arrc 2013-14 updated legislative agenda and compilation of member proposals

2013-14 UPDATED LEGISLATIVE AGENDA & Compilation of Member Proposals

Assembly Republican Review Committee

ARRC

Assembly Republican Review Committee 2013-2014 Legislative Agenda2.

Assembly Republican Review Committee

ARRC MEMBERSn Assemblyman Joseph M. Giglio, Chair

n Assemblywoman Jane Corwinn Assemblyman Andy Goodelln Assemblyman Al Grafn Assemblyman Steve Hawleyn Assemblyman Steven F. McLaughlinn Assemblyman Michael Montesanon Assemblyman Phil Palmesano

The Assembly Republican Review Committee (ARRC) is a peer review process that affords each of our members the opportunity to put forth their ideas and have them vetted by their peers. The committee meets periodically to address various topics affecting the State and develops or sanctions ideas to present to the conference for adoption or rejection.

ARRC was responsible for vetting the legislation that is part of this Legislative Agenda. The legislative proposals contained on pages 6-13 of the document received the unanimous support of the Assembly Republican Conference. The ARRC Committee will continue to meet throughout the year to update and expand this agenda.

Also attached for your reference is a compilation of Assembly Republican member bills (pages 15-30) that have significant support or have gained attention but were not unanimously adopted by the conference through the ARRC process.

Assembly Republican Review Committee 2013-2014 Legislative Agenda 3.

AD 2 .................... Anthony Palumbo

AD 5 .................... Al Graf

AD 7 .................... Andrew Garbarino

AD 8 .................... Michael Fitzpatrick

AD 9 .................... Joseph S. Saladino

AD 10 .................. Chad Lupinacci

AD 12 .................. Andrew Raia

AD 14 .................. Dave McDonough

AD 15 .................. Michael Montesano

AD 17 .................. Tom McKevitt

AD 19 .................. Ed Ra

AD 21 .................. Brian Curran

AD 62 .................. Joe Borelli

AD 64 .................. Nicole Malliotakis

AD 94 .................. Steve Katz

AD 101 ................ Claudia Tenney

AD 102 ................ Pete Lopez

AD 105 ................ Kieran Michael Lalor

AD 107 ................ Steven F. McLaughlin

AD 112 ................ Jim Tedisco

AD 114 ................ Daniel Stec

AD 115 ................ Janet L. Duprey

AD 117 ................ Ken Blankenbush

AD 118 ................ Marc W. Butler

AD 120 ................ Will Barclay

AD 122 ................ Clifford W. Crouch

AD 124 ................ Christopher S. Friend

AD 126 ................ Gary D. Finch

AD 130 ................ Robert C. Oaks

AD 131 ................ Leader Brian M. Kolb

AD 132 ................ Phil Palmesano

AD 133 ................ Bill Nojay

AD 135 ................ Mark Johns

AD 139 ................ Steve Hawley

AD 144 ................ Jane Corwin

AD 145 ................ John D. Ceretto

AD 146 ................ Raymond Walter

AD 147 ................ David DiPietro

AD 148 ................ Joseph M. Giglio

AD 150 ................ Andy Goodell

Members of the New York State Assembly Republican Conference


Table of Contents

2013-2014 MISSION STATEMENT ......................................................... 5

TAX, MANDATE RELIEF AND GOVERNMENT REFORM .......................... 6-8

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE ...... 9-10

PUBLIC SAFETY .................................................................................... 11

BUDGET SMART SOLUTIONS ................................................................ 12-13

CITATIONS ............................................................................................. 14

APPENDIX COMPILATION OF MEMBER PROPOSALS ........................ 15-30


The Assembly Republican Conference has continually advanced Smart Solutions that have reduced property taxes, lowered energy costs, supported private sector job creation, made neighborhoods safer and reformed State government. Many of New Yorks laws were the result of legislation and ideas that originated from our conference including:

Tax and Mandate Relief

n Property tax cap to protect homeowners;n Business and Personal Income Tax reductions;n School TAx Relief (STAR) program;n MTA tax reform;n Pension reform; n Clothing sales tax exemption;n Sales tax cap on gasoline;n Aid to local governments increase;n Local Medicaid costs cap; andn Allow seniors to substitute recent income tax return for

Enhanced STAR.

Government Reform, Fiscal Responsibility, Better Budget Process

n Four consecutive on-time State budgets that spend at the rate of inflation;

n Billions in budget deficits closed; n Ethics reform to clean up Albany;n State agency consolidations to save taxpayer dollars;n Economic Development, Housing and Energy;n Design-Build;n Corporate Franchise Tax elimination for manufacturers;n Linked Deposit Program expansion;n CHIPS funding increase;n Workers Compensation reform;n Historic Rehabilitation Housing Tax Credit; andn Article X Power Plant Siting Law.

Education

n Library Aid increase; andn SUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program.

Agriculture and Assistance for Farmers

n Dairy Assistance Program for farmers;n Tax cut expansion for farmers; and

n Farm brewery license and beer production tax credit.

Health and Human Services

n Welfare reform with real work requirements; andn Funding restoration for the developmentally disabled.

Public Protection

n Re-entering Federal LESO 1033 Program to equip law enforcement with federal surplus;

n Jennas Law elimination of parole for violent felony offenders;

n Megans Law sex offender registration requirement;n Civil confinement of sexual predators;n Toughening penalties and stronger protection against

sexual predators;n DNA Databank expansion;n Repeal of CoBIS;n Cyberbullying prohibition; andn Busters Law.

Veterans Affairs

n Hire-A-Vet Tax Credit;n Protecting jobs of public employees on military duty;n Prohibiting protests at veterans funerals; andn Providing a state contract preference to disabled

veteran-owned businesses.

While the Assembly Republican Conference is proud to have played such a major role in enacting these laws, the 2013-14 Session has proven that there is much work to be done. New York is still seeing slow job creation and needs an economic plan to encourage private sector growth. Corruption by elected officials is much deeper and more widespread than previously believed and must be dealt with swiftly. Local governments are struggling without meaningful mandate relief that will help alleviate the property tax burden on our taxpayers.

These are only a few of the many issues that we face today, and the Assembly Republican Conference stands ready with legislative proposals that will address the problems facing New York State. This Legislative Agenda provides the roadmap to grow New York, and will help ensure that New York is the best state in the nation in which to raise a family.

Assembly Republican Mission Statement


Tax, Mandate Relief and Government Reform

Taxes and Mandate Relief

New York families and businesses are overwhelmed by the State and local tax burden. Since 1977, New York has ranked first in state and local tax burden as a percentage of income every single year except 1984.1 The never-ending stream of unfunded mandates continues to add to the budget problems of local governments, depriving local taxpayers of much-needed services and increasing their property taxes.

The Assembly Republican Conference has continually fought to reduce the burden of high taxes and unfunded mandates. The time for action by the Legislature to help local governments and taxpayers is long overdue. Just look at some statistics to see what New Yorkers have dealt with recently:

n In 2014, New Yorkers had to work until May 4 before they earned enough money to pay all of their combined taxes. Only residents of New Jersey & Connecticut had to work longer.2

n Estimated at 12.8 percent of income, New Yorks State and local tax burden percentage in 2010 was the highest nationwide, well above the national average of 9.9 percent. New Yorkers pay $6,375 per capita in State and local taxes.3

n In 2010, New York was home to five of the top 10 counties in the nation with the highest property taxes measured as a percentage of home value.4

n From 2001-2013, 140 bills containing unfunded mandates passed the Assembly for a projected cost to municipalities of almost $94 billion.5

n By far, New Yorks largest unfunded mandate on municipalities each year is Medicaid spending more than $7.57 billion for the 2012-13 Fiscal Year.6

n In 2010, New Yorks combined federal, State and local spending on Medicaid was the highest in the nation at $52.1 billion, spending $10 billion more than the second ranked state, California.7

The Assembly Republican Conference supports the following legislation to provide relief to New York families and businesses:

Permanent Middle Class Tax Cut - Continue the Middle Class Tax Cut (enacted in Dec. 2011) permanently (A.4575-A, Kolb).

State Payment for Unfunded Mandates - Require the State to pay for any unfunded mandate over $10,000 (A.4581, McLaughlin).

Prohibition of Unfunded Mandates - Prohibit unfunded mandates unless they are paid for by the State (A.5001, McLaughlin).

County Discretion for Optional Medicaid Services - Allow counties to opt out of providing optional Medicaid services to new enrollees. Also, require the commissioner of health to apply for a federal waiver to implement this provision (A.1573, Kolb).

Teacher Tax Credit - Provide a $500 tax credit to teachers who contribute and/or purchase supplies, pay for field trip costs and help with student expenses (A.4777, Palmesano).

State Reimbursement for Medicaid Services - Require the Department of Health to pay 100 percent of the non-federal share for services required by State law (A.6347, Giglio).

College Supplies Tax Deduction Establish college supplies as a tax deductible expense (A.1564, Kolb).



Government Reform

The 2013-14 Legislative Session in New York has been a stark reminder that, regardless of claims to the contrary, New York continues to be a hotbed for scandal. While the vast majority of legislators in both parties are honorable public servants, reports of bribery, harassment and any abuse of public office put a stain on the credibility of our government, making it difficult to retain the public trust.

Leading by example, the Assembly Republican Conference has always known that ethical behavior and the trust of our constituents is our most important responsibility. We know that we represent and work for you; it is not the other way around! Every piece of legislation that is drafted by our members, and every single vote that we take, is done with this in mind. Here are examples of conference-approved government reform legislation:

n Spending Cap - Cap State spending at the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years (A.1367, Kolb).

n Fiscal Impacts for Legislation - Require bills to contain fiscal impact statements listing estimated costs and require the statements to be on the digital board of the Assembly chamber during debate (A.3390 of 2013).

n Loss of Pension for Corrupt Elected Officials - Propose a constitutional amendment to abolish salary and pension benefits for any elected public officer who is convicted of a felony related to employment (applies to officials elected prior to enactment of the 2011 Ethics Reform Law) (A.4935, Stec).

Assembly Rules Reforms

While passing four on-time State budgets is an achievement, this does not symbolize that New York State government is now a model for the rest of the country. From late night votes to avoid the normal three-day aging process for legislation, to lack of public disclosure of Assembly operations, it is clear that your State government has not been operating in a transparent fashion. This is why, on February 28, 2013, the Assembly Republican Conference offered up numerous rules reforms that were defeated by the Democratic Majority. The reforms would:

n Encourage daytime voting by requiring that bills must be approved by two-thirds of all members elected to the Assembly any time the Session extends beyond the eight hour limit, instead of by a simple majority vote.

n Allow adequate time for review and public comment on bills by requiring that any message of necessity submitted by the governor must be accepted by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Assembly.

n Promote transparency by requiring that before the Assembly can vote on a resolution, copies of the resolution must be on each members desk at least 3 days prior to such vote, unless the speaker and minority leader waive this rule.

n Facilitate public participation in the process by allowing one-third of the members of a committee to be able to petition for a public hearing on any bill, unless rejected by a majority vote of the committee.

n Require all votes in the Assembly to be made available in electronic format through the Legislative Retrieval System within 24 hours of the vote, including committee votes, votes on proposed bill amendments and votes on motions to discharge.

n Ensure public access to committee actions by requiring all committee meetings to be recorded by video, web cast live when practicable and made available on the Assembly website.

n Allow each member of the legislature, during each two-year term, to bring one substantive piece of legislation of his or her choosing to the floor for a vote (Same as A.2747, Johns).

n Require equal funding for office staff regardless of party affiliation.

Along with the above legislation and rules reforms, the Assembly Republican Conference has introduced the Public Officers Accountability Act with five pillars of reform designed to discourage elected officials from abusing the public trust.



The Public Officers Accountability ActA.7393 SPONSORED BY THE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE

BANS PUBLIC OFFICERS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE FOLLOWING IF THEY ARE CONVICTED OF A FELONY RELATED TO OFFICIAL DUTIES:

A. Holding any civil or public office. B. Bidding on contracts with New York State.C. Lobbying activities.

MEMBER ITEM REFORMA. Require itemized appropriations for any discretionary request by the

governor or legislature.B. Require the name of the governor or legislator on any discretionary request.C. Require the governor or a legislator to submit a form to the attorney general indicating no

conflict of interest.D. Prohibit any appropriation when a conflict of interest exists, including appropriations to

organizations that employ or compensate the governor, a legislator or any family member or person sharing a home with the governor or a legislator.

GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHTA. Establish a new five-member Commission on Official Conduct that assumes the duties of

the Joint Commission on Public Integrity, the State inspector general and the Former Temporary State Commission of Investigation.

NEW OR ENHANCED CRIMESA. Abuse of Public Trust New crime.B. Failure to Report Corruption New crime.C. Official Misconduct in the First Degree New crime.D. Official Misconduct in the Second Degree New crime.E. Official Misconduct in the Third Degree Enhanced penalty.F. Strengthen Bribery Laws Eliminates the requirement that there must be proof of an agreement or understanding between the parties involved.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMSA. Forfeiture of campaign contributions to an elected official convicted of a felony offense

related to his or her official duties.B. Prohibit using campaign funds for personal use.C. Create penalties for failing to file financial disclosure statements within 30 days after the

deadline.TERM LIMITS

A. Implement eight-year term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs.

* Some of these provisions were included in the 2014-2015 Enacted Budget


Economic Development, Education and Infrastructure

Economic Development

While many issues dominate the discussion in Albany, the Assembly Republican Conference understands that for most families in the State, the most important issue is job creation. There are those who argue that New York is Open for Business, yet we still see businesses that cannot expand or are forced to close due to government oversight and taxation, parents who live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to feed their children, and recent college graduates who are forced to leave the State because there are limited opportunities. The citizens and businesses of this State are overtaxed, overregulated and have little ability to grow in their home communities:

n Following the changes in the 2014-2015 Enacted Budget, New York was ranked 48th out of 50 for business tax climate in the nation in 2014, according to the Tax Foundation1

n Chief Executive Magazine ranked New York the 49th state for business in 2013, trailed only by California. The rankings were based on taxation, regulation, quality of workforce and living environment. Texas received the top honor for the ninth consecutive year.2

n In February 2014, New Yorks unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, with 656,020 unemployed.3

The Assembly Republican Conference proposes the following measures to reduce the tax burden on businesses and promote job creation and retention:

Manufacturer Relocation Tax Credit - Establish tax credits for manufacturers who have a place of business in New York and relocate a minimum of 50 employees from out of state (A.4406, Corwin).

Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act - Extend State benefits now offered to minority- and women-owned business enterprises to honorably-discharged veterans (A.1735, Kolb).

Cornerstone and Discovery Program - Replace the Excelsior Jobs Program with a new program to:

n Cut business taxes by $150 million through reductions in the corporate franchise, banking, insurance, s-corp, utilities and telecommunications taxes:

n Job creation and retention incentives include:

New job credit equal to product of gross wages paid and 6.85 percent;

$2,000 grant for each internship created;

20 percent Investment Credit (of the cost for tangible personal property); and

Real Property Tax Credit calculated at 30 percent of eligible property taxes paid in the current taxable year (A.5394, Kolb).

Division of Regulatory Review & Economic Growth (D-REGG) - Establish a division led by a commissioner with a fixed term to review and make binding recommendations for the elimination of burdensome regulations (A.5044, Kolb).

Energy

Ever-increasing energy costs place an additional burden on families and act as a major deterrent to attracting and retaining businesses in the Empire State:

n Residential consumers in New York pay 62.7 percent more per unit for electricity than the national average (18.89 cents compared to 11.61 cents), ranking second nationally.1

n Residential natural gas prices in New York were 18.4 percent higher than the national average in February 2013 (10.94 cents compared to 9.24 cents).2

n In 2011, New York had the fourth-highest average electricity prices in the United States. 3


Economic Development, Education and Infrastructure

The Assembly Republican Conference offers the following measures to cut energy costs for families and businesses, ensuring their economic viability while fully utilizing our renewable resources:

Electrical Services Bundling - Allow localities and special districts to bundle electrical services to reduce costs and help lower property tax bills (A.2873, Graf).

18-A Assessment Repeal - Repeal the States Temporary Utility Assessment [18-A] placed on utility companies (A.382-B, Hawley).

Transmission Line Improvements - Expedite the approval process for power companies to make upgrades to existing transmission lines (A.1731, Kolb).

Education

New York State ranks at or near the top in every education spending category. However, this spending has not resulted in the top performance in the nation:

n In 2011, New York spent $19,076 per pupil; higher than every other State in per-pupil spending and over $8,000 above the national average.1

n Only 35 percent of 4th graders and 30 percent of 8th graders are at grade level in math.2

n Only 35 percent of New York students are college ready.3

n According to the EPE Research Center, New York State ranked 33rd in graduation rates at 73.3 percent.4

The Assembly Republican Conference proposes the following measures to strengthen the education system in the State:

Regents Reforms

Require any changes by the board of regents that impose an unfunded mandate on school districts to also be approved by the State legislature and governor prior to implementation.

Require a two-thirds super-majority vote (142 of 212) in a joint session to elect each regent representing the States 13 judicial districts, thereby requiring bi-partisan support for each regent.

Require each of the four legislative leaders to appoint one regent at large.

Require all regent candidates to be announced at least 21 days prior to the vote (A.5048, Kolb).

Delay Common Core and Establish the Blue Ribbon Commission on 21st Century Testing and Curriculum - Prohibit the State from requiring any school or school district to issue a Common Core State test until the 2016-17 school year and establish the 23-member Blue Ribbon Commission on 21st Century Testing and Curriculum to make recommendations regarding education and best practices for P-12 education (A.8844, Ra).

Affordable College Education Scholarship (ACES) Program - Allow legal resident students who meet income eligibility requirements to earn a bachelors degree at SUNY or CUNY at a total cost of no more than $10,000 ($2,500 per year) (A.7515, Kolb).

Broadband Services Funding for Libraries - Enable libraries to utilize State aid for the installation and infrastructure of broadband services (A.7680, Palmesano).

Allows the State Education Department to Exempt School Districts from Certain Mandates - Directs the commissioner of education to create a system of targeted mandate relief for school districts that meet or exceed performance criteria. These criteria will include test scores, attendance and graduation rates (A.7778, Ra).


The Assembly Republican Conference has always been the leading advocate for a strong public safety platform that deters crime and punishes criminals in New York. From the expansion of the DNA Databank to civil confinement of sex offenders, it has always been the goal of the conference to make sure that New York is, and remains, the safest large state in the country.

Public safety is more than just a strong criminal justice platform. It must ensure adequate services from our police departments, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians. It also must ensure that those who join the armed forces to fight on our behalf live in a state that is worthy of the sacrifices they have made for us.

n From 2002 through 2011, the rate of violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) fell 20 percent.1

n Over the same time period, the index crime rate declined by 18 percent.2

n The number of major crimes reached the lowest levels ever recorded in 2011, when there were 92,179 fewer crimes reported than in 2002.3

The Assembly Republican Conference advances the following proposals to create a safer State for our citizens and to thank those who serve for us:

Lifetime Parole Supervision for Sex Offenders - Require lifetime parole supervision for violent felony sex offenders after they complete their sentences and prohibit early release from prison for these offenders (A.1636, Kolb).

Increased Penalties for Passing School Buses - Increase penalties for individuals who cause injury or death to a person while overtaking and passing a stopped school bus (A.4773, Palmesano).

Free Sportsman Licenses for Veterans - Provide free hunting, fishing and trapping licenses to residents of the State who are active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, regardless of where such person is stationed (A.6011-A, Giglio).

Omnibus Emergency Services Volunteer Incentive Act - Provide a tax credit to volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, exempt registration and use taxes for vehicles used in the performance of duty, create a loan forgiveness program and provide other benefits (A.4781-A, Palmesano).

Transfer of Guns to Family Member Upon Death - Authorize the passing of guns to an immediate family member through an individuals estate (A.5951, Corwin).

Streamline Occupational Licenses for Service Members - Allow service members to obtain credit toward occupational licenses based on their military education, training and experience (A.7583, Katz).

Sexual Harassment Prevention - Apply sexual harassment protections in the law to all organizations of any size (A.8799, Corwin).

Human Trafficking - Enact the Human Trafficking Victims Protection & Justice Act, creating new crimes, strengthening penalties and protecting victims (A.8808, Tenney).

Transfer Occupational Licenses for Military Members and Spouses - Allow occupational licensing boards to issue licenses to military members and spouses if they are licensed in another jurisdiction, show occupational competency and have not committed an act that would constitute grounds for refusal (A.7596, Katz).

Prohibit Housing Discrimination Prohibit housing discrimination based upon a persons status as a domestic violence victim, and establish a task force to study the impact of source of income upon access to housing (A.8791, Malliotakis).

Public Safety


Budget Smart Solutions

While it is commendable that New York State has passed four straight on-time budgets, the budget process itself does not provide for much input from the minority parties in either the Assembly or the Senate. During the Conference Committees, the Assembly Republican Conference publicly stated our priorities, but they were not considered at the time. As a result, Assembly Republicans offered Smart Solutions as amendments during the budget debate on the floor, which were defeated by the Assembly Democrats.

The following is a list of the Smart Solutions that would have made the 2013-14 Budget a more family-and business-friendly budget:

Developmentally Disabled Funding Restoration - Restore the 4.5 percent cut ($90 million) to not-for-profit providers of services to the developmentally disabled.

Annual Professional Performance Reviews (APPR) Reimbursement - Provide a State reimbursement for the costs to school districts associated with the APPR un-funded mandate.

Annual Notice Repeal - Eliminate the Wage Theft Prevention Acts annual notice requirement.

Local Medicaid Cost Cap - Freeze the municipal share of the local Medicaid cost at the current level.

Debt Reporting Requirements - Require all State agencies and public authorities to report their outstanding debt.

Unfunded Mandate Moratorium - Prohibit unfunded man-dates on localities.

Online Digital Paperwork Reduction Act - Reduce the number of bills, reports, digests, records and other documents printed by the legislature and establish a process to make these documents available electronically.

18-A Assessment Repeal - Repeal the States temporary utility assessment (18-A) placed on utility companies.

MTA Payroll Tax Repeal - Repeal the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax.

School Resource Officers - Create a $30 million School Resource Officer grant program for low-need to average-need school districts, both public and private.

Small Business Relief Act - Provide the following relief to small businesses:

Reduce the Corporate Franchise Tax rate for small businesses with net incomes less than $200,000 from 6.5 to 5.85 percent;

Small businesses with net incomes between $200,000 and $390,000 would have their CFT rate reduced from 7.1 to 6.85 percent;

Authorize a sales tax exemption for businesses located in academic incubator facilities;

Establish the College to Work Program to provide companies with a tax credit equal to 25 percent of the tuition paid on behalf of an individual, with a maximum allowable credit of $5,000 per year, per individual;

Allow businesses to pay all fees, filings and assessments as part of their annual State tax filing;

Allow companies that have conducted R&D in the State to continue to receive tax benefits when they move into actual manufacturing;

Increase the sales tax vendor credit from five to 10 percent and raise the maximum credit to $1,000 per year to more fairly reimburse compliance costs;

Provide a Small Business Energy Tax Reduction;

Establish a Business STAR program; and

Create a tax credit of up to $300 per employee, for up to 100 employees, for small businesses that provide on-the-job training.

New York State Thruway Authority Accountability Act - Merge the day-to-day operations of the Thruway Authority with the Department of Transportation and name the commissioner of the Department of Transportation as the chair of the Thruway Authority Board.

Tax Credits for Retrofitting Gas Stations - Provide taxpayers who own retail motor fuel and diesel motor fuel filling stations in the State with a refundable tax credit for the purchase and installation of an emergency electric generator that is capable of providing emergency power to the fuel pumps at the filling station.


Budget Smart Solutions

Assembly Republicans offered the following 15 Smart Solutions to the 2014-15 Enacted Budget that were defeated.

Unfunded Mandate Moratorium - Place a moratorium on Albanys unfunded mandates and eliminate costly mandates to prevent local property tax hikes.

Local Medicaid Cost Takeover - Require the State to take over the entire local share of Medicaid costs over 5 years.

Municipality Self-Insured Health Plans - Authorize municipalities to join a county self-funded or self-insured health plan.

APPR Reimbursement - Provide a State reimbursement for the costs to school districts associated with the APPR unfunded mandate.

Brittanys Law - Enact Brittanys Law to create a violent felony offender registry.

Term Limits for Legislative Leaders and Campaign Fund Use Restrictions - Require term limits for legislative leaders and limit use of campaign funds for personal use.

Prison Closure Approval - Require one-year notice and legislative approval prior to any prison closure.

18-A Assessment Repeal - Repeal the States temporary utility assessment (18-A) placed on utility companies.

Annual Notice Repeal - Eliminate the Wage Theft Prevention Acts annual notice requirement.

Regulatory Review - Establish the Division of Regulatory Review & Economic Growth to cut Albany red tape that is detrimental to businesses.

Developmentally Disabled Funding - Require the $90 million in support for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities to be paid out as promised.

Eliminate DMV Fee for Veterans - Eliminate the DMV fee charged to veterans updating their licenses.

Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund - Ensure Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund revenues are used for construction costs.

Welfare Reform - Require penalties for the misuse of EBT cards by businesses and welfare recipients.

Veteran Legislative Internship Program - Establish the legislative internship program for disabled veterans.


Citations


The Tax Foundation 1, 2, 3, 4

NYS Assembly Minority Ways & Means 5

NYSAC, A Roadmap to Mandate Relief 6

The Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts 7

Job Creation and Economic Development

The Tax Foundation 1

Chief Executive Magazine, Best & Worst States for Business, May 6, 2013 2

New York State Department of Labor 3

Energy

U.S. Energy Information Administration 1, 2, 3

Education

U.S. Census Bureau1

The New NY Education Reform Commission2, 3

EPE Research Center4

Public Safety

NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Justice Research & Performance, NYS Crime Report, October 2012 1, 2, 3


Compilation Of Member Proposals

TAX, MANDATE RELIEF AND GOVERNMENT REFORMThe following Assembly Republican member proposals have significant sponsorship or have gained attention but have not been adopted by the conference unanimously:

Tax and Mandate Relief

Shop NY

n Eliminate State Sales Tax on gas (8 cents/gallon), with local option.

n Eliminate child car seats from State Sales Tax, with local option.

n Eliminate protective helmets required by State law from State Sales Tax, with local option.

n Eliminate personal hygiene products, including baby diapers, soap and toothpaste from State Sales Tax, with local option (A.1574, Kolb).

Local Government Fiscal Relief

n Amend the Triborough Amendment to prevent the continuation of step increases in the event employers and bargaining units cannot come to a contract agreement, offer the SUNY optional retirement plan to all State and local employees and teachers and place a two-percent limitation on binding arbitration agreements (A.8603-A, Fitzpatrick).

Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund Revenue

n Dedicate a portion of funds brought in through sales tax revenue on gasoline and place them in the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund (A.8876, Palmesano).

Taxpayer Protection and Mandate Relief Act

n Cap State spending out the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years and increase the maximum capacity of the Rainy Day Fund from three percent to 10 percent of General Fund spending;

n Prohibit any new unfunded mandates on local governments and school districts and require fiscal notes on bills affecting local governments;

n Establish a process for the governor to annually submit a plan to repeal unfunded mandates to the Legislature. Also, require the legislature to vote on the plan within 60 days of its submission, with or without amendments;

n Allow local governments to opt out of the provisions of the Triborough Amendment, which allows for step-increases during periods of expired contracts;

n Allow counties to opt out of providing optional Medicaid services to new enrollees. Also, require the commissioner of health to apply for a federal waiver to implement this provision;

n Freeze the municipal share of Medicaid costs at the current level;

n Increase the tax credit allowed for the premium paid for long-term care insurance from 20 to 50 percent;

n Allow health savings accounts, which are low rate/high deductible plans with catastrophic coverage. These plans are currently prohibited under New York State Law;

n Require all public employees to make minimum health care contributions;

n Remove prevailing wage requirements on municipal construction projects with a total anticipated cost less than $500,000;

n Repeal the law that extended applicability of the prevailing wage law to private sector third parties contracting out work for a public entity;

n Grant counties the local option to not follow sections 240 and 241 of the Labor Law (Scaffold Act) and be subject to a contributory negligence standard;

n Repeal the WICKS Law;

n Allow contractors to submit bids that do not include project labor agreements;



n Allow for regional school district employee collective bargaining through BOCES;

n Require the commissioner of education to reduce onerous paperwork requirements and allow electronic submission of reports;

n Allow school districts and the commissioner of education to determine when Academic Intervention Services (AIS) are redundant;

n Discontinue the cost of fingerprinting from collective bargaining agreements with teacher unions;

n Require all professional development plans to be designed by SED. Further, allow school districts to create development and mentoring plans once every three years, rather than annually; and

n Require building inspections once every three years rather than annually (A.6546, Kolb).

Property Taxpayers Protection Act (Contains Property Tax Cap Provisions)

n Provide 100 percent reimbursement to schools for costs incurred from 4th and 8th grade Math and English tests with an estimated cost savings to school districts of $30 million;

n Require the commissioner of education to reduce onerous paperwork requirements imposed on school districts and allow electronic submission of reports;

n Require any State mandate that is imposed on a locality or a school district and costs more than $10,000 annually (or $1 million statewide) to be funded by the State;

n Require all bills to include the cost of mandated expenditures;

n Require the State to take over the costs of all optional Medicaid services within five years, saving property taxpayers approximately $10 billion;

n Create a grant to reimburse counties for Medicaid fraud investigation software;

n Establish a State Conference on Municipal Cooperation and eight regional municipal cooperation commissions to increase communication between local governments about shared services;

n Provide grants to assist and award local governments that consolidate services to achieve savings;

n Authorize counties to enter into a municipal cooperative agreement with school districts, towns and villages in order to provide healthcare benefits to their employees; and

n Create a State inspector general for education to investigate criminal activity and fraud in the education system (A.4141, Fitzpatrick).

Omnibus Mandate Relief Proposal - Enacts nine separate proposals for meaningful mandate relief. These include:

n Limit those eligible for safety net assistance and count emergency assistance toward any assistance for which a family may be eligible;

n State assumption of non-federal Medicaid costs;

n Simplify investigation requirements and allow county discretion for determining staffing performance and criteria;

n Allow localities to require financial participation by parents or guardians of special education preschool children and require the State to pick up municipal administrative costs related to such programs;

n Grant counties the authority to determine indigent status of persons applying for assistance and require a fee of up to $25 by petitioners of family courts to help offset the costs of indigent defense;

n Authorize the collection of administrative fees to support probation services;



n Reduce county costs related to Early Intervention ser-vices;

n Allow for greater county control over youth detention; and

n Allow for additional voluntary employee contributions into retirement, and eliminate the calculation of overtime from pension benefits (A.5573, Katz).

Unfunded Mandate Notice Requirement

Require any bill imposing an unfunded mandate to clearly have the words UNFUNDED MANDATE written on the face of the bill (A.7082, Saladino).

Fiscal Impact Note Requirement

Require detailed fiscal impact notes on all bills that affect the revenues or expenses of any political subdivisions, stating the estimated annual cost to the political subdivision and the funding source (A.3391, Ra).

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Elected Officials

Transition all elected officials and non-civil service appointees to a defined contribution retirement plan. Cap these individuals benefits under a defined benefit plan (A.5105-A, Fitzpatrick).

Private Pension Taxes

Make the first $100,000 of a private pension non-taxable (A.1565, Kolb).

Local Authority to Freeze Salaries

Allow local school districts to declare a financial emergency and thereafter restructure their employment contracts and operations to minimize any adverse impact on students. Grant schools the power to freeze salaries and step increases, adjust pay levels and seniority rules, increase employee health insurance contributions and negotiate change in salary levels and employee contributions in relation to retirement benefits (A.4932, Goodell).

Fees for Local Prison Operations

Authorize the sheriff to charge prisoner fees to support the operations of the facilities where they are incarcerated, and require inmates to assist with providing necessary services at the facility (A.323, Hawley).

Triborough Amendment Repeal

Repeal the Triborough Amendment, which allows for step increases during periods of expired contracts (A.5106, Fitzpatrick).

Comptroller Impact Statements

Require the State comptroller to approve or deny any bill that comes before the legislature which creates a new State receipt (tax, fee, etc.) or increases any State receipts prior to being submitted to the legislature for a vote (A.3277 of 2013).

Income Tax Deductions for Car Purchases

Create two State Personal Income Tax deductions for the purchase of an automobile equal to the sales tax paid and the interest incurred on the vehicle purchase price (A.4573, Kolb).

MTA Fiscal Oversight Control Board

Establish the MTA Fiscal Oversight Control Board to oversee and regulate the finances of the MTA (A.1733, Kolb).

Two-thirds Vote for Tax Changes

Require approval by two-thirds vote of the Assembly and Senate to increase or decrease any tax rate, impose a new State tax and extend or delete any existing State tax (A.4774, Palmesano).

Registration Fee Prohibition

Prohibit the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance from charging a vendor re-registration fee and authorize a refund for all re-registration fees collected (A.336, Hawley).

Legislative Approval for Regulatory Mandates

Require any agency regulation costing over $5 million to be approved by the legislature (A.5731 of 2013).

New York State Mandate Relief for School Districts Act

n Ensure the retention of quality teachers by removing seniority as the sole criteria, and by utilizing additional criteria including annual professional performance reviews, school needs and a teachers certification.

Streamline disciplinary process for tenured teachers by:

Capping the salary of tenured employees awaiting resolution of their disciplinary hearings at 120 days of paid leave;

Streamlining the hearing process for discipline of tenured teachers and administrators;

Allowing for the immediate dismissal of tenured employees who have been convicted of certain felonies; and

Establishing the Tenured Teachers and Administrators Disciplinary Review Panel.



n Require minimum employee health care contributions (15 percent for individuals and 25 percent for family coverage).

n Establish an advisory committee to make recommendations as to which special education programs and services should be continued above the federal level. Advisory committee will consist of parents, teachers, administrators and BOCES officials.

n Permit cooperative purchasing by local governments and school districts for materials, equipment, supplies and contracts for services (A.4972, Kolb).

Government Reform

Term Limits for Legislative Leaders

Limit the time a legislator may serve as a legislative leader or committee chair to four consecutive two-year terms (A.1571, Kolb).

Session Day and Salary Reduction for Legislators

Reduce the salaries of members of the legislature to $35,000 a year and provide that regular session end on March 31 (A.6344, Nojay).

Legislative Term Limits

Limits Assembly members and Senators to six two-year terms and 12 total years in either house (A.6236-A, Johns).

New York State Used Resources Accountability Act

Prohibit any State agency from discarding or disposing of any used capital resource (motor vehicles, electronics and furniture) without authorization from the comptroller (A.6163, Tedisco).

Code of Ethics for School Districts

Require the trustees of common school districts and the board of education of every union free school district to establish a code of ethics to be applied to the prohibition of the use of school resources for personal gain (A.3223, Fitzpatrick).

Elections to Fill Vacancies of Comptroller and Attorney General

Require elections to fill vacancies in the offices of State comptroller and attorney general (A.381, Hawley).

Elections to Fill Vacancies of U.S. Senator

Require elections to fill vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator (A.5101, Tedisco).

Peoples Convention to Reform New York

Provide the people with the opportunity to vote to hold a constitutional convention to fix State government. Call for non-partisan delegate elections and limit the participation of elected and party officials (A.1558, Kolb).

Initiative, Referendum, Recall

Empower voters with the ability to propose statutes and amendments to the constitution, to approve or reject statutes or parts of statutes, and to remove elected officers (A.5392, Kolb).

Division of New York

Permit county governments to choose to place this question on their ballots: Do you support the division of New York into two separate States? (A.391-A, Hawley).

Ban State Aircraft for Political Purposes

Eliminate any gray areas when deciding permissible travel (A.6475, DiPietro).

Minority Leader Appointments on Commissions or Panels

Require minority leader appointments on any commission or panel formed by an act of the legislature (A.1730, Kolb).

Eminent Domain

Limit the governments ability to claim private property for the benefit of a corporation solely in the name of economic development (A.3206, Fitzpatrick).



Electronic Display of Bills

Propose a constitutional amendment that allows bills to be displayed in electronically-written form on legislators desks (A.1572, Kolb).

Electronic Delivery of Local Laws

Authorize local governments to deliver proposed laws to members of their legislative bodies by electronic means, instead of only by mail or in person (A.6007-A, Giglio).

Electronic Display of Voting Records

Require all members voting records to be displayed on their Assembly or Senate website (A.2281, Malliotakis).

Budget Reform

Debt Reform

Revise powers of the Public Authorities Control Board (PACB), which issues debt (A.1739, Kolb).

Backdoor Borrowing Ban

Prohibit borrowing without voter approval (A.6588, Tedisco).

Truth in Borrowing

Require any ballot proposition that authorizes State debt to include information on both the principal and interest that would be incurred by taxpayers (A.5073, Tedisco).

No Recess Until Budget is Adopted

Prohibit legislative recess until adoption of a budget, except for public holidays (A.4486, Oaks).

Default Budget

Require that the previous years budget be put in place no later than 72 hours after the start of a new fiscal year to ensure an on-time budget (A.4332, Oaks).

Omnibus Budget Reform Act

n Require the general budget conference committee to convene by March 15 and form subcommittees;

n Require all general budget conference committee and subcommittee meetings to be held in public;

n Prohibit consideration of non-budget bills after April 1 until the budget is adopted;

n Limit year-to-year increases in All Funds spending to no more than the rate of inflation;

n Require two-year education funding;

n Require the general budget conference committee and subcommittee final reports to indicate the estimated impact of any proposed budget modifications on the ensuing and next two succeeding fiscal years;

n Require the general budget conference committee to establish limitations on disbursements to ensure a balanced budget;

n Require a plain language summary of the state budget 48 hours prior to vote; and

n Increase the maximum capacity of the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund from two percent to five percent of General Fund spending (A.4333, Oaks).

Budget Accounting Reform Act

n Change to a May 1 fiscal year to include Personal Income Tax data in budget negotiations and move the uniform school budget voting day and fiscal year one month forward;

Move the uniform school budget voting day to the third Tuesday of June from the third Tuesday of May, the revote day to the third Tuesday of July from the third Tuesday of June, and shift school districts fiscal year start date to August 1 from July 1;



n Require the governor to submit five-year financial plans and quarterly updates to identify present and future budget gaps;

n Require budgets to be balanced according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), which recognize revenues when they are actually earned and expenditures when the liability is incurred;

Current cash budgeting system allows heavy use of one-shots, recognizing receipts as when funds are received and disbursements as when funds are paid out. Allows manipulation of timing;

n Grant the State comptroller authority to determine if budgets are balanced under GAAP rules; and

n Grant authority to the governor to make pro rata spending reductions to close gaps if consensus is not reached with the legislature on gap closing actions (A.1560, Kolb).

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESThe following proposals have significant sponsorship or are supported by various members of the Assembly Republican Conference but have not been adopted by the conference unanimously:

Asset Test for Medicaid Eligibility

Reinstate the use of a resource asset test for Medicaid eligibility. Also, reinstate the initial personal interview upon the filing of an application for Medicaid (A.2280, Malliotakis).

Pro-Bono Medical Care Tax Credit

Offer a tax credit to doctors and other health care professionals who provide free care to reduce non-emergency hospital visits (A.4737, Raia).

OTDA Appeals By Electronic Means

Permit appeals to the Office of Temporary and Disability Services to be conducted by telephone or video conference (A.5630, Goodell).

Drug Testing for Public Assistance Eligibility

Require any person seeking public assistance to pass a drug test prior to receiving any benefits. Require individuals who fail their drug test to enroll and actively participate in a rehabilitation program in order to receive benefits (A.1998, Crouch).

Residency Requirement for Social Services Benefits

Require one year of residency in the State in order to receive social services benefits (A.3084, Graf).

Residency Requirement for Social Services Benefits

Require 90 days of residency in the State prior to applying for public assistance benefits (A.322, Hawley).

EPIC Extra

Allow every senior with an income of $60,000 or less to claim an annual Personal Income Tax deduction of up to $1,000 to defray the cost of prescription drugs (A.4246, Raia).

Ambulance Abuse Reporting

Require any municipality that receives and responds to 4 or more calls for emergency medical service for an individual to report the circumstances of such calls to the local social services district and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (A.6006, Giglio).

Lifespan Respite Program

Increase awareness of information about the nature and availability of respite care in all areas of New York (A.4262, Raia).

State Emergency Assistance Database (SEAD)

Add senior citizens to disaster preparedness registries and create a voluntary database to monitor seniors and individuals with disabilities in the event of an emergency (A.6194, Tedisco).

Random Drug Testing of Welfare Recipients

Authorize local social services districts to conduct random drug testing to identify applicants or recipients who need drug or alcohol treatment (A.5026, Goodell).

Reversing New Yorks Nursing Shortage

Encourage employment in nursing by providing loan forgiveness (A.4711, Curran) and tuition assistance (A.4779, Palmesano).

Autism Advisory Board Creation

Establish a State Autism Advisory Board to make recommendations on consistent criteria and regulations to make people more aware of available programs and services (A.1633, Kolb).

Tort Reform

Limits non-economic damages in personal injury actions in relation to dental, medical and podiatric malpractice (A.321, Hawley).

Pregnancy-Related Employment Accommodations

Classify pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions as temporary disabilities requiring employers to provide accommodations to pregnant employees (A.8792, Walter).



ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTUREThe following proposals have significant sponsorship or are supported by various members of the Assembly Republican Conference but have not been adopted by the conference unanimously:

Grow NY

Create an economic gardening pilot program providing grants to economic development entities that give assistance to second-stage companies that employ 5 to 99 persons (A.1567-A, Kolb).

BizBoom

Establish a business startup program cutting all application fees for new businesses by 50 percent for the first year; eliminating business income taxes for the first year; and reducing income tax rates for the second and third years (A.4567, Kolb).

Innovators Corps

Establish a four-member division of business experts to identify, recruit and/or retain domestic and international high-technology businesses (A.5045, Kolb).

New York State Business Incubator Network

Establish a network to support the development of academic linked business incubators and to accelerate the growth and success of early-stage companies (A.4566, Kolb).

Pay Equity

Enact pay equity provisions designed to strengthen equal pay protections for women (A.8784, Ceretto).

High-Tech Worker NY

Provide a Personal Income Tax exemption up to $50,000 per year for the first 5 years for new high-tech employees who completed a high-tech training program within the past 12 months [any college, vocational or certification program] (A.4569, Kolb).

Invest NY

n Create an Angel Investment Tax Credit to encourage private investment in business.

n Amend the definition of a Qualified Emerging Technology Company to allow more companies to be eligible for the QETC tax credit.

n Expand the eligibility for the NYS Investment Tax Credits to ALL businesses that make new investments in property and equipment in New York (A.4570, Kolb).

Patent NY

Create a Personal Income Tax credit for patent fees (A.1736, Kolb).

Retain NY

n Provide a Personal Income Tax deduction for all interest paid on student loans for taxpayers.

n Increase the current college tuition tax-credit deduction from $10,000 to $13,820 and increase the maximum tax credit from $400 to $553 (A.4891, Kolb).

Work NY

n Exempt manufacturers from the Corporate Franchise Tax and Personal Income Tax for taxable years 2014 and thereafter.

n Provide a 10 percent Personal Income Tax credit for small businesses with incomes less than $250,000.

n Create a Hire-NY tax credit for businesses for each new job created. Each business will receive an additional tax credit if the job is filled by an unemployed person.



n Repeal the ton mileage tax on trucking to alleviate the adverse effect it has on businesses locating fleets or distribution centers in the State (A.4565-A, Kolb).

Corporate Franchise Tax Reduction

Decrease the tax burden on medium and large non-manufacturing businesses by lowering the Corporate Franchise Tax from 7.1 percent to 6.85 percent. Also, completely phase out the Corporate Franchise Tax rate for small businesses whose entire net income is less than $390,000 and all manufacturers by 2019 (A.4564-A, Kolb).

Scaffold Act Reform

Grant counties local option to not follow sections 240 and 241 of the Labor Law (Scaffold Act) and be subject to a contributory negligence standard for construction sites, which holds employees responsible for their culpable conduct (A.1556, Kolb).

Scaffold Law Exemption

Exempts owners of farms and owners of multiple dwellings from complying with the Scaffold Law in certain circumstances (A.379, Hawley).

Unemployment Liability Reform

Relieve employers from liability for unemployment benefits for employees who voluntarily leave employment (A.1553, Kolb).

Workers Compensation Aggregate Trust Fund Repeal

Remove mandatory aggregate trust fund deposit requirements in non-scheduled permanent partial disability cases imposed by the 2007 Workers Compensation reforms (A.1569, Kolb).

Prevailing Wage Reform

Change the way the prevailing wage is calculated to include a broader, more inclusive sample of employers.

n Require that data from employers not subject to collective bargaining agreements be used when establishing this wage; and

n Define locality for purposes of determining the wage to mean the county where such a public works project will be conducted, or in the case of a project spanning two counties, the average of those two (A.5724 of 2013).

Prevailing Wage Waiver

Waive the requirement to pay prevailing wage on municipal construction projects with a total anticipated cost less than $5 million (A.5728 of 2013).

Small-Business Tax-Deferred Savings Accounts

Authorize the creation of small-business tax-deferred savings accounts to assist small business owners during times of economic distress (A.3625, Ra).

IDA Civic Facilities Financing

Reauthorize IDA financing of civic facilities (A.1551, Kolb).

Linked Deposit Program Expansion

Increase the Linked Deposit Program (LDP) to $1 billion (currently $560 million) and designate $200 million to be solely available for business start-ups (A.1563, Kolb).

Diesel Emission Reduction Act Repeal

Repeal the Diesel Emission Reduction Act of 2006, which is a costly mandate on the trucking industry (A.5363, Oaks).



Improving Business Interaction with ESDC

Create an online tracking and email/listserv notification system for loans and grants administered by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to assist businesses with financial decisions (A.8413, Montesano).

Green Job Development and Recruitment Program

Establish a statewide green jobs development and recruitment strategy to attract green jobs to the State, convert existing companies into green job providers, recruit individuals into green job careers, and establish green job curricula at BOCES and community colleges.

Also:

n Provide a wage tax credit to businesses for each full-time green job created or maintained. Credits available for up to 5 years (Credits are $1,500 and $2,000 for jobs with salaries over $40,000);

n Establish an energy tax credit for businesses that operate with at least 25 percent of their energy consumption coming from green power;

n Provide a real property tax credit for businesses that create or maintain green jobs;

n Allow localities to exempt green power and energy-efficiency projects for a home or business from real property tax and sales tax; and

n Extend the Linked Deposit Program for equipping businesses and farms with green technology including the purchase of anaerobic digesters or for switching commercial dairy operations to organic operations (A.1639, Kolb).

Casino Gambling Legalization

Permit the establishment of certain types of casino gaming in privately-owned and operated land-based casinos within any county of the State (A.2205, Tenney).

Manufacturing

Manufacturing Preservation and Enhancement Act

n Manufacturing Enhancement Incentive (MEI) Wage Credit: Provide a credit of 1.5 percent of the eligible wages to manufacturers who maintain their application- year employment levels. If the employer increases employment, they would receive a credit of 1.5 percent on the initial employees wages and 2.5 percent of the difference between the application year and the increased amount;

n MEI Energy Credit: Make manufacturers eligible to receive a two-tiered energy tax credit - $25 for maintained employees and $50 for increased employment; and

n MEI Property Tax Credit: Provide eligible manufacturing firms a flat 10 percent property tax credit for property assessed (A.5575, Kolb).

Elimination of Corporate Franchise and Income Taxes for Manufacturers

Repeal the corporate franchise tax and Personal Income Tax for manufacturers (A.4568, Kolb).

Manufactured in New York Product Registry

Require the commissioner of economic development to establish and maintain an Internet registry of products made in New York and create a label to identify such products (A.5446, Butler).

Energy

The Alternative Fuel Incentive Fund - Dedicate the sales tax revenue generated above $1 on the sale of gasoline to a new Alternative Fuel Incentive Fund to provide tax credits, grants, investments and other incentives to encourage ownership of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles and expand the availability of alternative fuels. The $265 million fund would go toward:

n A $500 tax credit for the purchase of a hybrid or flex-fuel vehicle;

n A tax credit equal to 30 percent of the costs associated with putting in an alternative fueling pump at a gas station;

n $1 million to each of the 27 travel plazas on the New York State Thruway for the installation of alternative fueling stations;

n $20 million in grants for the construction of alternative fueling stations or production facilities; and

n $30 million for research and development (A.6211, Tedisco).

Underground Wiring of Power and Telecommunication Lines

Create a fund using FEMA hazard mitigation funds to assist in placing the States electrical grid underground (A.6000, Graf).

Hydraulic Fracturing Electricity Reserve

Require 10 percent of oil and gas produced using hydraulic fracturing to be contributed to a State reserve for power authorities, exclusively for the production of electricity (A.2872, Graf).



Education

Commissioner of Education Appointment

Make the commissioner of education an office appointed by the governor (A.5018, Kolb).

BOCES Renaming and Marketing Revamp

Rename BOCES educational programs as Quest Schools with the goal of marketing these programs with a positive image, thereby encouraging additional students to consider pursuit of these career paths (A.5019, Kolb).

New Edison Project

Promote math and science curricula in schools through:

n Advanced Curriculum of the Sciences (A.C.S.) High Schools - Establish either distinct high schools or programs within high schools to provide students with enriched math, science and engineering curricula;

n The Microscope Fund - Create a low-interest loan of up to $50,000 to high schools across our State;

n Corporate Tax Credit - Provide a tax credit of 50 percent to New York businesses for gifts up to $50,000 for New York high schools participating in the Project Lead the Way initiative;

n NYS Science Fair (The New Edison Medal) - Create a New York State-sponsored science fair intended to lead all other States in participation and prizes awarded;

n Loan Forgiveness - Create a loan forgiveness program for math, science, engineering and high-tech graduates;

n Edison TAP (E-TAP) - Expand the TAP program to specifically target those students entering their sophomore year as full-time students enrolled in a math, science or engineering major;

n The Foundation Fund - Create a $2 million grant fund available to graduate students in all sectors to pursue scientific research related to their graduate or doctoral studies;

n Science, Math and Technology State Commission-Investigate and make recommendations on strengthening science, math and technology education throughout the State; and

n Celebrity Media Plan - Create a media campaign that highlights celebrities to draw attention to math, science and engineering career paths (A.6332, Tedisco).

Computer and School Supply Sales Tax-Free Week

Create a sales tax-free week for all education-related purchases as well as computer hardware and software (A.3053 of 2013).

Tax Exemption for Book Fairs

Provide an exemption from sales and use taxes for items under $10 sold at school-sponsored programs, such as book fairs or fundraising events (A.7096, Saladino).

After-School Challenge Program

Create a program to provide schools with matching funds for resources raised by private donations to support after-school programs (A.5161, Curran).

Legislative Approval of Board of Regents Policies

Requires legislative approval of all policies adopted by the board of regents that would have a cumulative impact of over $1 million statewide (A.8176, Ra).

Higher Education

Textbook and Laptop Computer Income Tax Credit

Establish a refundable Personal Income Tax credit of up to $1,000 for new and used required textbooks and laptop computers for college students or their parents (A.3318, Fitzpatrick).

Self-Managing New Yorks 529 College Savings Program

Mandate that the State comptroller allow more than one qualified financial institution to manage the College Savings Program and provide the maximum amount of investment options offered by any 529 (A.4746, Walter).



Graduate Outreach Assistance Program

Provide a Personal Income Tax exemption on the first $250,000 earned after graduation for college graduates with four-year degrees and on the first $150,000 for two-year graduates (A.6178, Tedisco).

Agriculture

Corporate Franchise and Income Tax Credit for Wine Making

Create a tax credit for wine bottling, packaging and labeling expenses of New York State wineries (A.4574, Kolb).

Farmers School Tax Credit Expansion

Include agricultural lands that are leased for a minimum of five years under the Farmers School Tax Credit, providing $2 million in tax relief for farmers and enhancing access to farmland and open space preservation in the State (A.327, Hawley).

New York Farmer Recruitment and Retention Act

Establish the Agricultural Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Program for full-time farmers with incentives for young people to enter the farming profession (A.2236-A, Crouch).

Anaerobic Digesters Revolving Fund Program

Establish the anaerobic digesters revolving fund program for the construction of manure digesters that turn animal by-products into energy (A.5184, Crouch).

Sportsmen and Outdoor Recreation

Fishing Licenses

Permit fishing guides and charter boat captains licensed by the State Department of Environmental Conservation to issue fishing licenses upon request (A.4312, Barclay).

Landowner Liability and Insurance Reform Study

Require the superintendent of insurance to conduct a study regarding the feasibility of developing and implementing landowner liability reform, opening more lands for hunting, fishing, ATV and snowmobile activities (A.1813, Tenney).

ATV Economic Impact Study

Require the Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct a study examining the economic impact associated with statewide trail development and provide accurate information about the positive impact such trails would have on local economies (A.2543, Crouch).

Housing

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit

Extend eligibility for the existing low-income housing tax credit program for the rehabilitation and construction of one- to four-family homes in low-income neighborhoods, rural areas and areas of chronic economic distress (A.3992, Fitzpatrick).

Home Ownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit

Create a tax credit equal to 15 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenses incurred by the taxpayer (A.3315, Fitzpatrick).

Tax Exemptions for Multiple Dwellings

Extend existing tax exemptions and tax abatements to owners of multiple dwellings who perform rehabilitation work on those properties in any city in the State (A.3314, Fitzpatrick).

Government Loans for the Rehabilitation of Deteriorating Homes

Allow any municipality in the State to make loans available for the reconstruction or rehabilitation of residential housing in areas in danger of deteriorating (A.3205, Fitzpatrick).



Anti-Abandonment Initiative

Allow all cities to participate in the Urban Development Action Area Program (UDAAP) to convey distressed residential property that is foreclosed upon for non-payment of taxes and to make mortgage loans available for improvement projects to help revitalize blighted neighborhoods (A.4412, Fitzpatrick).

Third Party Transfer Program

Authorize localities to convey distressed residential real property that has been foreclosed upon for non-payment of taxes to a third party for rehabilitative purposes (A.3210, Fitzpatrick).

Community Improvement Program

Improve distressed cities through a locally-directed grant program for the purpose of clearing, removing or rehabilitating blighted housing (A.3217, Fitzpatrick).

Home Equity Protection Insurance

Authorize the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) to establish a program to insure the value of residential real property against financial loss upon resale of the property (A.3211-A, Fitzpatrick).

Rehabilitation Mortgages

Allow SONYMA to purchase rehabilitation loans from banks to assist first-time buyers and/or moderate-income families in achieving their dreams of home ownership and revitalize local communities (A.3317, Fitzpatrick).

Rent Regulation Elimination

Gradually eliminate rent regulations in the metropolitan New York City area through vacancy decontrol and enhanced luxury decontrol (A.2322, Kolb).

PUBLIC SAFETYThe following proposals have significant sponsorship or are supported by various members of the Assembly Republican Conference but have not been adopted by the conference unanimously:

Safer Communities

Firearms Licensing Reciprocity

Allow non-residents to possess and carry a concealed firearm in New York State if they are in possession of a valid permit issued by another state (A.6525, Kolb).

Death Penalty Reinstatement

Provides for a reinstatement of the death penalty in certain circumstances (A.5390-A, Kolb).

Suzannes Law

Increase the penalties for specific crimes committed upon school grounds and increase the number of areas designated as school grounds (A.6206, Tedisco).

Bullying in Schools

Define and prohibit bullying of students on school property. Require disciplinary action to be in accordance with each districts code of conduct (A.2705, McDonough).



Criminal Use of a Firearm

Impose an additional consecutive five-year mandatory prison sentence for anyone convicted of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the first degree (A.1638, Kolb).

Order of Protection Hearings

Allow testimony via video-conference in all order of protection proceedings to prevent intimidation (A.6406, Katz).

Unlawful Wage Discrimination

Create the crime of unlawful wage discrimination (class C felony) to prevent the practice in the State (A.6407, Katz).

Sexual Harassment Complaints

Allow an employee of any business, regardless of size, to file a sexual harassment claim (A.6408, Katz).

Affirmative Defense for Prostitution and Human Trafficking Crimes

Allow individuals charged with prostitution to assert an affirmative defense that their participation was involuntary, and create the crime of human trafficking, a class B felony (A.6409, Katz).

Pregnancy Discrimination Prevention

Make it an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to discriminate against a woman if she is pregnant, with regard to applications and conditions of employment (A.6410, Katz).

Eliminate Housing Discrimination

Prohibit housing discrimination against victims of domes-tic violence (A.6411, Katz).

Sex Offender Residency Restriction

Create a permanent residency restriction for sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of school grounds, any building in which childcare is provided or a park (A.4866, Corwin).

Bawdy House Law

Expand provisions for eviction for illegal occupancy to include illegal possession, manufacture or sale of a controlled substance or marijuana (A.1806, Tenney).

Animal Fighting/Busters Law

Increase penalties for promoting animal fights as well as attending or betting on animal fights. Also, increase penalties for Aggravated Cruelty to Animals (Busters Law) and require those convicted to undergo psychological evaluations and treatment (A.6095, Tedisco).

Horses as Companion Animals/Busters Law

Expand the scope of Busters Law to include horses as companion animals. Prohibit anyone convicted of a violation of Busters Law from owning a companion animal unless authorized by a court (A.4515, Tedisco).

Psychological Evaluation for Animal Abusers

Require those convicted of animal abuse or neglect to undergo psychological evaluations and treatment. Require animal abuse crimes committed by youthful offenders to be unsealed and used for any subsequent prosecution (A.4618, Tedisco).

Animal Abuse in Commission of a Crime/Busters Law

Expand Busters Law protection to include physical injury or death to a companion animal caused during commission of a felony or during immediate flight from such felony (A.4517-A, Tedisco).



Attorneys Fees in Discrimination Cases

Award attorneys fees to the prevailing party in housing, credit and employment discrimination where the discrimination was done on the basis of sex (A.8796, Borelli).

Familial Status Discrimination

Add familial status to the list of classes protected and covered by the Human Rights Law (A.8811, McLaughlin).

Restraining Order Reform

Clarify that the protected party in whose favor an order of protection or temporary order of protection is issued may not be held to violate that order (A.8788, Lupinacci).

Electronic Hearings for Temporary Restraining Orders

Authorize the establishment of a pilot program for the filing of petitions for temporary orders of protection by electronic means (A.8803, Kolb).

Commission of Correction Study

Direct the State Commission of Correction to conduct a comprehensive study on how to enhance safety and maximize efficiencies throughout the State prison system (A.6008, Giglio).

Maximum Age for Police Officers

Eliminate the maximum age for taking the civil service examination for appointment as a police officer (A.6016-A, Giglio).

Renees Law

Provide staff at juvenile detention facilities with the record of the youth they are responsible for supervising, training on issues such as abuse prevention and physical intervention, and create a risk assessment tool used for placement, transfer and discharge of youth (A.3136, Corwin).

Megans Law Enhancement

Amend Megans Law to make it easier for the Division of Criminal Justice Services to keep track of registered sex offenders, and make it more difficult for sex offenders to circumvent verification and registration requirements (A.9173, Palumbo).

Jessicas Law

Mandate a 25-year minimum prison sentence for com-mitting certain violent felony sex offenses against a child (A.6158, Tedisco).

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Prohibit the sale and distribution of synthetic cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana) and substituted cathinones (bath salts) by adding them to the controlled substance list (A.6971, Barclay).


Zero Tolerance for Sex Offenders

Absentee Vote Requirement for Sex Offenders

Require Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders to vote by absentee ballot if they are living in election districts in which their assigned polling place is a school or a church with an on-site daycare (A.3037 of 2013).

Prohibition of Bail

Allow courts to consider the defendants risk of danger to the community when determining eligibility for recogni-zance or bail (A.1809, Tenney).

Civil Confinement Expansion

Expand civil confinement for sex offenders deemed high risk for re-offense by eliminating the option of strict and intensive supervision and treatment as an alternative (A.7093, Saladino).

Heightened Sentencing for Sex Offenders Who Fail to Register

Qualify the crime of felony failure to register as a sex offender under second felony offender status, thereby making the defendant eligible for increased sentencing (A.5725 of 2013).

Prohibition of Using Campgrounds

Prohibit sex offenders from entering or using campgrounds (A.3759, Duprey).

Environmental Protection

Income Tax Credit for Obtaining Flood Insurance

Create a Personal Income Tax credit for obtaining flood insurance (A.2458, Crouch).

Stream Maintenance and Flood Prevention Program

Require the commissioner of environmental conservation to develop an optional program for counties to provide flood protection while improving aquatic habitats in streams (A.1823, Crouch).

Veterans

College Tuition for Family Members of Fallen Military Personnel

Allow the surviving dependent family members of New York State military personnel who die while on active duty to receive free tuition, room and board at SUNY or CUNY institutions (A.326, Hawley).

Child Care Cost Relief for New York State National Guard Families

Provide financial relief for the families of New York State National Guard members when one or both parents have been called to federal active duty (A.5740, Lopez).

Wage Tax Credits

Establish a wage tax credit for businesses that employ National Guard members and reservists and fully comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) requirements (A.384, Hawley).

Military Pay Income Tax Exemption Extension

Extend the State Personal Income Tax exemption to active duty troops stationed overseas to include the U.S. (A.335, Hawley).

Veterans Income Tax Exemption

Exempts veterans 85 years of age and older from the obligation to pay New York State income tax (A.332, Hawley).

Exemption from Thruway Tolls

Exempts disabled veterans from New York State Thruway tolls (A.324, Hawley).




New York Homes for Heroes Plan - The plan includes:

n Home Loan Guarantee - Expand the federal home loan guarantee to provide a tax credit for National Guard and Reserve veterans equal to the extra .75 percent active duty veterans receive (A.328, Hawley).

n Affordable Home Ownership for Disabled Veterans - Make the Affordable Home Ownership Development Program available to service-related disabled veterans (A.388, Hawley).

n Veterans Home, Rehabilitation and Land Ownership Assistance Loans - Authorize the State Housing Finance Agency (HFA) to provide home purchase and rehabilitation assistance loans, of up to 20 percent of the value of the home, to veterans (A.338, Hawley).

n Veterans Assisted Forward Commitment Mortgages Authorize SONYMA to purchase Veterans Assisted Forward Commitment Loans from banks with low down payments and at favorable interest rates (A.468, Hawley).

Volunteers

Cancer Protection Expansion for Volunteers

Expand existing coverage under the Volunteer Firefighters Benefit Law to include digestive, hematological, lymphatic, urinary, prostate, neurological, breast and reproductive cancers (A.1552-A, Kolb).

arrc 2013-14 updated legislative agenda and compilation of member proposals

Documents

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michael fitzpatrick

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