Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
May 31, 2024
What’s Inside
- Legislative Session Recap
- Governor Unveils Youth Workers Bill of Rights
- Assembly Speaker Announces Sanctions Against Assemblymember
- Governor Announces Appointments to Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission
- Governor Announces U.S. Small Business Administration to Offer Assistance to Residents and Businesses Affected by Flooding
- In the News
- Coming Up
Legislative Session Recap
The Legislature convened in regular session Tuesday-Thursday this week and is scheduled to return on Monday, June 3 for the last week of the 2024 Legislative Session. According to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the Assembly is expected to conclude on Friday, June 7.
This week, the Senate Democratic Majority advanced a package of legislation aimed to support emergency medical service providers. The legislation components include:
- Medicaid Reimbursement for Treatment in Place/Alternate Provider Transportation: Sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, S.8486B, would authorize Medicaid reimbursements to emergency medical service agencies for providing emergency medical care to Medicaid enrollees without requiring the transportation of these patients from the place where medical care was administered. In addition, it permits Medicaid payments to be made to EMS services when they transport individuals to alternative care facilities instead of only hospitals.
- Permitting More Ambulances to Administer Blood Transfusions: This bill, S.6226A, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, would permit more ambulance services and advanced life support first responders to store, administer, and distribute blood. All ambulances, whether airborne or grounded, would qualify to transfuse blood products to patients to resuscitate them during transport.
- Uniform Ambulance Service Assessment: Sponsored by Senator Gustavo Rivera, S.5122 would allow the NYS DOH to charge ambulance service providers a universal service assessment fee to cover increased medical assistant payment rates for their services.
- Increasing Volunteer Firefighter/Ambulance Worker Tax Credit: This bill, S.7286A, sponsored by Senator Monica Martinez, would increase the volunteer firefighters’ and ambulance workers’ personal income tax credit from $200 to $800 for eligible individuals, and from $400 to $1,600 for eligible married joint filers. This legislation allows for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to claim both state income and local property tax credits.
- Strengthening Support for EMS Services: Sponsored by Senator Shelley Mayer, S.4020C would declare general ambulance services as an essential service, establish special districts for the financing and operation of generation ambulance services, and provide for a statewide comprehensive emergency medical system plan.
The Assembly highlighted the passage of a legislative package to expand and amend coverage for severe weather events.
The legislation would:
- Direct the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to conduct a study to examine any increases in property insurance premiums that may affect the affordability of property insurance coverage, any lack of availability of property insurance coverage for losses from flooding and the possibility of supporting a private flood insurance market in New York (8942, Weprin).
- Requires DFS to implement the homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention program authorized in the Enacted State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2016-2017 Budget (136-A, Cruz).
- Expand eligibility for the Coastal Market Assistance program (C-MAP) to properties located within one mile of a salt-water ocean, sound, bay and inlet, as well as Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Saint Lawrence River, the Niagara River and more as determined by the New York Property Insurance Underwriting Association (9821, Otis).
- Authorize the sale of “parametric insurance”, which provides a set payment amount to policyholders based on the magnitude and proximity of a severe weather event to their insured property (10344, Sillitti).
- Provides homeowners further coverage for water damage from backed-up sewers or sump pumps by prohibiting insurance policies from excluding coverage for damage covered under a policy on the ground that the damage was caused directly or indirectly by a peril that is excluded from the policy, such as flooding (10343, Weprin).
Governor Unveils Youth Workers Bill of Rights
The Governor unveiled a Youth Workers Bill of Rights, initially announced in her 2024 State of the State Address. The Governor has tasked the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) with developing and distributing the Youth Workers Bill of Rights in partnership with the New York State Education Department and creating a vital resource that details essential rights and protections for every youth worker.
The Youth Workers Bill of Rights seeks to educate first-time workers as they prepare to enter the labor market by explaining the rights all NY workers enjoy as well as the protections that are specific to workers under 18. The Bill of Rights will be distributed to every young worker upon receiving their working papers.
Key protections outlined include the right to:
- The minimum wage
- A safe and discrimination-free workplace
- File a complaint without fear of retaliation
Governor Hochul said:
Assembly Speaker Announces Sanctions Against Assemblymember
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has announced that he is immediately implementing sanctions recommended by the Ethics and Guidance Committee concerning the conduct of Assemblymember Scott Bendett. He was accused of making two statements related to religion and national origin to an international intern in violation of the policy.
After a full investigation, the Ethics Committee found that:
Based on the report, and given member Bendett’s sincere remorse and honest, active, and forthcoming participation in the process, coupled with the current highly emotional climate related to international strife, and pursuant to Section VIII.C of the Policy Prohibiting Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation, the Committee recommends that: Member Bendett be ordered to undergo sensitivity training.
Speaker Heastie has accepted the full recommendations of the Committee.
More information can be found here.
Governor Announces Appointments to Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission
Governor Hochul has announced six appointments to the Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission (APPI) in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Governor also issued a proclamation declaring May AAPI Heritage Month in New York.
Newly appointed members of the AAPI Commission are:
- Andrew Sta. Ana, Deputy Director of Research & Policy, Asian American Federation
- Gaurav Vasisht, Executive Director & CEO, New York State Insurance Fund
- Kyung Yoon, President, Korean American Community Foundation
- Peter Tu, Executive Director, Flushing Chinese Business Association
- Tai Shaw, Chair, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association Syracuse Chapter
- Tim Law, Founder, Chinese American Social Services Center
Governor Announces U.S. Small Business Administration to Offer Assistance to Residents and Businesses Affected by Flooding
This week, Governor Hochul announced that federal assistance is available to New Yorkers in Ontario, Orange, and contiguous counties who were impacted by last year’s early July flood event. Residents and businesses are now eligible to apply for U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans to aid in recovery from the July 9-10, 2023 severe weather event that resulted in significant damage to homes and businesses.
Staff from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) and local government partners conducted a thorough assessment of the damages related to this storm directly after the event, which resulted in Governor’s Hochul request to FEMA for Individual Assistance. Earlier this year, FEMA denied the Governor’s request, which makes these loans vital to those seeking recovery.
The following groups may be eligible for SBA disaster loans:
- Homeowners: up to $500,000 to repair their primary residence.
- Homeowners and renters: up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
- Business owners: up to $2,000,000 for the replacement of real property, inventories, machinery, equipment, and other physical losses.
- Businesses and non-profits: Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2,000,000 to provide necessary working capital until normal operations resume after a disaster.
More information about available disaster loans can be found here.
In The News
City & State NY’s weekly Winners and Losers of this week here.
Students make last-minute push for climate measures.
New York Assembly Dems spar over bill to close sex crime legal loophole.
There’s a push to end subminimum wage for people with disabilities in New York.
Tech watchdog fears social media regulation bill could harm minors’ privacy.
2024 New York congressional primaries to watch.
Ex-CNN anchor John Avlon backed by big-name Dems in LI Congress bid.
Supreme Court clears way for NRA’s free speech lawsuit against ex-New York official.
James makes appointment to New York opioids settlement board.
Expert: Some upstate New York cities heading for a ‘fiscal cliff’.
New York officials weigh commission to probe Covid-19 response.
‘A peculiar year’: All signs point to a rare timely end to Albany’s annual session.
New York’s top cannabis regulator resigns.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie dampens hopes for Climate Change Superfund Act.
Will Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown serve out his term? Conversations underway about him leaving office.
The Daily Dirt: Real estate is watching these state primaries.
In Democratic primary, Meeks sees a challenge from from Lightfoot.
Bronx native Leonard Coello set to challenge Landon Dais for 77th District Assembly seat.
Key bills percolating in Albany as Legislature’s session nears end.
Coming Up
The Boards of Regents will hold its next meeting on June 10 and 11.
The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on June 20.