Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – May 17, 2019

What’s Inside

  • Governor Signs New York City Speed Camera Legislation
  • Governor Signs Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act
  • DEC Rejects Williams Pipeline Application
  • Governor Announces Projects Funded through Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative in Troy, NY
  • New York Joins 43 Other States to Sue 20 Generic Drug Manufacturers
  • Senator Chris Jacobs Announces Congressional Bid
  • Farah Louis Wins Special Election to fill City Council Vacancy
  • Updates, Reminders, and Links
  • Coming Up

Governor Signs New York City Speed Camera Legislation

This week the Governor signed a speed camera expansion bill for New York City. A source of contention at the end of the 2018 session, the bill passed both houses in March. The bill expands significantly the school zone speed camera program from a total of 140 cameras to now a total of 750 cameras. The hours of operation of the cameras also expand from one hour before to one hour after school hours on days when schools are in session to every weekday between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., regardless of whether or not school is in session. The bill requires the installation of signs to notify of the use of speed cameras and sets a radial distance from a school building where cameras can be located.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said:

“Ensuring students and pedestrians are protected in school zones is common sense. Speed cameras have been proven to prevent tragedies and save lives. Together with our partners in the Assembly, -and the Governor we will help ensure students are better protected by expanding speed camera usage to more areas. I applaud Senator Gounardes for his leadership on this critical issue.”

Governor Signs Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act

This week the Governor signed the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act into law. The bill allows a judge leeway in sentencing for survivors of domestic abuse when a crime was committed against or at the behest of their abuser. The abuser no longer is required to be a member of the survivor’s family or household. The bill will also allow certain domestic violence victims currently serving sentences to apply for re-sentencing.

Governor Cuomo said:

“The vast majority of incarcerated women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, and too often these women wind up in prison in the first place because they’re protecting themselves from an abuser. By signing this critical piece of our 2019 women’s justice agenda, we can help ensure the criminal justice system takes into account that reality and empowers vulnerable New Yorkers rather than just putting them behind bars.”

DEC Rejects Williams Pipeline Application

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the rejection of a proposed natural gas pipeline that would have enhanced supply to New York City and Long Island. The project proposed by the Williams Company, known as the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, would have constructed a 37 mile-long pipeline that would carry additional natural gas supply through New Jersey and across the Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay to Queens. National Grid had previously stated that they may need to suspend new natural gas service to their service area in New York City and Long Island if the pipeline was not approved in a timely manner. The pipeline had support from both the business community and labor groups, both of which view it as a necessary component of economic development in the region. The Williams Company has pledged to address the “minor technical” issues raised by DEC and resubmit the project for approval.

In their rejection of the application the DEC said:

“As currently conceived in the application, construction of the NESE pipeline project is projected to result in water quality violations and fails to meet New York State’s rigorous water quality standards. Specifically, construction of the proposed project would result in significant water quality impacts from the re-suspension of sediments and other contaminants, including mercury and copper. In addition, the proposed project would cause impacts to habitats due to the disturbance of shellfish beds and other benthic resources.”

National Grid spokesperson said in a statement:

“We remain cautiously optimistic that the project will proceed on schedule and be in service for Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island customers by the winter of 20/21. Until we have greater certainty around the project’s application approval timeline, we will continue to advise all new commercial and residential applicants that our ability to provide firm gas service is contingent on the timely construction of NESE.”

Governor Announces Projects Funded through Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative in Troy, NY

Governor Cuomo announced 15 projects that will receive nearly $600,000 through the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative in Troy. These projects are a result of a $25 million initiative to help 16 communities develop strategies to reduce poverty and increase economic opportunity.

Awards include:

  • Troy Boys and Girls Club, $32,000:To create the Career Launch ($15,000) and Future Leaders ($17,000) programs, which will offer career exploration and job readiness skills, in addition to supporting a work force development facilitator to help teens travel to local business and colleges to learn about career and educational opportunities.
  • Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (TRIP), $300,420:Funding for five projects: a paid property management internship to help community members get hands-on experience ($100,000); a feasibility study for a housing common application, which will help individuals search for affordable housing and offer property owners better tools for finding tenants ($6,000); two full-time positions that will help families identify goals and then connect them with resources to achieve self-sufficiency ($93,624); a community engagement process to address recycling and refuse disposal issues in the Hillside North and North Central communities ($20,796); and the Troy Drug Free Community Coalition, an evidence-based community prevention strategy and empowerment program ($80,000).
  • Unity House, $122,463: Funding for two projects: an ambassador program that will offer a paid, 20-hour-per-week job skills training for the hospitality and customer service industry; and Troy LOOK, which will offer year-round youth and family movie nights designed to cultivate positive relationships between youth and adults in the community, start a neighborhood cleanup initiative, and a mentoring program aimed at deterring bullying and violence.
  • TAP, Inc., $18,000: To develop Good2BHome, a marketing plan for selling or rehabbing 10 key vacant buildings in the target neighborhood to improve available housing and neighborhood stability.
  • CollectivEffort, $10,000:To create a series of videos to serve as a guide to community standards that will be aimed at improving living conditions in the city. The videos will be shared with city officials and developers. The intention is to bridge the gap between the commercial, political, and residential communities and set a new standard of excellence in living conditions.
  • Arts Center of Capital Region, $25,000:To establish MY STREET, a community-based public art project involving youth at the Troy City School District’s School 2 in the North Central and Hillside neighborhoods. The project will help students build a commitment to their physical surrounding, such as streets and parks, and each other.
  • Capital Car Share, $12,500:To create a car sharing program that will allow individuals in need in the North Central and Hillside North communities to pay a monthly membership fee that will allow them to rent a vehicle online or by phone, increasing access to transportation to support job retention.
  • Ark, Inc., $50,250: To develop afterschool academic programming designed to support and improve social, emotional, and academic competencies to engage at-risk youth, and provide career exploration and job readiness services.
  • 518 Positive Reinforcement, $15,000:To establish TapN, a tap dancing instruction program that will provide low-income children with aerobic exercise and establish commitment to a positive activity while providing an enriching experience that assists the students physically, mentally, and emotionally in addition to teaching critical counting and math skills.
  • Unity House and the Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, $22,463:To develop a homelessness prevention and financial literacy program that will provide short-term emergency financial assistance and trauma-informed case management to help families avoid homelessness. 

Governor Cuomo said:

“With this funding, New York State is continuing its commitment to helping communities across the state connect low-income residents with opportunities that provide them a path toward economic independence. Troy will now join several other regions with initiatives already underway to bring positive change and an economic boost to areas of the state hardest hit by poverty.”

New York Joins 43 Other States in Lawsuit against Generic Drug Manufacturers

This week New York joined 43 other states led by Connecticut Attorney General Willaim Tong in announcing a lawsuit against a total of 20 generic drug manufacturers. The lawsuit alleges that the Defendants’ conduct artificially increased prices to health insurers, taxpayer-funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and individuals who paid and continue to pay inflated prices for their prescription drugs. The complaint alleges that Teva, Sandoz, Mylan, Pfizer and 16 other generic drug manufacturers engaged in a broad, coordinated and systematic conspiracy to fix prices, allocate markets, and rig bids for more than 100 different generic drugs.

Attorney General Letitia James said:

“The evidence shows a multi-year, multi-faceted conspiracy to enrich pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumers. The scope of the conspiracy is breathtaking, affecting generic drugs that people rely on every day to treat acute and chronic conditions, like diabetes and arthritis. The blatant anticompetitive conduct alleged in the complaint harmed consumers’ health and well-being in multiple way and we intend to hold the wrongdoers accountable.”

Senator Jacobs Announces Run for Congress

State Senator Chris Jacobs of Buffalo announced this week that he would challenge Representative Chris Collins in a primary, if necessary, for the 27th Congressional district. Rep. Collins is currently under indictment on insider trading charges. It is possible that others may yet join the race, potential candidates include Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw Jr., fellow State Sen. Robert Ortt of North Tonawanda, Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia, and radio talk show host David Bellavia.

Senator Jacobs said:

“My nearly 30 years of the various things I’ve done in the private and nonprofit sectors have provided me with the skill sets to be an effective congressman. I think this is the right time.”

Farah Louis Wins Special Election to fill City Council Vacancy

Farah Louis won a seven-way race on Tuesday to replace the outgoing City Councilman Jumaane Williams who is assuming the position of Public Advocate. Louis won with an impressive 42% of the vote in a crowded field. Louis has been working as a staffer in the City Council since 2013.

Updates, Reminders, and Links

City & State NY’s weekly Winners & Losers here.

City & State NY’s 2019 Law Power 50 here.

Democrat & Chronicle: Why tax assessors are vehemently opposed to the new STAR rebate changes here.

Governor unveils final design of new Penn Station main entrance.

Governor announces free youth golf day in New York.

Coming Up

The Assembly Committees on Banks and Local Government will hold a public hearing on municipal deposits in credit unions on May 20th.

The Senate Committee on Housing will hold public hearings on rent control and tenant protections on May 22nd, and May 23rd.

The Senate Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities will hold a public hearing on the general operations of the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs on May 22nd.

The Senate Committees on Investigations and Housing will hold a public hearing on code enforcement on May 23rd.

A second Joint Legislative hearing on sexual harassment is scheduled for May 24th.

A Joint Legislative Hearing on government run, single payer health care will be held on May 28th.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary will hold a public hearing on legislation authorizing and regulating compensated gestational surrogacy agreements on May 29th.

The Senate Committee on Elections will hold a public hearing on the creation of an automatic voter registration system in the State of New York on May 30th.

The Assembly Committee on Health will hold a public hearing on rural health care services on May 31st.

A Joint Legislative hearing on suicide and suicide prevention is scheduled for June 4th.

The Senate Committees on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering and Domestic Animal Welfare will hold a public hearing to examine the health of racehorses while training and racing, and resources for aftercare on June 5th.