Mayer Announces Sponsored Bills Passed Legislature

(Albany, NY) – New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer today announced 35 bills she sponsored in the Senate passed both houses of the legislature during the 2022 legislative session. Of those bills, five have already been signed by the Governor, and five were included in the enacted New York State Budget in April. In addition to many other major pieces of legislation which she co-sponsored, including those addressing gun violence and civil rights, Mayer helped achieve major education gains during the negotiation of the NYS 2022-2023 Fiscal Budget. 

Senator Shelley B. Mayer said: “Working with my colleagues under the leadership of Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, we were able to pass substantive bills that impact the daily lives of New Yorkers. I was pleased to co-sponsor many of the major bills we passed, including bills to prevent gun violence, strengthen reproductive rights, and build on our commitment to funding and strengthening education. We also passed bills that are especially important to my district, including bills to address flood resiliency, protect the disabled, and benefit consumers. I am incredibly proud of the work we have done this session.”

The full list of Senator Mayer’s sponsored bills that passed both the New York State Senate and Assembly is available below:

Education: 

• S.8276A/A.9600: Signed by the Governor on May 13, this legislation limits the ability of school districts to use APPR reviews to determine tenure decisions in response to COVID-19 related disruptions continued during the 2021-2022 school year. 
• S.7619/A.9025: Signed by the Governor on March 26, this legislation allowed voters concerned about voting in-person due to COVID-19 outbreaks to request an absentee ballot for school district elections in 2022.
• S.8802/A.9973: Continues to allow approved multidisciplinary evaluation programs to employ a certified school psychologist to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation of a preschool child, infant or toddler having or suspected of having a disability.
• S.8803/A.9988: This bill would amend the state constitution to eliminate the 5% debt limitation for small city school districts' capital projects and align them with all other independent school districts. This legislation must pass again during the 2023 legislative session and then be presented to voters for approval in the general election. This bill would benefit White Plains, New Rochelle and the City of Rye. 
• S.7700/A.8689: Signed by the Governor on February 24, this legislation broadens the composition of the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission and authorizes the commission to submit letters of support for grant applications for commemoration-related projects.

Protection for People with Disabilities: 

• S.7377/A.9162: Establishes the Statewide Group Home Families Working Group to give more voice to residents of group homes and their families and guardians into the policies of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. 
• S.7513/A.8671: Requires that the private duty nurse (PDN) reimbursement rates for PDNs caring for medically fragile adults (those over the age of 21) be increased to equal the PDN reimbursement rates for PDNs caring for medically fragile children. This legislation was included in the enacted New York State Budget in April. 

Consumer Protection: 

• S.16D/A.431C: Prohibits selling diet pills and supplements for weight loss and muscle-building to minors.
• S.9432/A.8659B: Requires the MTA to establish a vegetation management policy that will enhance communication with residents living adjacent to MTA train routes.
• S.7714/A.8745: Signed by the Governor on Jan. 24, this legislation amends a law passed last year to clarify that transit cards do not qualify as gift cards. 
• S.9121/A.10490: Provides the credit card industry with one additional year to comply with consumer protection legislation regarding credit card rewards that was signed into law last year.

Violence Prevention: 

• S.6363A/A.8102A: Requires the court, during order of protection proceedings, to order search and immediate seizure of firearms when defendants/respondents willfully refuse to surrender such firearms.
• S.6443B/A.8105A: Requires judges, during order of protection proceedings, to question defendants/respondents as to whether they own or possess guns.
• S.244B/A.887C: Requires lodging facilities to provide human-trafficking recognition training programs to all employees.

Labor & Employment Protections: 

• S.6828A/A.9268A: Requires the Department of Labor to notify claimants applying for unemployment benefits within 30 days whether the claim has been approved or denied.
• S.5557A/A.7383A: Allows former NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection police officers to transfer their service credit from the NYC Employees’ Retirement System when they take a job with a police department which is in the NYS Police and Fire Retirement System.
• S.7811/A.8727: Amends a law passed last year that extended prevailing wage to hauling work to specify that the provisions apply to public works worksites. 

Flood Resiliency:

• S.7582B/A.9216B: Requires that the New York State Building Code be revised to incorporate enhanced measures for flood mitigation and flood safety that account for the increased likelihood of flooding due to climate change. 
• S.7530/A.4245: Permits funds from the Environmental Protection Fund to be used for Climate Smart Communities projects that involve acquisition of real property for flood mitigation purposes. This legislation was included in the enacted New York State Budget in April. 
• S.8135/A.9249: Creates the $41 million Hurricane Ida unreimbursed damages fund. This legislation was included in the enacted New York State Budget in April. 

Streamlining State Regulations: 

• S.4784A/A.9628: Allows acknowledgements and proofs by any officer in active service of the armed forces who is authorized to act as a notary.
• S.8663/A.9409: Enables religious corporations to hold virtual and hybrid meetings.
• S.4367B/A.6960A: Relates to the public’s ability to observe public bodies at meetings held partially remotely. This legislation was included and enacted in the New York State Budget. 
• S.4687B/A.6863: Ensures the public’s ability to provide comments during virtual and hybrid meetings. This legislation was included in the enacted New York State Budget in April. 

Local: 

• S.8985/A.10427: Expands the list of counties that stenographers can reside in while working for the Westchester County District Attorney.
• S.7691/A.8759: Signed by the Governor on Jan. 24, this legislation authorizes Westchester County to waive certain fees for veterans' organizations. 
• S.8986/A.10145: Clarifies a law passed last year authorizing the city of New Rochelle to sell, convey and alienate certain land adjacent to the New Rochelle Armory to take advantage of economic development opportunities and enhance parkland adjacent to the development.
• S.8662/A.9745: Implements a residential parking system in the Sutton Manor neighborhood of New Rochelle.
• S.8939/A.10045: Implements a residential parking system in the city of Rye on Mead Place.
• Extend occupancy taxes applicable to hotels and similar locations for the communities of Rye Brook (S.7683/A.8666), North Castle (S.8040/A.9612), Port Chester (S.8041/A.9116), Tuckahoe (S.8042/A.9089), Harrison (S.8043/A.9758), and Mamaroneck (S.8045/A.9110).  

Mayer will hold two public information sessions to discuss bills and answer questions about the 2022 legislative session: 

• June 21 at 6 p.m. – Virtual information session. Attendees can watch on Zoom, bit.ly/LegislativeUpdate22, or Facebook, Facebook.com/ShelleyMayerSD37. 
• June 22 at 5 p.m. – In-person information session at Joe Curtis Five Islands Park located at 99 Le Fevres Ln, New Rochelle. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP and ask questions in advance by visiting bit.ly/LegislativeInPerson. This event will not be recorded.