Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – June 12, 2018

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

  • Tensions Continue to Run High in the State Senate
  • Governor Proposes ‘Extreme Risk Protection Order’ Legislation
  • Governor Announces Smart Schools Investment Plan Awards
  • DEC Announces Household Cleaning Product Information Disclosure Program
  • Comptroller Performing School Safety Audits
  • Groups Renew Call for Economic Development Reform
  • Teachout, Maloney Launch Campaigns for Attorney General
  • Molinaro Promises Term Limits If Elected Governor
  • Winners & Losers
  • Coming Up

Tensions Continue to Run High in the State Senate

With one Republican State Senator missing from Albany because he has returned to active military duty, the Senate has been left with 31 Republicans and 31 Democrats. Last Monday, 130 bills were passed quietly with overwhelming bipartisan support.

But on Tuesday, political divisions once again led to legislative gridlock in the Senate. Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul was presiding over the chamber, when the Democrats attempted to advance an amendment on contraception and abortion rights. (The Lt. Governor can, under very limited circumstances, cast a tie-breaking vote.) A stalemate ensured, with each side accusing the other of political gamesmanship. The Senate adjourned without passing any legislation.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Lt. Governor did not preside, and the Senate returned to its normal legislative operations. That was continued yesterday as the Senate approved over 70 bills. While the usual end-of-session avalanche of bills is likely, it’s not clear whether the Governor and the two houses will reach agreement on any major legislation before session ends next week.

Governor Proposes ‘Extreme Risk Protection Order’ Legislation

Last Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that he has proposed an extreme risk protection order bill law that would prevent individuals determined by a court to be likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to themselves or others from purchasing, possessing, or attempting to purchase or possess any type of firearm, including hand guns, rifles, or shotguns.

Under the proposal, school officials would be able to request guns be taken from students if there is “probable cause” to believe the student may harm themselves or anyone else. The Governor was joined at the announcement by leaders of the state’s teachers’ unions and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“While the conservative leadership in Washington remains immobilized by the NRA, in New York we refuse to be intimidated by the gun lobby and will continue to take action to protect the people of our state. Across the nation, students and communities are taking to the streets to demand change, and we are once again picking up the mantle of leadership from Washington with common sense measures to target the roots of school shootings, and prevent gun violence, tragedies and heartbreak.”

Governor Announces Smart Schools Investment Plan Awards

Last Monday, Gov. Cuomo announced the approval of 49 Smart Schools Investment Plans totaling $34 million part of 2014’s $2 billion Smart Schools Bond Act.

The Smart Schools Review Board approved 49 plans to fund projects at 46 school districts and 3 special education schools. Projects include $10.4 million for school and community connectivity; $9.2 million for classroom technology purchase; $7.2 million for high-tech security projects; $4.9 million to replace temporary classroom units; and $2.3 million to construct pre-kindergarten classrooms.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“These critical investments in modern technology for classrooms across the state will expand educational opportunity, help ensure safety, increase student engagement, boost achievement, and close the digital divide. The Smart Schools program provides students with the necessary skills and technology to grow and thrive in today’s economy.”

DEC Announces Household Cleaning Product Information Disclosure Program

On Thursday, the State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the launch of the state’s new disclosure program for chemicals in household cleaning products. According to DEC, New York is the first state in the nation to require manufacturers to disclose chemical ingredients in cleaning products.

The Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program requires manufacturers to disclose the name and unique chemical number of all intentionally added ingredients, including fragrances; all byproducts, such as 1,4 Dioxane, including those present in trace quantities that appear on state, national or international lists of identified chemicals of concern; and any impurity due to environmental contamination present in trace quantities that appear on such lists and are present above levels found in well-regulated public water systems located in the United States.

Additional disclosures required by the program include a prominent statement regarding the nature and extent of information being withheld as confidential business information; the listing of ingredients in order of predominance by weight; a clear method of indicating that a chemical has been identified as a chemical of concern; the provision of a toll-free number to answer consumer requests for more information; and the posting of studies the manufacturer has conducted on the health and environmental effects of any of its products and ingredients.

Comptroller Performing School Safety Audits

Last Monday, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced that his office is auditing the State Education Department (SED) and the New York City Department of Education (DoE) to determine whether they are doing enough to ensure schools have adequate and up-to-date safety plans in the event of a school shooting or major emergency.

Comptroller DiNapoli said:

“The epidemic of deadly school shootings in the past few years and the terror wrought in our children’s classrooms is horrifying. Sadly, every school district in New York and across the country has to plan for the unthinkable. My auditors are going to examine if the laws and programs New York has in place to keep our children safe in schools are being followed. We need to do everything we can to prevent senseless tragedies.”

Groups Renew Call for Economic Development Reform

On Thursday, a coalition of government and fiscal watchdogs and progressive groups called on the Assembly to approve two bills that have already been approved in the Senate that would reform New York’s economic development programs. 

These measures include creating a “database of deals” that lists details of all economic development projects that receive taxpayer money (S.6613-B), and restore the state comptroller’s authority to independently review the projects (S.3984-A). 

Both measures have been approved by the Senate. 

Teachout, Maloney Launch Campaigns for Attorney General

Last Tuesday, law professor Zephyr Teachout announced that she is running for state Attorney General in the Democratic Primary. (Watch her launch video.)  She launched her campaign at an event near Trump Tower in Manhattan, where she promised to take a hard line on the “unconstitutional” policies of President Trump while also taking on corruption in Albany and on Wall Street. Teachout lost in the Democratic primary for New York Governor in 2014, and lost a Congressional race against Congressman John Faso in 2016.

On Wednesday, Hudson Valley Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney announced that he plans to run for Attorney General.  A Democrat, he represents Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester counties.  Maloney, the first openly gay member of the state’s congressional delegation, ran for the position in 2006, losing a three-way primary to now-Governor Andrew Cuomo. Maloney is also simultaneously running for reelection to his congressional seat as he seeks the Democratic nomination for AG, despite questions about its legality.

Two other Democrats are running in the September 13th Democratic primary — New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, who won the endorsement of state Democrats at their convention last month, and Leecia Eve, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton and Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Teachout, Maloney and Eve will have to collect at least 15,000 petition signatures by July 12 in order to appear on the Democratic primary ballot. The winner of that race will face Republican Keith Wofford in November.

Barbara Underwood is the current state Attorney General.  She was chosen by the Legislature to complete the term of Democrat Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in May following allegations of physically abusing women.

Molinaro Promises Term Limits If Elected Governor

Marc Molinaro, the Republican candidate for Governor, said this week that he would only serve two four-year terms if he is elected. Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive, also said that he would seek to institute term limits for statewide elected officials and state legislators.

Molinaro said:

“This state government has allowed for the consolidation of power around too few people, and this governor has consumed too much of it.  It is necessary for us to establish term limits and to ensure that this state government have turnover so that the public remains in charge and the people remain in charge.”

Winners & Losers

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read last week’s list here.

Coming Up

The Legislature is in session through Thursday this week.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on June 14.

The 2018 state legislative session is scheduled to end on June 20.

The state Board of Elections holds its next meeting on June 25.

The state’s congressional primary elections will be held on June 26.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on June 26.