NY State Senate Passes Six More Harckham Sponsored Bills

Albany, NY – Six more bills introduced and sponsored by New York State Senator Pete Harckham were approved in the State Senate today. The legislation addresses important issues regarding emergency preparedness plans at Indian Point, state audits unfairly costing drug treatment providers millions of dollars and raising the age for ATV operation to 14.

“Each of these bills meets a need or concern affecting our communities and offers proper legislative assistance,” said Harckham. “I thank Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and my Senate colleagues for the support they have given these bills during their approval process.”

The six newly passed bills include:

S.2999B includes all nuclear electric generating facilities and those that are being decommissioned and used to store spent nuclear fuel to this list of facilities necessitating an accepted radiological emergency preparedness plan. The bill also sets in place a fee structure for the license holder of the nuclear facility to pay for the preparedness plan.

S.4486A guarantees due process protections to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment providers when being audited by the state’s Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG). The legislation became necessary because a number of treatment and health care providers have faced onerous fines after audits uncovered no fraud or abuse but small clerical errors.

S.6694 removes certain restrictions and now allow dental hygienists and registered dental assistants to administer nitrous oxide analgesia and local infiltration anesthesia during all dental procedures instead of just dental hygiene procedures.  This legislation will allow dental offices to function more efficiently, which will benefit patients and allow dentists and dental hygienists to provide greater access to care.

S.680  promotes greater All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) safety and prevents tragedies involving minors by raising the allowable age to operate an ATV from 10 to 14.

S.6322A establishes the East of Hudson watershed road salt reduction task force, pilot plan and test program to conduct a comprehensive review of road salt contamination and road management best practices within the East of Hudson watershed.

S.6654B authorizes building inspectors, fire inspectors and code enforcement officers of the village of Buchanan, county of Westchester to live within Westchester, an adjoining county or Dutchess county.