Assembly Action Highlights
March 17-21, 2008

Dan Weiller, Press Secretary

Assembly Welcomes Senate Passage of Elderly Protection Legislation

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Codes Committee Chair Joseph Lentol applauded the Senate's decision last week to pass legislation, previously approved by the Assembly, to help curb predatory attacks on New York's elderly.

Citing the type of violence that was witnessed last year with the brutal beating of 101- year-old Rose Morat of Queens, the lawmakers called on the Senate to pass the Assembly's bill (A.9818) which would help curb predatory attacks by strengthening the penalties for those who perpetrate acts of violence against the elderly. The bill, sponsored by Silver, will increase the penalty for assaulting a person 65 years or older by someone more than 10 years younger from a class A misdemeanor to second-degree assault, a class D violent felony.

"Violent crimes against the elderly are particularly heinous acts of cowardice. I congratulate the Senate for joining the Assembly Majority in safeguarding seniors from harm and addressing the needs that arise from victimization of the elderly," said Silver. "We look forward to the Governor signing this legislation and protecting our senior population."

Legislature's Joint Budget Conference Committee Meets To Work Toward Agreement

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, and Ways Means Committee Chair Herman "Denny" Farrell Jr., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Owen Johnson met with other members of the Joint General Budget Conference Committee to begin the process of resolving differences between each house's respective budget proposals in order to reach agreement on an on-time budget for 2008-09.

Assembly Passes Emergency Contraception Bill

Silver and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin announced the passage of legislation that would permit women in need of Emergency Contraception (EC), to receive it through a pharmacy or registered nurse without a physician's prescription.

The bill (A.5569-A) would make changes to the current education law by allowing physicians to prescribe a non-patient quantity of this class of drugs to registered nurses and licensed pharmacists, who could then provide the drugs to women who need them. Currently, the law allows only for licensed physicians to prescribe the drugs.

Additionally, the legislation would mandate insurers who currently cover EC prescribed by physicians to provide coverage for drugs supplied by nurses and pharmacies.

The bill aims to provide a means of last resort in cases of rape, incest and human error as well as when other methods of contraception fail. The Assembly believes that the legislation will reduce the amount of unintended pregnancies as well as the abortion rate. The bill was delivered to the Senate.

Assembly Passes Bills To Improve Government Openness And Freedom Of Information Laws

The Assembly approved legislation to increase government transparency and ensure compliance with the state Freedom of Information Laws to commemorate the third annual Sunshine Week, March 17-23.

This legislative package includes bills that would require the state to provide guidance to its agencies as to the development and maintenance of up-to-date, FOIL-able information (A.3403); establish the posting of public meeting notices with time and location information on a public body's Website, if one exists (A.4053); permit all meetings of a public body to be recorded so long as it is not disruptive to the proceedings (A.1111); and allow for the costs and reasonable attorney's fees to be awarded to those who successfully challenged an open meetings law violation (A.1033). The bills were delivered to the Senate.

Assembly Approves Childhood Lead Poisoning Legislation

The Assembly passed the Childhood Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention and Safe Housing Act to protect children from the health dangers of lead paint. The bill (A.6399-C / S.6350) aims to eliminate childhood lead poisoning through prevention, financial incentives and education.

The legislation would establish a series of lead paint poisoning prevention measures, including an annual, maximum tax credit worth $1,500 per property owner and $5,000 per taxpayer for lead reduction remedial efforts, a screening process for children and pregnant women who are at the most risk, and the creation of guidelines by the Health Department to effectively inspect for lead poisoning conditions. The bill was delivered to the Senate.

Assembly Passed Bill To Require School Board Members To Undergo Training

The Assembly approved a bill (A.2469-A) that would require every first-year trustee or voting member of a board of education of a school district or a board of cooperative educational services to complete a training course approved by the State Education Department (SED). Under the bill, new board members would be required to receive this training within six months of taking office.

The bill aims to ensure that board members aware of their board's responsibilities, powers and functions. The bill was delivered to the Senate.