Galef Sponsored
Legislation
to Help School Districts, Firefighters, and Small Business

School District Reserve Funds
Chapter 445
Allows school districts to keep their reserve funds on deposit for more than four years to handle the impact of long-running property tax certiorari cases. Once settled, these cases often result in hefty costs and tax increases for those living within a school district. Long-lasting tax certiorari cases can wipe out school district reserve funds and increase school budgets in a significant way. With this new law, schools can devise fiscally responsible long-term plans.

Volunteer Firefighter and Ambulance Worker Income Tax Credit
Chapter 532
Allows volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers to qualify for a new personal income tax credit on their 2007 income tax returns, filed by April 15, 2008, as long as they told their assessor before the end of 2007 that they wish to discontinue their real property tax exemption for such service and switch to the new PIT credit. It allows the volunteers to choose whichever tax credit is more beneficial to them.

Domain Name Cyber Piracy
Chapter 449
Deals with cyber piracy by prohibiting someone from registering a domain name consisting of the name of another living person or business with the intent of selling it back to that same person or business for a profit. Prior to this law, many small business owners had to buy back their domain names before they could do business on the internet. Often the buyback costs are high and impact the ability of a small concern to be successful.

Sandy is shown addressing her constituent concerns at town meetings last year at the Kent Free Library and the Field Library in Peekskill. This year’s town meetings will be held at the Kent, Field, Ossining, Hendrick Hudson, Butterfield, and Putnam Valley libraries.

OTHER NEW LAWS PASSED IN ALBANY

CODES/CORRECTIONS

Civil Confinement Ex-Offender Management and Treatment Act
Chapter 7
Allows mental health professionals to determine if a detained sex offender is predisposed to commit future sex crimes. Offender could be confined to a mental health facility or be required to undergo intensive supervision after release from prison.

Failure To Register As A Sex Offender Penalty
Chapter 373
Increases the penalty from a class A misdemeanor to a class E felony for sex offenders who fail to register with the state’s Sex Offender Registry. Violators could now be sentenced up to four years in prison.

Amendments to Penal Law and Vehicle and Traffic Law
Chapter 345
Creates the new crime of aggravated vehicular homicide. Increases the crime of reckless driving from a Class C felony to a Class B felony, with a penalty of up to 25 years. Also increases the penalty for aggravated vehicular assault from a Class D felony to a Class C felony, with a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors
Chapter 8
Amends the Penal Law to ensure that graphic written text transmitted over the computer to a minor falls within the purview of the statute relating to indecent material.

Service Animals
Chapter 582
Protects service animals such as guide dogs who help to improve the daily lives of disabled individuals. Violators who attack service animals could be charged with a Class E felony and face a prison term of up to four years.

Human Trafficking
Chapter 74
Creates new crimes of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, and provides a mechanism to allow victims to receive social services. Clarifies that someone who sells travel services to prostitution tourists may be found guilty of third-degree promoting prostitution, a class D felony.

HIV Testing
Chapter 571
Requires HIV testing of those accused of a sex crime and ensures that victims of sexual assault are notified promptly if they have been infected so they can seek appropriate medical treatment.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Mail-Order and Telephone-Order Merchandise
Chapter 72
Ensures that on-line e-mail purchases be subject to the same consumer protection laws that apply to goods and services that are sold through the mail or by telephone.

ELECTION LAW

Presidential Primary
Chapter 17
Makes Tuesday, February 5, 2008 the date of New York State’s primary for U.S. President and Vice President. Moves the presidential primary date from previous date of March 2nd.

GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Ethics Reform Legislation
Chapter 14
Establishes a series of reforms to the state’s lobbying and ethics laws, including a ban on gifts from lobbyists to legislators and the creation of a comprehensive ethics agency to ensure the integrity of state government. Prohibits public officials from being paid for speeches, and forbids elected officials and candidates for elected local, state or federal office from appearing in taxpayer-funded advertisements.

Police Reports for Identity Theft
Chapter 346
Requires that victims of identity theft are provided with a free copy of the police report and that local law enforcement agencies begin an investigation of the facts.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Student Lending Accountability Transparency Enforcement (SLATE)
Chapter 41
Prevents lenders and higher education institutions from steering students and their families into loans that are not in their best interest and engaging in practices that create conflicts of interest.

TRANSPORTATION

Congestion Mitigation
Chapter 384
Establishes a 17-member commission to develop a plan to address the worsening traffic congestion in New York City. Commission will issue recommendations to the state and city by January 31, 2008.

Sandy is shown interviewing Lawrence Norden of the NYU Law School’s Brennan Center for her half-hour monthly television program “Speakout with Sandy Galef”. Mr. Norden authored a report on reforming the New York State Legislature. “Speakout” airs weekly over Cablevision channels throughout Westchester and Putnam Counties. Call Sandy’s office at 914-941-1111 for the schedule.