children in out-of-state programs and facilities. (Chapter 392)

Codes/Corrections

Prison Riots - Makes it possible to prosecute anyone who incites a riot within a prison without having to show that the riot also caused public alarm outside of the prison in the surrounding community. (Chapter 294)

Dangerous Driving Laws - Toughens dangerous driving laws by increasing penalties for leaving the scene of an accident. (Chapter 49)

"VaSean’s Law" - Strengthens penalties for vehicular assault and vehicular manslaughter when serious physical injury or death is caused by a person driving drunk or impaired by drugs by eliminating the element of criminal negligence currently required to prosecute these crimes - making it easier to indict individuals who commit them. (Chapter 39 / Chapter 92 )

Protection Against Terrorism - Protects against future acts of terrorism by requiring tighter control over the sale of ammonium nitrate, a common chemical compound used in fertilizer, but also the chemical used to make fertilizer bombs in the 1993 World Trade Center and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings. (Chapter 620)

Rockefeller Laws - Takes another step in reforming Rockefeller Laws by authorizing the resentencing of certain class A-II felony controlled substance offenders. (Chapter 643)

Sex Offenders Banned From Community Service - Prohibits sex offenders from participating in community work crews operated by the State Department of Correctional Services. (Chapter 252)

Sex Offenders - Mandates the state to notify local social services districts when any Level 2 or 3 sex offender being released from prison intends to seek homeless housing assistance from a social services district. (Chapter 410)

Amber Alert - Requires the Division of Criminal Justice Services to make additional efforts to assist local government entities and local police agencies in the development and implementation of missing child prompt response and notification plans with the goal of having such plans effective in every jurisdiction in the state. (Chapter 348)

photo Assemblymember Cook meets on a regular basis with Mr. Robert Richards, President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, on a number of economic development projects vital to their efforts to revitalize Jamaica. Over the years, Assemblymember Cook has successfully fought to secure funding for these worthwhile projects.
Consumers

Consumer Credit Protection - Increases consumer protection by requiring any written solicitation selling credit protection services to disclose that the purchase of such services is not required to secure or retain a credit card and prohibiting the automatic renewal of credit protection services unless the consumer is notified in a timely manner. (Chapter 433)

State Board of Pharmacy - Requires State Board of Pharmacy to post drug retail price lists on its Website to help consumers comparison shop. (Chapter 293)

Internet Users - Ensures that Internet users have adequate warning that some access numbers may involve long-distance phone charges. (Chapter 334)

New Car Lemon Arbitrations - Requires that court proceedings arising out of new car Lemon Law arbitrations be brought either in the county where the consumer resides or where the arbitration was held or is pending. (Chapter 611)

Telemarketing Sales Calls - Clarifies the prohibition against telemarketing sales calls to consumers with whom a business has an established business relationship, when the consumer has requested not to be called, and to remove the face-to-face exception to the Do Not Call law to further protect consumers from unsolicited telemarketing sales calls. (Chapter 214)

Corporations

Education Corporation - Requires education corporations obtain the consent of the Board of Regents in order to operate under an assumed name; restricts the use of certain terms in corporate names that connote an educational purpose and prohibits persons or corporations who are not authorized to do so from holding themselves out as a "museum," "arboretum" or similar cultural institution. (Chapter 316)

Crime Victims

Crime Victims - Offers crime victims more ways to stay informed about the status of their offender by making victims aware of how to get updated information about an inmate; requiring the District Attorney to consult with victims of violent crimes on the disposition of their case; notifying victims of the final disposition; and requiring that the district attorney of the county where the incarcerated inmate was prosecuted be notified of the release of the inmate. (Chapter 186)

Crime Victims Compensation - Raises the $100,000 cap to $500,000 and extends the rental period for a renter on exemption of a claimant’s homestead in determining financial difficulty for purposes of crime victim compensation. (Chapter 322)

Crime Victims Rights - Includes as a compensable loss the expenses due to a pre-existing injury that was exacerbated by the commission of a crime and enhances crime victim awareness of rights during proceedings of the Crime Victims Board. (Chapter 408)

Crime Victims - Authorizes the crime victims board to make emergency awards to certain claimants for relocation expenses. (Chapter 377)

Disability Awareness

Handicapped Parking Spaces - Allows parking spaces designated for the handicapped to be marked as tow-away zones. (Chapter 199)

SCRIE - Extends the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) to people with disabilities and limited income who reside in rent-controlled, rent-subsidized or Mitchell-Lama housing. (Chapter 188)

Economic Development

Industrial Development Agencies’ - Extends Industrial Development Agencies’ (IDAs) authority to finance civic facility and continuing care retirement projects. (Chapter 159)

Investment Tax Credit - Provides an investment tax credit for qualified film production facilities. (Chapter 393)

Direct Interstate Shipmate of Wine - Provides that any holder of a license to manufacture wine in any other state who obtains an out-of-state direct shipper’s license, may ship no more than thirty-six cases of wine produced by such license holder per year directly to a resident of New York, for resident’s personal use and not for resale; provides that if a winery is located in a state that has limitations on wine that can be shipped to that state, such winery shall be subject to the same limitations; providing that such limitation does not exceed the limitations set forth in the state of New York. (Chapter 184)

photo Assemblymember Cook met with Mr. John Niles, Youth Coordinator, Mr. Bilah Karriem, and other representatives of the Community Mediation Corps. This group works with youth aspiring to make a difference in their community.
Education

School Nurse - Clarifies that a school nurse must be a registered professional nurse. (Chapter 501)

School Board - Makes changes to current law to clarify the manner in which a school district can choose a student ex-officio member on the school board, which allows for such student to participate in school district governance by becoming an non-voting member of their local school board. (Chapter 314)

Defibrillators - Requires that the correct use of automated external defibrillators be taught in health class at senior high schools. (Chapter 315)

Pupils with Asthma - Allows pupils afflicted with asthma to maintain an extra inhaler, upon the written request of a parent or person in parental relation, in the care and custody of a registered nurse employed by a school district or board of cooperative educational services. (Chapter 319)

Oversight of Schools - Increases the oversight of schools by: requiring school board members to be trained on their financial oversight responsibilities; requiring school districts and BOCES to establish an internal audit function; requiring that school districts establish audit committees; mandating a competitive selection process for external auditors provides a five consecutive years engagement limitation; and improving annual external audits by requiring direct school board involvement. (Chapter 263)

School Boards - Expands the power of school boards to include school-authorized extra-curricular events or activities - regardless of where such event or activity takes place, including any event or activity that may take place in another state. (402)

Amistad Commission - Establishes and creates the Amistad Commission to coordinate educational and other programs on slavery and African-American history. (Chapter 404)

Election Law

Local Boards of Elections - Extends for one additional year the law empowering local boards of elections - when necessary for reasons of ballot configuration and efficient election administration - to provide write-in vote opportunities in elections for party positions only when a valid petition for an opportunity to ballot is filed. (Chapter 140)

Campaign Finance Statements - Requires candidates and committees for local elections that raise or expend more than $1,000 to file their campaign finance statements in electronic format. (Chapter 406)

Complaint Procedure for Voters - Establishes a required complaint procedure that a voter may use to ensure enforcement of HAVA reforms. (Chapter 23)

Statewide Voter Registration List - Creates a statewide voter registration list by combining existing local lists maintained by local election boards. (Chapter 24)

Voter Fraud Prevention - Allows boards of elections to verify the identity of individuals registering to vote through state databases or social security numbers to prevent voter fraud. In addition, to make sure no one is unfairly denied the right to vote, the legislation requires local boards of elections to send notice to applicants if a discrepancy occurs as well as to check for input errors. (Chapter 179)

Election Consolidation and Improvement Act of 2005 - Enacts the "Election Consolidation and Improvement Act of 2005" to consolidate election administration with local boards of elections. (Chapter 180)

Election Reform and Modernization Act of 2005 - Enacts the Election Reform and Modernization Act of 2005, requiring regular training for poll workers, increasing their pay for those training sessions and requiring a public campaign to educate voters on the new voting machines and other changes affecting voters at the polls on Election Day. (Chapter 181)

Emergency Services

Volunteer Firefighters - Ensures volunteer firefighters who suffer heart attacks while performing their duties are covered by the Firefighters Benefit Law permanently. (Chapter 138)

Fire and Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage - Prohibits an insurer from denying fire and homeowner’s insurance coverage solely because a person resides in an area serviced by a volunteer fire department. (Chapter 259)

Property Tax Exemptions - Allows municipalities to offer property tax exemptions to unremarried spouses of volunteer firefighter and ambulance workers who died in the line of duty. (Chapter 324)

School Taxes - Includes school taxes in the real property tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers if the school district decides to opt in. (Chapter 261)

Real Property Tax Exemption - Provides a real property tax exemption up to 10%, not in excess of $3,000, at local option, for volunteer firefighters and members of volunteer ambulance companies. (Chapter 208)

Military - Allows volunteer firefighters to perform volunteer firefighting functions while on temporary leave from active duty in the military. (Chapter 341)

Death Benefits - Provides a cost of living adjustment to death benefits for the families of volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. (Chapter 212)

Energy

Residential Solar Energy - Exempts the sale and installation of residential solar energy systems equipment from sales and compensating use taxes. (Chapter 306)

Clean Fuel Vehicle Tax Credit - Extends the tax credit allowed for clean-fuel vehicle refueling property. (Chapter 310)

Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Standards Act of 2005 - Enacts the Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Standards Act of 2005. (Chapter 431)

Environment

Wild Animals - Clarifies the wild animals that are banned as pets; streamlines the process that allows owners to keep their existing pet wild animals; and clarifies the types of persons and organizations who may continue to possess wild animals. (Chapter 10)

Reuse of Reclaimed Wastewater - Promotes the reuse of reclaimed wastewater for beneficial non-potable purposes including but not limited to agricultural and landscape irrigation, commercial and industrial, uses and, and wetland maintenance purposes. (Chapter 619)

Environmental Impacts Statements - Requires draft statements and environmental impacts statements to be posted on a publicly-available Website, unless impracticable. (Chapter 641)

Oil and Gas Reserves - Revises the procedures relating to the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves, including clarifications regarding the rights and responsibilities of operators and landowners. (Chapter 386)

Governmental Operations

Government Reporting Requirements - Streamlines government by consolidating and reducing the frequency of reporting requirements by various departments, agencies and public authorities. (Chapter 524)

State Ethics Commission - Confers jurisdiction on the State Ethics Commission ("Commission") over former State officers and employees, former candidates for Statewide elected office and former political party chairs with respect to actions taken by those individuals while in State service or party office, or as candidates, closing a loophole that lets someone retire in order to evade an investigation. (Chapter 165)

Shirley Chisholm - Sets Shirley Chisholm’s birthday, November 30th, as a day of commemoration. (Chapter 445)

Special Administration of Licensing Examination - Provides special administration of licensing examination thirty days before or after an examination administered on a day of religious observance. (Chapter 422)

Health

Abandoned Infant Protection Act - Requires hospitals and clinics to inform patients of the provisions of the Abandoned Infant Protection Act. (Chapter 439)

Transferred Patients Evaluation - Requires a hospital to identify those patients who are transferred, admitted to, or treated at the hospital subsequent to other treatment in order to gather data necessary to evaluate the safety and quality of such treatment. (Chapter 440)

Final Disposition - Authorizes a person designated by a place of burial, cremation or other final disposition to receive a human body from a registered resident; requires written receipt of a deceased person to be retained by place of final disposition of the body for 4 years. (Chapter 198)

Vaccines - Prohibits the administration of vaccines having certain mercury levels to persons under the age of three years and to pregnant women. (Chapter 603)

Voluntary Emergency Services - Provides immunity from liability for persons who render voluntary emergency services and receive service awards. (Chapter 290)

Maintenance of Emergency Medical and Trauma Care Systems - Provides for the development and maintenance of emergency medical and trauma care systems, and the expeditious transfer of patients in need of such care to appropriately staffed and equipped facilities. (Chapter 449)

Immunization Registry - Extends for two years the provisions that authorize the Commissioner of Health to conduct voluntary local demonstration projects to test the feasibility of establishing a statewide immunization registry for tracking and monitoring the immunization of children. (Chapter 145)

Patients Unable to Verbally Communicate - Provides that patients who are unable to verbally communicate with doctors, physicians, or nurses, for whatever reason, shall have the right to have their parent, guardian, representative, or authorized helper present during their admission to a hospital. (Chapter 451)

Adult Home Residents - Makes technical amendments to budget to ensure that adult home residents are paid the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment level for congregate care level 2 programs until they are shifted to congregate care level 3 on January 1, 2006. (Chapter 25)

Supplemental Financial Assistance Program - Extends the supplemental financial assistance program for hospice care of persons with special needs for an additional two years. (Chapter 343)

Reporting Hospital Acquired Infection Rates - Requires hospitals to report their hospital-acquired infection rates and make the information available to the public. (Chapter 284)

Cervical Cancer Prevention - Adds to the breast cancer detection and education program responsibilities for cervical cancer, increases the membership of the advisory council, and provides for the inclusion in the annual report of strategies to implement and promote the cervical cancer prevention program. (Chapter 430)

photo Assemblymember Cook met Mr. Seibert Phillips, Executive Director of the Evelyn Douglin Center, and other representatives to discuss funding to help support its vital services. The Evelyn Douglin Center provides services to mentally and physically challenged people that are in need. In photo from left to right: Mr. Cliff Datys, Seibert Phillips, Assemblymember Cook, Ms. Marcelle Bailey, Mr. Gerard Lightburn, and Mr. Melvin Wynne.
Higher Education

Physical Therapist Assistant Services - Extends for an additional five years the law to allow for the provisions of physical therapist assistant services in public and private elementary and secondary schools. (Chapter 36)

Memorial Award - Establishes a memorial award for children, spouses and financial dependents of those deceased as a result of American Airlines flight 587. (Chapter 412)

Housing

Persons with Disabilities - Includes persons with disabilities within the definition of head of household for the senior citizens’ tax abatement for rent-controlled and regulated property. (Chapter 188)

Tenant Complaint - Declares void any lease provision which charges the tenant for making a bona fide complaint to a building inspector. (Chapter 466)

Judicial

Domestic Violence Training - Requires training about domestic violence for all persons who are allowed to issue orders of protection. (Chapter 563)

Additional Judges - Provides for additional Court of Claims, Supreme Court and Family Court judges. (Chapter 240)

Labor

Police Officers - Allows payment of reasonable funeral expenses for police officers who die from injuries received in the line of duty as a direct result of law enforcement activities. (Chapter 245)

Workers’ Compensation Security Fund - Ensures the workers’ compensation security fund has adequate funds to pay claims of injured workers insured by insolvent carriers. (Chapter 33)

Mental Health

The Geriatric Mental Health Act of New York - Enacts "The Geriatric Mental Health Act of New York" to lay the groundwork for upgrading the state’s mental health infrastructure to ensure that the growing senior population receives adequate care for mental illness. (Chapter 568)

Reporting Mistreatment of Mentally Retarded and Developmentally Disabled Persons - Requires certain professionals to report to the commissioner of mental retardation and developmental disabilities regarding abuse and mistreatment of mentally retarded and developmentally disabled persons. (Chapter 536)

Clinical Records - Establishes the confidentiality of the clinical records of patients receiving local and unified mental health services. (Chapter 571)

Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program - Extends and enhances the state’s Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program, commonly referred to as "Kendra’s Law," and provides for a more extensive investigation of the implementation and effectiveness of the program. (Chapter 158)

Real Property

Brownfield Properties - Authorizes municipalities to issue waivers of interest and/or penalties relating to real property taxes on any brownfield properties subject to clean-up. (Chapter 221)

Small Business

Small Business Assistance - Helps identify cost-effective ways to simplify access to state government for small businesses. (Chapter 283)

Regulatory Reform - Requires the governor’s office of regulatory reform to examine the impact of proposed regulations on small businesses. (Chapter 637)

Tax Law

Clothing Sales Tax - Exempts clothing and footwear sales in New York City from local sales taxes. (Chapter 285)

Tourism, Arts and Sports Development

Personal Watercraft - Authorizes persons who are 14-years-old or older and hold a boating safety certificate to operate a personal watercraft or specialty prop-craft. (Chapter 248)

Brewery Trails Program - Encourages small business, tourism and history of breweries in New York State by providing for the development of a brewery trails program. (Chapter 572)

Livery Operators - Extends law that allows livery operators to participate in the tourism industry by being able to lease their equipment to people vacationing in the area from New York and other states. (Chapter 582)

Transportation

Highway Construction Work Zones - Makes highway construction and maintenance work zones safer for workers and motorists by increasing penalties; requiring signage; and creating highway construction and maintenance safety program to be funded through surcharges for certain traffic violations committed in work zones. (Chapter 223)

Safety Belt - Allows for children at least four-years-old, but less than seven-years-old, who weigh more than 100 pounds may also be restrained by a safety belt rather than in a booster seat, as currently required. (Chapter 598)

Booster Seats - Clarifies that booster seats should be used only with combination lap and shoulder safety belts, not with lap-only safety belts. (Chapter 18)

Transportation of Children with Disabilities - Enhances the safe transportation of children with disabilities by requiring school vehicles transporting such children to carry pertinent personal information about the student. (Chapter 447)

School Bus Safety - Requires school buses with a total capacity of eight or more passengers used to transport students who use wheelchairs or other assistive mobility devices, and school buses of any size used to transport three or more such students, to be equipped with automatic fire suppression systems. (Chapter 453)

Hazardous Zones - Makes permanent a provision of law granting the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation (DOT) with the function, power and duty to establish regulations for the determination of hazardous zones, in regard to pupil transportation in child safety zones. (Chapter 153)

Veterans

Military Ballots - Extends the time to receive military ballots seven days after a primary election and 13 days following the day of a general election and presidential primary election. (Chapter 237)

Alternative Exemptions for Veterans - Increases the maximum exemption allowable under the alternative exemption for veterans and creates and defines for real property purposes, "high appreciation municipalities." (Chapter 256)

Service Credit - Grants service credit to members of state administered public retirement systems called to active military duty on or after September 11, 2001 and prior to January 1, 2006; provides for a non-contributory service credit for members of the New York state and local retirement system, the New York state and local police and fire retirement systems and the New York state teachers’ retirement system. (Chapter 326)

Honorable Discharge Disclosure - Provides that no filed certificate of honorable discharge or information contained therein shall be disclosed to any person except the veteran, parent, spouse, dependent or child of the veteran or other entitled person unless authorized in writing by the veteran. (Chapter 298)

Patriot Plan III - Known as Patriot Plan III, the plan’s benefit enhancements include: ensuring survivors of eligible public employees who die while on active duty in the Armed Forces receive the same death benefits and health insurance as survivors of all others who die while working as public employees; and reimbursing premium payments sufficient to assume the costs for $250,000 worth of Service Member’s General Life Insurance Program for members of the New York State organized militia during periods of active service. It also creates a new "War on Terror" license plate that shall be issued, upon request, to veterans of the Persian Gulf or Afghanistan conflicts. (Chapter 105)

Special Military Make-up Examination - Allows for a special military make-up examination for a member of the armed forces who missed the application deadline for a scheduled competitive examination for civil service employment and missed the test; and grants members of the armed forces a waiver if they missed the application deadline and want to compete in an examination upon their return. (Chapter 425)

Tuition Assistance Program Awards - Permits members of the armed forces on active duty stationed in New York to be eligible for Tuition Assistance Program awards. (Chapter 630)

9-11

Lower Manhattan - Enables Lower Manhattan to remain competitive in attracting industrial and commercial jobs and promotes the renovation and modernization of older commercial and industrial space by extending the sunset date of the City’s Energy Cost Savings Program (ECSP) and Lower Manhattan Energy Program (LMEP) to July I, 2007. (Chapter 149)

Lower Manhattan Commercial Development Incentives - Stimulates the economy of Lower Manhattan and the city of New York and the state of New York by providing new infrastructure and commercial development incentives in the city of New York. (Chapter 2)




KNOWING YOUR CREDIT HISTORY HELPS KEEP YOU SECURE

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each nationwide consumer reporting company to provide you with a free credit report. As of September 1, 2005, all New Yorkers can get a free credit report annually from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. It’s a chance to monitor your credit accounts for any unusual activity and can help safeguard your finances and prevent identity theft.

Your credit report includes information about where you live, how you pay your bills and whether you have filed for bankruptcy. The three consumer reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - sell that information to your creditors, insurers and other businesses when you apply for a loan, insurance, or rent a home.

Knowing your credit history can save you heartache and aggravation and protect your assets. Take a moment to read this article and find out how to order your free credit report.

Protecting your credit information

  • Order all three credit reports at the same time, which lets you compare them; or individually, which helps you monitor recent developments

  • Contact official site for free annual credit reports

Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
Toll-free number: 1-877-322-8228;
or
Mailing address: Annual Credit Report
Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, Ga 30348-5281

It’s recommended that you mail the official printed form, available from the free Annual Credit Report Website. Free reports are not available directly from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, although you can buy a copy of your report from each bureau.

  • Check the Federal Trade Commission Internet site for specific information on your access to free credit reports at: www.ftc.gov/credit and www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/freereports.htm

  • Be aware of unofficial offers of "free" reports with strings attached, like a charge to join a credit monitoring service

  • Do not give out personal information - particularly your Social Security, bank or credit card numbers - to unsolicited callers. Credit bureaus will not call you

  • These reports provide your credit history, not your credit score which is often referred to as your FICO score (named after the company that developed the scoring system used by most lenders) and must be purchased

For credit advice, visit New York State’s banking Website:
www.banking.state.ny.us/csbr.htm

Click on:

  • Understanding your Credit Report and your Credit Score; and

  • Using Credit Wisely: What you need to know




ASSEMBLYMEMBER COOK’S OFFICE INFORMATION
District Office:
142-15 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11436 • (718) 322-3975
Albany Office:
Legislative Office Building, Room 331, Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-4203


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