A Host Of New Bills Moves NYS Further Left
The legislative session ended with both environmental groups and the women’s movement feeling more empowered than ever before. Legislation was passed on a host of issues that pleased interest groups, advocates, and lobbyists.
Days before the end of the session, Governor Andrew Cuomo was bemoaning the lack of support in the Senate to legalize marijuana. When the session wrapped up, he was all smiles, glowing about all the other successes. There are too many issues to mention in this brief column.
In a late night, last-minute negotiating session, the state Assembly and Senate both passed a measure that further decriminalizes marijuana.
Possession of between one and two ounces of marijuana will now result in a maximum fine of $200, and unlawful possession of less than one ounce will result in a maximum fine of $50. The measure will also allow those with certain misdemeanor marijuana-related records and/or charges to expunge those records. Smoking marijuana will be prohibited in any circumstance where smoking tobacco is prohibited. This measure goes to the governor’s desk for his signature.
On the environmental front, a measure was passed in both houses that would aggressively “move New York’s economy off fossil fuels, thereby significantly reducing climate pollution which poses a threat to public health, environment, and economy,” according to Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York.
Another measure “bans the use, manufacture, sale, and distribution of firefighting foam containing toxic PFAS chemicals, which has contaminated water supplies statewide and the sale of household cleansing, personal care products and cosmetic products containing 1,4 dioxane, other than in trace amounts is banned once the measure is signed,” Iwanowicz noted.
The Child Safe Products Act is aimed at “protecting children from avoidable illness and toxic exposure by requiring disclosure and reporting of dangerous chemicals used in children’s products and empowers state Environmental Conservation leaders to ban a variety of dangerous chemicals, such as formaldehyde and asbestos,” Iwanowicz said.
Environmental measures that have already been signed into law prevent the oil and gas industry from establishing extraction sites proximate to New York’s shoreline.
When the budget was passed in April, it included a congestion pricing measure “removing polluting tailpipes from NYC roads while also providing desperately-needed funding to improve mass transit,” according to Iwanowicz.
Beginning March of next year, you won’t be packing your groceries in plastic bags. In the 1970s, there was a cry for eliminating paper bags from supermarkets and a push for using plastic bags; now, almost 50 years later, we’ve gone full circle.
E.J. McMahon, founder and research director of the Empire Center, contends that these measures are “likely to stifle economic growth and job creation in New York for many years to come.”
“A bill that would let striking union members collect unemployment insurance (UI) benefits a week after the start of a walkout – effectively subsidizing union strike funds with higher employer UI premiums – will add to the already high costs and complications of living, working and doing business in the Empire State,” said McMahon.
It appears that, even after the state budget is wrapped up, it’s never really finished. The end of the legislative session added a net of $1.185 billion to state expenditures. One of the smaller amounts, $20 million in matching grants, was allocated for safety and security projects at nonpublic schools and day camps which would be at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs or mission.
This money is in addition to the $40 million allocated earlier this year in the state budget. At that time, $25 million was set aside for securing communities against hate crimes, while $15 million was designated for nonpublic school safety and security.
Advocates, interest groups and lobbyists credit freshman Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein (D – Boro Park, Brooklyn) with securing this additional funding.
“This is a historic accomplishment,” said Maury Litwack, executive director of Teach NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union, in April. “This is the first time in the nation’s history that residential camps have been included in security grant legislation. Thank you to Assemblyman Eichenstein for his leadership and to Governor Cuomo for the creation and expansion of this proven safety program.”
“I am delighted by this great achievement to provide additional security funding for sleep-away camps,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, chief executive officer of Chai Lifeline. “Our children’s safety and security is our top priority throughout the year, and there’s no reason that should change once the school year ends.”
“Ultimately it’s all about the children,” Eichenstein said. “They deserve to feel safe and secure no matter where they are. Adding the summer camps to the Hate Crimes Grants program will provide an extra level of protection for our children and peace of mind for their parents.”
Some will remember that President Calvin Coolidge was nicknamed Silent Cal. Now, it seems Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is getting the similar nickname Silent Carl. Heastie was not seen much in public during the last weeks of the session and has issued few news releases, which is unusual for a high-profile leader of a legislative chamber. He certainly has not appeared in front of reporters to explain why some controversial pieces of legislation have moved, been modified, or been held up.
Lawmakers like to say at this time of year that, though they are not in Albany passing legislation, they and their staff are staying connected with their constituents by traveling (often on the taxpayer’s dime) to learn more about issues affecting their communities.
On the subject of traveling: Governor Andrew Cuomo is in Israel on a trade mission to discuss drone technology and evoke interest in helping the MTA move forward with a software product for the trains’ navigation systems. Combating anti-Semitism will also be on the agenda.
Cuomo will return late Friday evening, which is why The Jewish Press was not able join him for this solidarity trip. Maybe next time.