Budget Hearings, Legislation Passed, GEA

My thanks to everyone who brought items to my electronics recycling event on Saturday. We had a very successful event, with an amazing turnout. The Food Bank of CNY will benefit from a generous donation from Sunnking Recycling based on the total weight of items collected. If you weren’t able to make it to this event, please keep an eye out. We will be doing more in the future.

The Legislative Session is now in full swing, and as Vice Chair of the Senate Health Committee I am participating in budget hearings this week on funding for health-related issues.

In addition, the Senate has passed a package of legislation that would help keep communities safer from sexual predators. The seven bills would help prevent the most dangerous offenders from having contact with children and college students; require more stringent residency reporting requirements for the sex offender registry; strengthen penalties for those who help sex offenders evade registration requirements; and create a public awareness program to educate schools, community groups, and clergy on issues related to sex offenders.

• S.851, which I co-sponsored, would prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from being placed in temporary and emergency housing or homeless shelters where children are present.
• S.869 would make it a crime for anyone to knowingly harbor, house, or employ a sex offender who has failed to register or verify residence or employment and fails to contact their local law enforcement agency.
• S.2084 would prohibit a sexually violent or Level 3 sex offender who committed a crime against a child from being granted custody and unsupervised visitation with a child.
• S.1608 would require reporting of multiple residences when a sex offender is living somewhere part-time.
• S.396 would require the commissioner of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to contact local officials and school superintendents when a sex offender is transferred to a community program or residence within their municipality.
• S.833 would prohibit Level 3 sex offenders from living in student housing on college campuses and makes it a class A misdemeanor upon conviction of a first offense, and a class D felony upon conviction for a second or subsequent offense.
• S.845 would establish a sex offender public awareness outreach program. This program would provide educational outreach to schools, community groups, and clergy on issues related to sex offenders.

These bills have been sent to the Assembly.

I’ve also been receiving a lot of communication from constituents voicing their concerns about education funding. The budget process is ongoing, and at the core of public education must exist fair and equitable funding. I have made this, including an accelerated paydown and elimination of the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA), my highest priority in budget negotiations and have signed on as a co-sponsor of bill S.2743, which would repeal the GEA.

Are You 3DayOK?

In recent years, Central New York has experienced many severe weather events. A 2013 survey revealed that Onondaga County residents are underprepared for these events, and have a high reliance on first responders to assist them within hours of an emergency, regardless of the event’s size. The 3DayOK Partnership was created to educate Onondaga County residents to be prepared for the first three days of a large-scale event by ensuring that they have a plan in place for themselves and their family with the supplies they would need in order to be self-reliant for three days.

More information and materials about how you can make a three-day survival kit with food, water, and other important supplies; develop a plan for your family to remain safe; and educate a neighbor are available on the 3DayOk website.

Reduction in DMV Wait Times

In September 2014, the average wait time at State-run DMV offices was reduced to 30 minutes – down from an average of 72 minutes in March 2013. Several changes contributed to the wait-time reduction. The DMV implemented a reservation system to all customers to reserve a day and time convenient for them without a wait. Other improvements include expanded office hours, new technology at call centers to expedite the 4.5 million calls received each year, and assigning employees to greet customers upon arriving at DMV offices in order to ensure they can efficiently navigate the office and the documents needed. Customers may also have the results of required eye exams transmitted electronically from their vision provider to the DMV, after which they can renew their driver license online without having to visit a DMV office.

Kiosks were also placed in most DMV offices to allow customers to process their own registration renewals and replacements, driver license and non-driver ID renewals and replacements, permit replacements, address changes, and driver license record requests.

Local Business to Create 40 New Jobs Under START-UP NY

Windsor Wood USA, LLC is a new manufacturer of proprietary wood products. The company will apply a “black box” process to hardwoods to create a stronger, more flexible, and virtually unbreakable wooden material, which will be used in a variety of manufacturing applications, including sports-related products (wooden bats, lacrosse sticks, field hockey sticks, etc.), lifestyle products, architectural mill work products, auto interiors, and others. The company will locate to the Salina Industrial Powerpark, and create 40 net new jobs while investing $2.2 million.

NYS Gaming Commission Issues Alert for Scams Involving Fake Lottery Prizes

 The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) urges consumers to be alert to recent scams involving fake Lottery prizes. In the scam, an individual is contacted by phone, email, or letter from a company claiming to be the New York Lottery and claiming that the individual has won a prize.

The NYSGC reminds consumers that it does not notify winners; winners notify the commission. The New York Lottery never requires the payment of any money in order to claim a prize. No one should ever send any money to pay a “processing fee” or any other suggested fee in relation to claiming a prize. Do not deposit any check sent to you that is accompanied by a request that you send or wire money to cover processing or claiming fees.

The NYSGC urges consumers to report Lottery scams through one or more of the following measures: 

• Contact the New York Lottery’s Security Unit at 518-388-3416.
• File a complaint with the New York State Attorney General's Office by calling the office’s Consumer Helpline at 1-800-771-7755 or by visiting the Attorney General's website.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Light Work Lab: Industry Night

Light Work Lab is hosting its first Industry Night with free open-access printing for all. From 5:30-9:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, Light Work Lab will open its doors to all artists and photographers in the community. During this time, inkjet printing will be free, just bring your own paper. No Lab membership is needed, and staff will be on-hand to help you get started.

NYS Fair to Auction Surplus Items on State’s eBay Site

The New York State Fair will auction off dozens of surplus items via the state’s official eBay marketplace beginning Monday, February 2 at nysstore.com, the state’s official eBay marketplace for surplus equipment statewide. The items run the gamut from screws, washers, and hex nuts to janitorial supplies to security camera equipment to a commercial coffee maker. All equipment is being sold as is. Buyers must pick up their purchases. Interested bidders can inspect equipment for sale by contacting Nick Pirro, Jr. at 315-487-7711 ext. 1214 no less than 24 hours in advance of the inspection.