Votes in the NYS Senate for the Week of March 4, 2019

The bills listed below were voted on this week in the New York State Senate.  The legislation is listed by bill number and includes a short description, followed by Senator Gallivan's vote.  You can access each bill individually at the links provided below.

#S2070  Creates the rural suicide prevention council; requires biennial reports on the findings of the council.

AYE

#S2403  This bill will establish a review of suicide prevention programs by the office of mental health. This will ensure that the individuals at risk of suicide are being met with the adequate and responsible care they need.

AYE

#S2409  EXTENDER BILL - This bill would extend for one year, until 2020, the authority of DEC to manage crabs by regulation.

AYE

#S2410  This bill would amend Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) § 13-0328 to: 1) maintain a cap on the number of commercial food fish, crab, whelk (conch), and Marine and Coastal District Party and Charter Boat licenses or permits that may be issued; 2) maintain the current moratorium on new lobster permits; and 3) maintain the current eligibility requirements.

AYE

#S2450A  Requires the owner of any rifle, shotgun or firearm who resides with any person under the age of 16 years to secure such firearm(s) with a gun locking device or in a safe storage depository. Also requires businesses and licensing officers to provide notice of new requirement upon issuance or sale.

NAY (Legislation renders possessing a firearm useless for self-defense; likely unconstitutional pursuant to Columbia V. Heller)

#S35  Clarifies the definition of imitation weapon to not be a weapon colored white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink or bright purple or is constructed entirely of transparent or translucent materials which permits unmistakable observation of the imitation or toy firearm's complete contents. Such weapon must also not have a laser pointer.

AYE

#S2984  This perennial bill authorizes certain professions, including physicians, physician’s assistants, massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, nurses, nurse practitioners, EMTs, podiatrists or athletic trainers licensed or certified in another state or territory to provide services at the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events, sanction by the World Triathlon Corporation, to be held in Lake Placid on July 28, 2019 and September 8, 2019, respectively.

AYE

#S2300A  Enacts the voter friendly ballot act; relates to the form of the ballot for elections; removes additional provisions for primary elections for New York city. Establishes new instructions to help voters mark the ballot. Precludes party emblems from being printed on the ballot.

NAY (This is an unfunded mandate; no Boards of Elections were consulted)

#S2333  Requires the filing of additional transferor and contributor identification information (if such contribution exceeds $500) in campaign receipt and expenditure statements, to include the occupation, employer and employer's address in the case of a natural person. This bill also allows for statements required to be filed in the 15 days prior to any election to be filed either in person or sent by express or electronic mail.

NAY (Legislation is unnecessary and cumbersome; intrusion of the privacy of the donor)

#S3134  This bill would allow filings with a local campaign finance board to meet state filing requirements and thereby eliminate duplicative filings when the local filing contains all of the information required by state law. NOTE - this bill would only impact NYC at this time.

AYE

#S3140  This bill requires local boards of elections to calculate and publish on their websites all contribution limits established for county, town and village offices on the ballot in that year. Such publication must be done before April 15th.

AYE

#S3145  This bill would make technical amendments to the provisions of law governing ballot proposals. In particular, it strikes language identifying "voting levers" or "levers". It also permits a graphic arrow be placed on the ballot to indicate that the ballot is two-sided.

AYE

#S3167  This bill precludes government vendors or prospective vendors from donating ( for a period beginning engaging in lobbying to generate a procurement or submits a bid and ending six months after a final contract is awarded or if not awarded a contract, immediately upon issuance of such contract) to a campaign of an office holder or to an candidate for office who has authority over a procurement posting or solicitation, evaluating responses to the procurement for purposes of determining an award, or approving the selection of an awardee, or awarding the final contract. Requires state agencies or authorities to provide notice of such prohibition. Establishes a civil penalty for violating such prohibition to no greater than $10,000 or an amount equal to 200% of the donation.

AYE

#S3697  This bill precludes any contributions to a candidate where the entity attempting to make such contribution is owned by the candidate or candidates family. Such prohibition would apply only to those with at least a 35 percent ownership stake. Family members would be those within the 2nd degree of consanguinity (parents, siblings, children, grandparents and grand children).

NAY

#S781  Allows the planning commission or planning board of a city, village, county, or town to request assistance from the Office of Information Technology Services in various GIS mapping or conducting of surveys when it is part of a strategic plan involving a review or study of floor space usage.

AYE

#S252  The cap on limited local purchasing of food by a school district or BOCES is removed in its entirety. This bill would also allow a Board of Education to include language in an offer for bids favoring local or regional procurement if certain standards were met.

AYE

#S3099  To provide "legacy credits" to a step child or the child of a surviving spouse of a firefighter, police officer, emergency medical technician or paramedic killed in the line of duty. Legacy credits are points which can be used on civil service tests when the job applicant is the child of a first responder killed in the line of duty.

AYE

#S23  Directs the public service commission to maintain the continued viability of the state's existing large-scale, renewable energy resources.

AYE

#S2927  Authorizes a person to hold the office of receiver of taxes in the town of North Castle while living outside of such municipality.

AYE

#S3115  Permits a person performing the functions of assistant district attorney or senior assistant district attorney in Cayuga county to be a resident of either Cayuga county or an adjoining county.

AYE

#S1265  Authorizes the use of innovative techniques to enhance public participation in the rule making process; provides that use of such techniques shall in no way otherwise diminish public participation in the rule making process; establishes a three year pilot project for seven major regulatory agencies to hold public hearings upon petition of 125 or more New York residents.

AYE

#S2846  To ensure that the payment of grants by NYSERDA to small businesses is made no later than 120 days after the notification of such funding award.

AYE

#S3163  This bill would allow small businesses to make contributions into a small business tax-deferred savings account to which the monies in such account may be withdrawn tax free during times of specified economic hardship, for the purpose of job retention or creation, or times where the Governor deems it a natural disaster to warrant assistance from the federal government.

AYE

#S1087  Establishes the small business crime prevention services program to provide small businesses with information on strategies, best practices and programs offering training and assistance in prevention of crimes in and around the premises of small businesses or otherwise affecting small businesses, including but not limited to: assault, arson and other violent felony offenses; robbery, burglary, theft, identity theft counterfeiting, check and credit card fraud and other fraud; and vandalism, graffiti and other property damage; further provides that information on eligibility and applications for financial assistance be made available to small businesses; authorizes the New York state urban development corporation to provide loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies and grants to small businesses, municipalities, not-for-profit corporations or other organizations for the purpose of preventing crimes against small businesses or on the premises or in the vicinity of small businesses; makes related provisions.

AYE

#S2842  Authorizes state agencies to publish and transmit certain rule making notices by electronic means; provides for the provision of the state register by electronic means; authorizes the legislative administrative regulations review commission to accept data transmitted by electronic means.

AYE

#S2109  Requires agents of licensed money transmitters to remit moneys to the licensee within the time frame provided in the contract between the agent and the licensee; makes agents liable for treble damages for failure to remit moneys in a timely manner.

AYE