Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
June 11, 2021
What’s Inside
- 2021 Legislative Session Concludes
- Senate Confirmations
- Assembly Spending Resolutions
- Senate Spending Resolutions
- Reminders and Links
- Coming Up
2021 Legislative Session Concludes
The 2021 legislative session wrapped up this week with both houses completing their work on Thursday and in the early morning hours of Friday respectively. Notable for being in session in hybrid form since January, and beginning the year with a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall, later alleviated by federal coronavirus relief, and now concluding with a embattled Governor and the passage of hundreds of bills by both houses.
The end of session came without the typical three way negotiations on big issues leading to it being characterized as anti-climactic. One deal, which ultimately fell apart would have given the legislature a needed message-of-necessity to fix an error in a parole reform bill, and given the Governor another bill splitting the leadership of the MTA into two positions. Ultimately the Senate departed with a pledge to return this summer once a deal could be reached on parole reform and the MTA changes desired by the Governor. Both houses returned to work this session passing a typical number of bills after last year was truncated by the pandemic. The Senate passed 1,559 bills and the Assembly passed 1,054. 892 bills passed both houses, which is a larger than usual total of two-house bills.
Criminal Justice
The Senate and Assembly passed the “less is more” act which limits the circumstances under which people subject to community supervision may be re-incarcerated for violations of the terms of community supervision and capping the length of any such re-incarceration.
The “clean slate” act did not pass both houses due to a drafting error that could not be fixed with enough time to properly age the bill without a message-of-necessity from the Governor. A deal which would have provided a message-of-necessity in exchange for passing a bill to split the MTA leadership into two positions fell apart and ultimately neither passed both houses.
Single-payer
Neither the Assembly or Senate were able to pass the New York Health Act, which would have imposed a government run single-payer healthcare system in New York and would have supplanted Medicare and private insurance. The bill would have led to the largest tax increase in the nation’s history, with estimates of at least $250 billion in new taxes to cover the cost of the program. Advocates pushed hard for the bill in the waning days of session which is co-sponsored by a majority of members in each house. Proponents of the bill are already beginning to lay the groundwork for next year.
Sexual Harassment
A bill that would prohibit liquidated damages provisions in confidential settlements of harassment and discrimination claims failed to pass both houses. The Senate passed the bill in late May, but, it failed to come to a vote in the Assembly.
Adult Survivors Act
Another bill passed by the Senate – but not by the Assembly – is the Adult Survivors Act. Modeled on the Child Victims Act, the bill would have created a one-year window for the revival of otherwise time-barred civil claims arising out of sexual offenses committed against people who were 18 or older at the time of the conduct. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate.
Gun Control
The Assembly and Senate were able to come to some consensus on gun control legislation. Both houses passed bills that would ban “ghost guns” which are unfinished frames or receivers that can be manipulated to create a workable firearm. The legislature also banned aftermarket colorization of firearms that are intended to mimic toy guns.
Environment
Advocates were disappointed by the legislature’s inaction on the Climate and Community Investment Act which would have imposed a tax on carbon. The bill would have resulted in an estimated 55 cent tax on each gallon of gasoline sold and a 25-30 percent increase in home heating costs. The Senate passed a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining, but, after opposition surfaced from prominent labor unions such as IBEW and the Building and Construction Trades Council the Assembly did not pass the bill. A bill that would have imposed a clean fuel standard did not pass either house, nor did another measure to establish an extended producer responsibility program for paper and packaging.
Antitrust
The Senate passed a bill to alter the state’s antitrust laws to require a pre-merger notification requirement for businesses and create a new European style abuse of dominance standard. The Assembly did not take up the bill.
Impeachment Funding
Both houses passed a bill that would provide funding for an impeachment investigation and proceeding in the event one takes place.
Senate Confirmations
The Senate confirmed all of the Governor’s nominations after some initial back and forth on Public Service Commission nominees and advocate pushback on a Court of Appeals nominee. The Senate confirmed the following nominees:
Court of Appeals
Madeline Singas
Antony Cannataro
Court of Claims
Damaris E. Torrent, Esq.
Rhonda Ziomaida Tomlinson, Esq.
Philippe Solages, Esq.
Ramon E. Rivera, Esq.
Gary Francis Miret
Hon. Linda Kelly Mejias
Hon. Debra L. Givens
Alicia Gerez
Administrative Review Board for Professional Medical Conduct
Carmela Torrelli, Member
Richard Milone, MD, Member
Authorities Budget Office
Jeffrey H. Pearlman Esq, Director
Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council
Roxanne Marie Lewin, MD, Member
Sabina Lim, MD, Member
Kathy Gardini, Member
Diane Blohm, Member
Patricia Marsik, Member
Judge Robert T. Russell, Member
Board of Directors Great Lakes Protection Fund
Judy Drabicki, Member
Board of Visitors
Marlene L. Roll, Member, Board of Visitors for the New York State Home for Veterans and Their Dependents at Batavia
Angela Paul, Member, Board of Visitors for the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Service Office
Charlene Ann Hrachian, Member, Board of Visitors of the Capital District Psychiatric Center
Philip E. McDowell, Member, Board of Visitors of the Central New York Forensic Psychiatric Center
Ronald Wright, Member, Board of Visitors of the Central New York Forensic Psychiatric Center
Sherilyn Coleman-Ferrer, Member, Board of Visitors of the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Services Office
Michael Kritkausky, Member, Board of Visitors of the Greater Binghamton Health Center
Jessica B. Brito, Member, Board of Visitors of the New York City Children’s Center
Michele D. Rampino, Member, Board of Visitors of the South Beach Psychiatric Center
Christian Taylor, Member, Board of Visitors of the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
Steven Nelson, Member, Board of Visitors of the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center
Capital District Transportation Authority
Joseph M. Spairana Jr., Member
Peter D. Wohl, Member
Central New York Regional Transportation Authority
Neil Milcarek-Burke, Member
Julius L. Lawrence Jr., Member
Monte Flynn, Member
Anthony Q. Davis, Sr., Member
Central New York State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Bethaida Gonzalez, Member
Lawrence Carpenter, Member
Civil Service Commission
Lani Jones, Commissioner
City University Construction Fund
Alan Lee Van Capelle, Trustee
Commission of Human Rights
Licha M. Nyiendo, Commissioner
Continuing Care Retirement Community Council
Herbert H. Friedman, Member
Madeline Lee, Member
CUNY Board of Trustees
Brian Obergfell, Trustee
Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, Trustee
Mayra S. Linares-Garcia, Trustee
Kenneth M. Sunshine, Trustee
Robert F. Mujica, Member
Henry Berger, Trustee
Dr. Herminia Palacio, Trustee
Angelo V. Vivolo, Trustee
Finger Lakes State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Nicolette Wagoner, Member
Sharon L. Miller, Member
Gateway Development Commission
Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner
Steve M. Cohen, Commissioner
Jamey A. Barbas, Commissioner
Genesee State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Gail Serventi, Member
Higher Education Service Corporation
Andrew Sherman, Member
Industrial Board of Appeals
Sandra Abeles, Member
Justice Center Advisory Council
Megan C. O’Connor-Herbert, Member
Long Island State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Linda Armyn, Member
Bryan Erwin, Member
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Harold Porr, III, Member
Gerard Bringmann, Member
Minority Health Council
Mill Etienne, MD, Member
New York Convention Center Operating Corporation (Javits)
Quenia Abreu, Director
Joseph F. Chan, Director
New York State Board of Elections
Michael L. Johnson, Chief Enforcement Counsel
New York State Energy Research and Development Agency
Richard L. Kauffman, Member
Sarah McKeown Singman, Member
Sherburne B. Abbott, Member
Frances Ann Resheske, Member
Arturo Garcia-Costas, Member
Jay L. Koh, Member
New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation
Adam Zurofsky, Director
New York State Gaming Commission
Christopher Robert Riano, Member
Peter J. Moschetti. Jr., Member
New York State Housing Finance Agency
Sarah McKeown Singman, Member
Bethaida Gonzalez, Member
New York State Urban Development Corporation
Sharon Anne Miriam Glied, Director
Michael K. Rozen, LLP, Director
Office of Mental Health
Swarnjeet Bhatia, Member
Olympic Regional Development Authority
Frank Cardinale, Member
Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Mariko Silver, Member
Lisa Garcia, Member
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Steven M. Cohen, Commissioner
Power Authority of the State of New York
Bethaida Gonzalez, Trustee
Public Employment Relations Board
Rosemary A. Townley, Member
Public Health and Health Planning Council
Roxanne Marie Lewin, MD, Member
Sabina Lim, MD, Member
Jo Ivey Boufford, MD, Member
Kevin D. Watkins, MD, Member
Nilda I. Soto, Member
Patricia Yang, DrPH, Member
Public Service Commission
James E. Alesi, Commissioner
Rory M. Christian, Commissioner
David J. Valesky, Commissioner
John Maggiore, Commissioner
Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority
Terrence Rice, PE, Member
Daniel Kuntz, Member
Donald Jeffries, Member
Judith Ahlfeld Seil, Member
Susanne Carlock, Member
Brian Young, Member
Saratoga-Capital District State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Clifford Oliver Mealy, Member
State Athletic Commission
Lino Garcia, Commissioner
State Board For Historic Preservation
Gretchen S. Sorin, PhD, Member
State Camp Safety Advisory Council
Randolph R. DeFrank, Member
Jaime Sirkin, Member
State Commission of Correction
Yolanda Canty, Member
State Council on the Arts
Catherine Schwoeffermann, Member
Lawrence Howard Cook, Member
Aaron Albert Flagg, Member
Andrea Louie, Member
Carolee Fink, Member
David Alan Miller, Member
Adriana Maria Trigiani, Member
Monica Angle, Member
James Lemons, Member
State Insurance Fund
Kenneth R. Theobalds, Member
State of New York Mortgage Agency
Havidan Rodriguez, Director
State Police
Kevin P. Bruen, Superintendent
State Public Transportation Safety Board
Frank W. Kobliski, Member
State University Construction Fund
Kisha Santiago-Martinez, Member
Stewart Airport Commission
Heather Howley, Member
SUNY Board of Trustees
Joseph Warren Belluck, Trustee
Eunice A. Lewin, Trustee
Edward M. Spiro, Trustee
Eric Corngold, Trustee
Stanley S. Litow, Trustee
Cesar A. Perales, Trustee
Courtney E. Burke, Trustee
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Oluwole McFoy, Member
Tax Appeals Tribunal
Cynthia M. Monaco, Commissioner
Thousand Islands State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commission
Anastasia Praatt, PhD, Member
Lauren Piche, Member
Veterans’ Services Commission
Cheryl Dupris, Member
Assembly Spending Resolutions
The Assembly adopted their end of session spending resolutions that outline an itemized list of grantees for the 2021-22 state fiscal year.
Assembly Resolution E445 pertaining to the New York State Capital Assistance Program here.
Assembly Resolution E446 pertaining to grants in aid for services and expenses of the education department, human services organizations, criminal justice organizations and municipal entities, health programs and providers, veterans’ organization services, older adults programs, the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer-to-Peer Pilot Program, and the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant here.
Senate Spending Resolutions
The Senate adopted their end of session spending resolutions that outline an itemized list of grantees for the 2021-22 state fiscal year.
Senate Resolution R1244 pertaining to school districts, public libraries, and not-for-profit institutions here.
Senate Resolution R1245 pertaining to grants-in-aid to certain school districts here.
Senate Resolution R1246 pertaining to grants-in-aid to certain not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations here.
Senate Resolution R1247 pertaining to school based health centers here.
Senate Resolution R1248 pertaining to the New York State Economic Development Assistance Program here.
Reminders and Links
City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.
City & State NY’s 2021 Albany Power 100 here.
Coming Up
A Joint Senate/Assembly public hearing on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program is scheduled for June 16.
The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on June 17.
The Assembly will hold a public hearing on integrating services offered by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports and the Office of Mental Health on June 21.
JCOPE will hold its next meeting on June 29.
The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on July 12 and 13.