EDUCATION

Assembly Pushes For Investments in Education
The Assembly continues to fight for real investments in New York’s education system. While the Governor proposes $369 million in education cuts, the Assembly is fighting for a spending plan that invests – not undermines – state support for local schools. In fact, New York schools would have $3.8 billion less if the Assembly had gone along with the Governor’s previous budget proposals. The Governor’s latest school aid cuts would force school boards to choose between cutting programs and raising property taxes to make ends meet.

HIGHER EDUCATION

For the third consecutive year, the 2004-05 Executive budget proposal would also reduce the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards for all eligible students by one-third. The proposed 2004-05 Executive budget includes $604.23 million for TAP. This represents a $259.24 million reduction from the 2003-04 Academic Year, which would translate into an overall reduction of $302 million in estimated TAP expenditures in the 2004-05 Academic Year. A family of four with one child, who has an approximate gross income of $20,000, would see their TAP award go from $4350 to $2900. That $1450 difference could determine whether a child from a lower-income family might be able to continue his or her education. The Executive Budget also proposes to reduce funding for college opportunity programs by $2.7 million, or 5 percent.

SOCIAL SERVICES

The Governor’s 2004-2005 budget proposal includes a number of proposals which will make it much harder for families to make ends meet. This approach simply seeks to leave the most vulnerable individuals behind during difficult economic times. By limiting funding for job skills development and training programs, the Executive diminishes the likelihood that those on public assistance will leave the system by securing employment and achieving self -sufficiency.

TANF
New York State receives approximately $2.44 billion each year from the Federal Government for the Family Assistance Program through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant. The Executive is proposing to use the estimated $1.5 billion TANF Surplus in SFY 2004-05 for a variety of programs and initiatives. However, many worthwhile programs that have been funded in the past have either been eliminated or drastically reduced in the Executive’s recommended budget. TANF funding for programs serving individuals with disabilities, employment and training programs, youth employment programs, and preventive or emergency services for families has been substantially diminished in the Executive’s proposed SFY 2004-05 budget.

WELFARE
The Executive’s proposal includes drastic restructuring changes in New York’s welfare policies. As part of the proposed budget, a full family sanction would be imposed for adult non-compliance in work requirements, and public assistance stays will be discouraged for more than one year by reducing the non- shelter portion of a family’s basic grant assistance.

Legislative Highlights

EDUCATION

Assembly Approves Bill Requiring SUNY/CUNY Admissions To Be Based On More Than SAT/ACT
To ensure that every student seeking admission to SUNY or CUNY is evaluated on more than just their SAT and ACT test scores, the Assembly approved legislation that would require the state university admission process to also take into consideration a students’ overall academic performance and community portfolio. The bill was delivered to the Senate (A.7143/ S.289; Passed Assembly and Senate)

Dignity For All Students Act Will Help Curb School Violence
The Assembly passed legislation to help give students a safe, welcoming learning environment free of harassment and discrimination. This legislation prohibits discrimination and harassment on school grounds based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender. In addition, each school district would be required to: establish anti-harassment and discrimination policies; create school training programs in harassment and discrimination; raise staff sensitivity and awareness as well as enable staff to respond to harassment; and develop nondiscriminatory instruction and counseling methods (A.1118; Passed Assembly).

SENIORS

Prescription Drugs For Less
To help consumers – especially seniors – get their prescription drugs for less, the Assembly passed legislation making the results of the Comparison Cost Survey available to the public, showing how much prescriptions cost at different stores. Since there is often a large difference in prescription drug prices from retailer to retailer – sometimes in excess of $50 per prescription – the measure could potentially save consumers hundreds of dollars per month (A.10991; Passed Assembly).

Assembly Passes Protections For Residents Of Adult Homes Experiencing Abusive Treatment
The Assembly approved legislation that would allow nursing-home residents direct access to a court in order to receive protection from nursing home employees who endanger their health and safety. Under the bill, residents could request that a court appoint a receiver to intervene and administer the facility when there are conditions of mismanagement and abuse (A.8621; Passed Assembly).

Legislation Would Improve The Quality Of Assisted Living Facilities In New York State
The Assembly passed legislation designed to protect the health and well-being of seniors by requiring state oversight of assisted living facilities. Some highlights of the legislation would: clearly define “assisted living residences;” require assisted living facilities to be licensed with the Department of Health; require assisted living operators to undergo character and competence review by the DOH; require each facility to clearly post residents’ rights; require the execution of a written residency agreement with each resident; set guidelines regarding the management of a resident’s money and property; require facilities to assist in the development and operation of resident and family councils; and set uniform guidelines for the admission, discharge and transfer of residents (A.421-B; Passed Assembly).

EMPLOYMENT

Assembly Passes Legislation Raising The Minimum Wage
The Legislature reached an agreement on legislation to raise New York State’s minimum wage to $7.15 per hour on January 1, 2007 from the existing $5.15 level – a $2.00 increase. The bill would establish a state minimum wage of $6.00 per hour on January 1, 2005, $6.75 per hour on January 1, 2006 and $7.15 per hour on January 1, 2007. Food service workers who routinely collect tips when rendering services would also receive proportionate increases in the sub-minimum wage, known as the tip wage. Under the legislation, the tip minimum wage for these employees would be raised from the existing $3.30 level to $3.85 per hour on January 1, 2005, $4.35 per hour on January 1, 2006 and $4.60 on January 1, 2007 (A.11760/S.7682; Vetoed By Governor).

Assembly Passes Small Businesses Legislative Package
The Assembly passed a series of legislation aimed at helping small businesses grow and create jobs. The Assembly package includes measures that would require the Department of Economic Development to give small businesses and entrepreneurs priority consideration in the awarding of economic development assistance (A.3913), help businesses obtain loans for the purchase of pollution-control equipment so they can clean up the environment and comply with State and Federal environmental rules (A.1382-A) and authorize the Urban Development Corporation to provide low-interest loans to businesses that have been hurt because an owner, manager or other key employee has been called up for military duty (A.1884). These bills were passed in the Assembly and delivered to the Senate.

Assembly Passes REAP Renewal Legislation
The REAP program, originally enacted in 1987, encourages businesses to relocate to New York City and provides incentives to businesses that are considering leaving the city to instead relocate within the city to areas in need of economic stimulus. The Assembly bill extends the program through 2008 and provides a refundable, per employee tax credit. The benefit is $3,000 per employee in most eligible areas and is conditioned upon improvements to the premises to which the firm is relocating (A.11459).

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Assembly Passes Rockefeller Drug Law Reform Legislation
Legislation to enact the Drug Reform, Drug Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004. This bill was passed for the third time in the Assembly in April 2004, and is awaiting action in the Senate. The bill would make sentencing changes that would increase possession thresholds required to meet Class A-1 and A-II felony sentences from 4 to 8 ounces and from 2 to 4 ounces, respectively. The bill would also provide prosecutors, in all cases involving eligible defendants, the first opportunity at deciding whether low-level, non-violent drug offenders may be diverted from a potential prison term to drug treatment. Only after this initial prosecutorial determination has been made would a judge be empowered to make a decision on drug treatment (A.7078; Passed Assembly).

Pictured left to right: Senator David Paterson, Minority Leader; Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, Chair, Assembly Committee on Judiciary; Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, Chair Assembly Committee on Codes; Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, Chair, Assembly Committee on Correction; and Senator Dale Volker, Chair, Senate Committee on Codes, during one of six Conference Committees held on Rockefeller Drug Law Reform in May 2004.

The Senate Abandons Conference Committee On Rockefeller Drug Law Reform
A joint conference committee convened in May 2004 to resolve differences on Rockefeller Drug Law reform legislation. The decision by the Senate Majority to abandon the conference committee process after six meetings was deeply disappointing to the Assembly Majority and to the thousands of individuals who have championed reform of these overly harsh policies for years. Further, the Senate Majority’s suggestion that time did not permit the continuance of an open and public discussion calls into question their overall commitment to this important issue. During the six open and public conference committee meetings with our Senate Majority colleagues, the Assembly Majority offered creative proposals and compromise after compromise, while being told each time that its priorities of judicial discretion and retroactivity would be addressed. Unfortunately, despite the Assembly Majority’s numerous requests for a Senate proposal on these areas of core concern, none was forthcoming.

A Call On Governor To Enforce Megan’s Law Enacted In 1995
The Assembly has called on Gov. Pataki to protect New Yorkers from sexual predators by enforcing the provisions of Megan’s Law. Since 1995 when Megan’s Law was enacted, sexual offender risk levels were established but were never enforced by the Pataki administration, thereby, allowing many offenders to avoid community reporting requirements. The Governor has still not acted to establish and implement procedures for setting these risk levels. The result is that all of these approximately 7,900 offenders continue to be classified at Level One rather than as Level Two or Level Three offenders, the two higher-risk categories established under the statute. Level Two and Three offenders are subject to tougher restrictions and significantly greater community notification under the law. Furthermore, since the enactment of Megan’s Law, the Legislature has acted repeatedly to strengthen the statute, and it is imperative that the Governor enforce the law.

HEALTH

Bill Would Require Facilities Holding 1,000 Or More To Have Cardiac Defibrillator
The Assembly approved legislation that would require facilities that can accommodate 1,000 or more people to be equipped with a cardiac defibrillator and to have at least one trained person capable of operating the defibrillator. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 100,000 deaths could be prevented each year if defibrillators were more accessible in an emergency (A.9596; Passed Assembly).

Legislation Gives New Yorkers Power To Stand Up To Health Insurance Companies
The Assembly passed legislation that would set penalties for violations of the Managed Care Bill of Rights, and speed up health care claims. A third measure awaiting Assembly approval would establish a managed care assistance program. The Managed Care Bill of Rights provides consumers protection from unfair practices by HMOs. However, currently there are not any monetary penalties for violations. The Assembly’s legislation would establish fines of between $500 and $5,000 – depending on the severity of the violation – for defying the Managed Care Bill of Rights (A.8604).

ENERGY

Assembly Passes Public Utility Safety Legislation
The Assembly passed legislation aimed at ensuring the safety and reliability of New York State’s energy infrastructure by requiring at least annual inspections of equipment and the reporting of incidents that could pose a threat to safety and or reliability. The bill addresses the tragic death in January 2004 of Jodie Lane, a woman who was fatally electrocuted while walking her dog in Manhattan. Under the bill, the state Public Service Commission (PSC) would be required to adopt standards for equipment inspection, as well as requirements for reporting of incidents, such as the cases of people and animals coming in contact with electrically charged units (A.4297-B; Passed Assembly).

ELECTION

Assembly Passes Election Reforms (HAVA) To Modernize NY Voting System
The Senate and Assembly reached a bipartisan agreement earlier this year on important steps to reform New York State’s election process, but just days later the Senate Majority backed away. This five- bill legislative package includes measures that would require poll workers to be trained and tested annually, using a core curriculum developed by the state Board of Elections and modified to meet local needs; establish a computerized, centralized, interactive statewide voter registration list with proper privacy protections to ease confusion at the polls; ban punch ballots and require a single type of electronic voting machine that would be accessible to all citizens; and establish basic guidelines to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to polling sites (A.8833-B; A.8842-A; A.8847-A; A.8841-A; A.5473-A; All Passed Assembly).

BUDGET REFORM

Budget Reform Passes – Will Create A More Efficient Budget Process For New York
The Assembly passed legislation that allows historic reforms to New York’s budget process to go forward. The Senate has also passed matching legislation. The bipartisan budget reform plan includes moving the start of New York’s fiscal year from April 1 to May 1 to allow for better revenue and spending projections and instituting provisions to instill greater accountability in the process. If a budget is in not place by May 1, the plan provides for a contingency budget equivalent to that of the preceding year (A.11702/S.7615).