Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – March 8, 2017

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

  • Governor Visits Israel on Solidarity, Economic Development Mission
  • Governor, Legislative Leaders Release Consensus Revenue Forecast
  • Lawmakers Consider Impacts of Indian Point Closure
  • Assembly Hearing Looks at Home Care for the State’s Ailing, Elderly and Disabled
  • Governor Proposes Legislation to End Child Marriage
  • GOP Lawmakers Propose Partial SAFE Act Repeal
  • Poll: Governor’s Approval Rating Rises
  • Senate Democrats Launch MWBE Task Force
  • Political Update
  • Coming Up

Governor Visits Israel on Solidarity, Economic Development Mission

Gov. Cuomo traveled to Israel last weekend with a dual mission: promoting economic development with an important state trading partner, and “a message of solidarity” amid a spike in anti-Semitic incidents.  The trip will be the Governor’s second to Israel.

The Governor met with Israeli government and business leaders, and toured several religious sites and terrorism targets.

And in response to bomb threats and other anti-Semitic acts directed at Jewish targets around the country, the Governor has proposed an additional $25 million called for security and safety measures at religious schools.

Also responding to the heightened concerns at Jewish schools and other facilities, The Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) proposed a package of bills to increase penalties on crimes motivated by discrimination and religious violence.    The bills that the IDC is supporting including creating a specified offense for hate crime graffiti; increasing penalties for graffiti motivated by bias on religious property; prohibiting discrimination based on religious attire; and increasing penalties for cemetery desecration.

Governor, Legislative Release Consensus Revenue Forecast

The Governor and legislative leaders released the Consensus Revenue Forecast last week, which finds that announced this week, which predicts that the state’s revenues over the next two years will be $200 million higher than the Governor originally predicted in Executive Budget.

The forecast projects “continued modest economic growth for 2017” but “multiple risks to the economic outlook for the national and State economies.”  These potential risks, which could undermine future state revenues, include slow global economic growth; energy price volatility; as well as potential federal fiscal policy changes that could have significant impacts on the state’s finances.

Lawmakers Consider Impacts of Indian Point Closure

Last Tuesday, the Senate Energy & Telecommunications Committee and the Assembly Energy Committee held a joint public on the potential impacts of the shutdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant.   Lawmakers raised concerns about the security of the site, job losses, the decommissioning of the power plant, the loss of tax revenue to local governments, and the replacement of the 2,000 megawatts of power Indian Point generates.

Richard Kauffman, the Governor’s top energy advisor, said that the facility’s planned 2021 closure gives the state and local stakeholders “ample time” to address replacement power and economic challenges.

Shortly before the hearing began, Gov. Cuomo announced the launch of the Indian Point Closure Task Force, which will partner with local governments to address employment and property tax impacts, develop new economic opportunities and work force retraining. It will also monitor compliance with the closure agreement, coordinate ongoing safety inspections and review reliability and environmental concerns, among other issues.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“The landmark agreement to close Indian Point 14 years ahead of schedule will protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers. The creation of this new task force will help ensure potential impacts on the local community will be minimized and that an open dialogue is maintained throughout this transition process.”

Assembly Hearing Looks at Home Care for the State’s Ailing, Elderly and Disabled

Last Monday, the Assembly committees on Health, Aging, Labor and Health held a public hearing on the barriers to recruiting and maintaining homecare workers across New York.  Advocates say the shortage of home care workers has left many of the state’s elderly, chronically ill and people with disabilities to go without sufficient care.

State Medicaid Director Jason Helgerson expressed confidence that New York’s managed long-term care rates are sufficient to meet the needs of the nonprofits entities that pay direct-care workers.  He also noted that the Governor’s Executive budget proposal includes of helping entities that pay direct-care workers meet the obligations of the state-mandated rise in the minimum wage.

A number of witnesses disagreed with his assessment, arguing that the state’s reimbursement rates have remained stagnant even as the state’s elderly population is expanding. Some said that the system is in “crisis,” and that the problems are especially acute in rural areas.  Many providers are having problems due to the fast food minimum wage increase, while other see a long term problem in terms of ensuring that enough workers go into the field to meet the increasing burgeoning need for care as baby boomers age.

Governor Proposes Legislation to End Child Marriage

Last Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that he has proposed legislation to end child marriage by raising the age of consent to marry from 14 to 18-years-old in New York.  Under his proposal, anyone who issues a marriage license to a person under 18-years-old without parental and judicial written consent will be charged with a misdemeanor.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“New Yorkers will be shocked when they learn this law has been in place for so many years, and with this new legislation, we will put an end child marriage, give our young people a voice, and provide the rights and protections to minors that they deserve.  This is a major step forward in our efforts to protect children, prevent forced marriages, and create a safer and more just New York for all.”

GOP Lawmakers Propose Partial SAFE Act Repeal

A group of Republican state lawmakers are once again advocating for legislation that would limit the application of much of the SAFE Act to New York City.

The Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act of 2013 was enacted in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT.  At the time, Gov. Cuomo described it as “the toughest gun control law in the United States.”

The bill would make a number of elements of the SAFE Act – including the five-year recertification requirement for pistol permits; restrictions on transferring firearms to family members as part of an estate; and an expanded definition of an assault weapon — applicable only in New York City.

A similar bill was not acted on in either the Senate or Assembly in 2016.

Poll:  Governor’s Approval Rating Rises

A Siena College Research Institute poll released last week finds that Gov. Cuomo’s favorability rating with New York voters is at its highest since he was sworn in for a second term in January 2015.  The poll found Cuomo’s favorability rating with voters stands at 60 percent, with 34 percent holding an unfavorable view. The Governor’s job performance rating is rising as well, hitting 50%.

The poll also shows support for the Governor’s proposed agenda, with strong support for his proposals to extend the “millionaire’s tax,” to allow ride-hailing apps like Lyft and Uber to operate outside of New York City, to expanding the middle-class child care tax credit, and to provide free tuition to SUNY and CUNY institutions to families that earn less than $125,000.

Read the poll crosstabs here.

Senate Democrats Launch MWBE Task Force

Last Thursday, the Senate Democratic Conference announced the launch of a new task force to “encourage and support” minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) in the state, which will be chaired by State Senator James Sanders (D-Queens).

Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said:

“As we work to find creative ideas to grow our economy in New York State, empowering MWBEs is an important part of this effort.  I look forward to the impactful work that will come out of this task force, especially under the leadership of Senator Sanders who has been a pioneering legislator and advocate on this issue. We must harness the potential of MWBEs in our communities to spur economic activity throughout New York State.”

Political Update

Governor Calls Special Elections to Fill Vacant Senate, Assembly Seats

Gov. Cuomo has set May 23 as the date for special elections to be held to fill two to fill state legislative vacancies.

Manhattan’s 30th Senate District became vacant when Bill Perkins was elected to the New York City Council in a special election.  The district, which is overwhelmingly Democratic, includes Harlem, East Harlem, the Upper West Side, Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights and Morningside Heights.

Long Island’s 9th Assembly District was represented by Republican Joseph Saladino until he resigned to become Supervisor of the town of Oyster Bay.  The district includes portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties.

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 Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on March 9.

The Senate and Assembly are in session next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Senate and Assembly expect to approve their respective one-house budget bills on March 13 and then beginning the budget conference committee process.

The State Board of Elections holds its next meeting on March 13.

The Board of Regents holds its next meeting on March 13 and 14.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on March 28.

The state’s 2017-18 fiscal year begins on April 1.