Legislative Update:

Next week we will have a comprehensive end of session update, but for now here are a few highlights from this week!

CDTA cab regulation

I am very happy to see a bill sponsored by myself and Sen. Breslin, in relation to CDTA cab regulation, pass the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate earlier this week.

The goal of bill A.9878-A/S.7359-A is to authorize the Capital District Transportation Authority to enter into an agreement with municipalities relating to the registration and licensing of taxicab vehicles.

The Capital Region has faced ongoing issues surrounding its taxicab industry in terms of customer service, pricing, and overall quality. In an effort to alleviate these problems, several of its municipal governments have sought to work in concert with the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) to coordinate and standardize some of the ministerial processes surrounding registration of taxicabs and licensing taxicab drivers.

For more information on the bill check out this Times Union Article

PFOA Water Contamination Legislation

Also passing both the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate this legislative session is bill A.9568-A/S 6824-A. This bill would allow a personal injury action to be brought within three years of the time when a site containing chemicals and other substances has been designated as a state or federal superfund site. Under current state law, the three year statute of limitations for personal injury actions related to the latent effects of exposure begins to run when an injury is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, whichever is sooner.

I would like to thank the Senate sponsor of this bill, Senator Kathy Marchione for helping ensure that residents of areas such as Hoosick Falls and other designated superfund sites are able to preserve their rights where they were harmed.

New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR) – Municipal Revenue Opportunity!

A.9337/S.6789 is another bill that has passed the legislature this legislative session. This bill would authorize the Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services to suspend the continued funding of an authorized reciprocal insurer’s operating reserves for a fiscal year as long as that same amount is returned directly to municipal subscribers the following year. For those municipalities that participate in municipal reciprocals (over 850 statewide) this is an excellent opportunity to receive additional revenue based on the performance of the reciprocal. In this age of the tax cap and other pressing costs, any additional revenue is welcome and as a former Mayor I am pleased to have passed this legislation to help our local governments and the residents they serve.

For more information in this bill please visit http://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=%0D%0At&leg_video=&bn=9337&term=2015&Summary=Y.

District News:

STEM Scholarship Program Information

The NYS STEM Incentive Program provides a full SUNY tuition scholarship to the top 10 percent of students in each NYS high school if they pursue a STEM degree in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program and agree to live in NYS and work in a STEM field in NYS for five years after graduation.

For more information on this scholarship program or to apply please click here.

Federal & New York State Historic Preservation Tax Credits Workshops

The Rensselaer County Historical Society will be presenting two free workshops on Federal & New York State Historic Preservation tax credits.

The workshops will benefit owners of income producing commercial historic properties, realtors, contractors, neighborhood groups, business and private home owners. Community leaders will learn about opportunities to encourage ongoing community reinvestment.

The Commercial Property Workshop will take place on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. and the Homeowner Property Workshop will take place on the same day at 6:30 p.m. Both will be held at the Rensselaer County Historical Society, 57 Second Street Troy, NY.

For more information on the program, please visit www.nysparks.com/shpo/tax-credit-programs.

In the News:

Check out this interview on CBS 6 where we discuss our efforts on passing Heroin/Opioid reform. This legislation is needed now.