ALBANY, NY – Governor David Paterson signed into law more than 100 bills given to him in the last few weeks, as a flurry of measures passed the state Legislature in its final days.
Among the significant changes:
>> New York becomes the final state in America to allow no-fault divorces. Previously, in a contested divorce, at least one of the two parties must have been found to have been at fault for one of several reasons.
>> County departments of probation will now have to install devices on the vehicles of people convicted of drunken driving. The devices, called ignition interlocks, prevent the driver from starting the vehicle if the device detects an illegal amount of alcohol on the driver.
>> Grocery stores will begin phasing out dish detergents that contain phosphorous. The goal of the law is to improve water quality by removing phosphorous from waste water. In 2011, lawn fertilizers will need to be phosphorous-free.
Governor Paterson also vetoed 34 bills in his most recent session.
Among the bills he vetoed was a measure pushed by Syracuse-area Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli to create a Gold Alert. It would be similar to an Amber Alert, which alerts the public to a missing child. Gold Alerts would have alerted the public to look for a missing senior citizen with a mental impairment.
Magnarelli and advocates of the law, including the family of an elderly man who wandered off and was later found dead, will hold a news conference today on the issue.
Paterson's office said in a news release that the bills that were vetoed would have added more than $23 million to the state budget without corresponding cuts to pay for them, and some suffered from technical faults, lacked a clear objective or would be difficult to implement.
"The Legislature must stop passing legislation that spends money that we can no longer afford. Enough is enough," Paterson said in a news release.
"State government simply can no longer operate with our heads in the sand," Governor Paterson added. "While I have signed hundreds of bills into law that will help improve the lives of all New Yorkers, I have an obligation and responsibility to reduce taxpayer costs beyond what our State can afford. Many of the bills I have vetoed are worthy projects with laudable goals, but in the face of this current fiscal crisis, we must adjust our budget priorities to reflect our economic reality."
Paterson said he has vetoed more than $1.2 billion in spending during his time in office.
A list of the bills vetoed and approved follows below:
Governor Paterson vetoed the following bills today:
A356/S2293-B: Creates the technology employment community hub (TECH) centers program to award grants to community colleges for skills training
A520/S5926: Requires counties to maintain a registry of people of all ages with disabilities for the purpose of evacuating and sheltering such persons during disasters
A779A/S2993-B: Directs the department of environmental conservation to periodically update the model environmental impact assessment form
A1135/S7976: Establishes program for familial dysautonomia and Tay-Sachs disease screening; authorizes department of health to provide grants
A1459/S2276: Provides for home cooling needs assistance through the low-income home energy assistance program
A2132/S4743: Provides that an offender who fails to register or verify as a sex offender shall have the length of such failure to register or verify added to the duration of registration
A2548/S7567: Includes assisted living residences within the definition of long term care facilities for certain purposes
A2692A/S5113: Provides reimbursement to fire companies for costs associated with responding to spills of hazardous materials
A2769A/S7657: Creates New York City parks, tree and urban forestry fund
A3419/S5689: Requires state agencies to report on greenhouse gas emissions as a result of their operations
A3421/S4958: Includes provisions where it is the duty of the department of environmental conservation to establish a method for individuals and businesses to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions
A3514A/S7852: Provides for furnishing transcript of trial of a defendant convicted of a homicide offense to a family member of the victim at no cost to the family member
A4671A/S3573-A: Relates to requiring utility companies to include a notice of public hearings concerning rate increases
A5220B/S2056-B: Creates the missing vulnerable adults clearinghouse
A5602/S8202: Authorizes and directs the department of health to conduct a study on drugs prescribed for school-age children with ADD and ADHD
A7153A/S7701: Authorizes and directs the department of transportation to prepare a report on noise abatement procedures at certain heliports and airports in the county of Suffolk
A7253A/S7551: Allows for a gift to the love your library fund on corporate and personal income tax return forms
A7885A/S7389: Authorizes appointment of local government historians
A779A/S2993-B: Amends the environmental law, in relation to updates of the model environmental impact assessment form
A8012/ S4687: Relates to the manner in which certain provisions of the correction law are enforced
A8296A/S7112: Establishes the New York State interagency coordinating council for service-disabled veterans, defines the powers and duties of the council, requires an annual report
A8489A/S1330: Identifies the criteria the commissioner of environmental conservation should consider in publishing a list of high local environmental impact zones
A9018A/S6000-A: Prohibits employers from discriminating against victims of domestic violence.
A9020A/S5999-A: Relates to preventing discrimination against victims of domestic violence from housing discrimination
A9757/S7800: Provides that programs or activities relating to housing which receives federal financial assistance shall comply with Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973
A9774/S5202: Grants a waiver of the civil service examination fee to persons who have completed the displaced homemakers program or job training program
A9924A/S6827-A: Authorizes the dormitory authority of the state of New York to sell certain land in the county of Queens to the Indian Cultural and Community Center, Inc.
A10180/S7379: Establishes an address confidentiality program in the office of the secretary of state for domestic violence victims who need to maintain secrecy of their location
A10212A/S4211-B: Legalizes actions of the Oyster Bay - East Norwich central school district with respect to certain building aid contracts
A10689A/S7613-A: Relates to rental discrimination based on income
A11330A/S8022: Relates to a report on the capacity and staffing of the state prison system
S1736B/A1249-C: Relates to qualifications for certain appointed positions with the board of trustees for the state university and CUNY
S7410B/A6036-B: Prohibits a producer or refiner from selling, transferring, or assigning interest in a retail outlet leased to a motor fuel dealer
S8225/A1142-A: Provides alternate retirement benefits for employees of the power authority of the state of New York, who are employed at the Charles Poletti Power Project
Additionally, Governor Paterson signed 102 bills into law, including:
A619/S5108: Relates to uninterrupted payment of disability benefits
A2257B/S1606-B: Expands when a person is guilty of criminal trespass in the second degree
A2876/S4090: Grants the court of claims jurisdiction to hear and determine claims against the state for retaliatory personnel actions
A2900A/S946-A: Authorizes Bethel A.M.E. Church to file applications for a real property tax exemption with the city of Schenectady
A3103A/S4018-A: Adds registered nurse and licensed practical nurse to assault of emergency medical professionals and provides for class C and D felonies for physical injury to them
A3397/S4981: Requires model zoning and planning guidelines that foster age-integrated communities to provide for mixed-use development for senior residential housing
A3467B/S7820-A: Relates to the humane treatment of animals and rights of students relative to dissection
A3762/S3475: Relates to the transportation and possession of a slot machine under certain circumstances
A4916/S4651: Establishes that insurers providing rental vehicle reimbursement coverage shall not require an insured to utilize a particular rental vehicle company
A5707A/S5029-A: Requires owners of buildings receiving state benefits to make available rooms for voting and registration which are accessible to the handicapped
A5823/S1901: Requires commercial pesticide applicators to provide notice to residents of multiple family dwellings prior to the application of pesticide on such premises
A6195A/S2972-A: Authorizes family court in family offense proceedings to extend an order of protection upon showing of good cause or consent
A6241C/S6694-B: Authorizes Gibson Meeting Halls, Inc. to apply for real property tax exemptions on certain parcels in the county of Nassau
A6509B/S5615-A: Relates to providing unlisted numbers for domestic violence victims
A7203C/S285-C: Requires veterinarians and veterinary technicians to complete continuing education
A7569A/S4532-A: Provides for the payment of all counsel and expert fees in matrimonial actions by the more monied party to such action
A7593B/S4208-B: Relates to utility service call centers
A7617/S4498: Relates to a patient's right to palliative care information
A7670/S4429: Relates to motions to vacate judgment against victims of sex trafficking for certain prostitution offenses
A7917D/S5292-C: Relates to the requirement of exercising due care in the operation of a motor vehicle to avoid colliding with any bicyclist, pedestrian or domestic animal
A7923/S3644: Relates to requiring at least one employee at a child day care facility or family day care home to be trained and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid
A7924A/S5342-A: Authorizes the filing of an application for real property tax exemption by Congregation Mesifta Beth Shraga
A7987B/S4303-B: Relates to farm waste net energy metering
A8076A/S4194-A: Authorizes certain police officers employed by the village of Lyons to join the twenty year retirement plan
A8199B/S1260-B: Authorizes New Creation in Christ Ministries, Inc. to file applications for a real property tax exemption with the city of Schenectady
A8220/S4199: Relates to the board of trustees of the higher education services corporation
A8392C/S7299-A: Makes technical corrections to provisions establishing powers of attorney for financial estate planning
A8393A/S5696-A: Provides that orders of protection shall not be denied solely on the basis that the events alleged are not contemporaneous with the application therefore
A8504/S4388: Relates to trial discharges of youth in foster care and voluntary re-placements of older adolescents in foster care
A8524/S3868-A: Authorizes the family court, in certain situations, to restore a birth parent's parental rights after they have been terminated
A8839A/S6034: Provides for enhanced consumer protection measures and enforcement of the do-not-call registry
A9186B/S6079-B: Criminalizes assault on a sanitation enforcement agent
A9550A/S7723: Relates to admission to adult care facilities
A9746/S7045: Authorizes the Community Outreach Center to file an application for a real property tax exemption
A9838/S7647: Relates to eligibility under the naturally occurring retirement community supportive service program
A9857C/S8GV056: Provides for the interpretation of trust and will clauses relating to federal estate taxes and generation-skipping transfer taxes when the decedent dies during 2010
A9944/S6858: Makes technical corrections to provisions of law relating to rates of payment for residential health care facilities
A9979/S6976: Authorizes the Greater Utica Community Food Resources, Inc. to file an application for a real property tax exemption
A10025A/S6975-A: Authorizes the Long Island Progressive Missionary Baptist Churches General Association to file an application for a real property tax exemption
A10050A/S7202-A: Authorizes assessor of county of Nassau to accept an application for exemption from real property taxes from S.N. Services Corporation
A10094B/S6993-B: Relates to information and access to breast reconstructive surgery
A10164/S7037: Makes the mayor the administrative head and executive secretary of the Schenectady urban renewal agency
A10213/S7074: Extends the period of time the Brookville library funding district may be established
A10219A/S7408-A: Relates to insurance coverage for drugs used in cancer treatment
A10226/S7139: Requires the required notice of foreclosure to tenants to include a notice of the rights of rent-regulated tenants
A10507A/S7584: Authorizes use of lever voting machines for school elections
A10512A/S7386-A: Authorizes the assessor of the town of Babylon to accept an application for exemption from real property taxes for certain parcels of land located in North Amityville
A10741/S7456: Increases the composition of the September 11th worker protection task force and extends the expiration of such chapter
A10779/S8031: Allows county of Putnam to retroactively apply for a tax exemption on property in the town of Carmel
A10851A/S8013: Grants chief administrator of the courts authority to allow referees to determine certain applications to a family court for an order of protection
A10857A/S7378-A: Relates to revocation of a liquor license for cause
A10869/S7677: Relates to making real property tax receipts available online
A10875/S7730: Extends from January 1, 2011 until January 1, 2015, the expiration of provisions of law relating to tax exemptions for solar, wind, or farm waste energy systems
A10878A/S7811-A: Prohibits the implementation of electronic billing and/or payment of rent without the tenant's consent
A10908B/S7118-A: Authorizes limited licenses to self-service storage companies for the sale of insurance on personal property stored at the facility
A10939/S7755: Repeals title 37 of article 15-B of the general municipal law relating to the establishment of the Port Chester community development agency
A10982/S7757: Repeals title 20 of article 7 of the public authorities law relating to the creation of the Port Chester parking authority
A10984B/S8390: Establishes the provision of temporary maintenance in matrimonial actions, and directs the law revision commission to study the effects of divorce and maintenance
A11097/S8272: Relates to extending provisions of law relating to the underground facilities safety training account
A11289/S8087: Extends the effectiveness of the home based primary care for the elderly demonstration project through January 1, 2016
A11343/S7826: Extends the provisions of chapter 545 of the laws of 2003 relating to the assisted living program
A11351/S8060: Relates to providing for the construction of capital facilities for Broad Channel Volunteers, Inc.
A11364/S8045: Amends chapter 183 of the laws of 2003, authorizing Westchester County to lease certain parklands, to make technical changes
A11391/S8228: Expands eligibility for the shock incarceration program
A11566/S8376: Relates to paperwork reduction
A11568/S8378: Relates to fraud enforcement
A11612/S8424: Relates to rape crisis centers for services to rape victims and programs to prevent rape
S1180A/A231-A: Provides that the village of Rye Brook in the county of Westchester may impose an occupancy tax on rooms for hire
S2087B/A432-B: Relates to unlawful dissection, procurement and sale of human body tissue, organs and body parts
S2769A/A5895-A: Extends provisions of the volunteer firefighters' benefit law relating to claims for benefits when a firefighter suffers heart related death or disability until 2015
S3890A/A9753-A: Provides that spouses may be granted a judgment of divorce in a timely fashion provided they meet certain conditions
S3903A/A6154-B: Relates to cooperative bidding by libraries and library systems
S4601A/ A 8565-A: Relates to bond anticipation notes issued during calendar year 2004 or 2005
S4647B/A 5292-B: Enacts the "Ambrose-Searles move over act"
S4658B/A 2693-B: Requires all first-term members of boards of education to attend training sessions within six months of taking office
S5110/A 9471: Authorizes municipal reciprocal insurers to offer full faith and credit surety bonds for public officers
S5182A/A 8656-A: Relates to a license to manufacture and sell alcoholic beverages in a premises commonly known as a restaurant-brewer
S5746/A 8707: Validates, ratifies, and confirms expenditures made by the William Floyd union free school district
S5868/A 8934: Authorizes taxing authorities in a certain county to grant a real property tax exemption to volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers
S5953A/A 8978-A: Relates to providing a tax exemption for property owned by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society of Rosebank
S6129A/A 9103-A: Authorizes the town board of the town of Hyde Park, in the county of Dutchess, to diminish the area of the Greenfields water district
S6139A/A 10316-A: Provides that Lighthouse Mission, Inc. may file an application for exemption from real property taxes for the 2008-2009 assessment roll
S6231C/A 9227-B: Relates to alcoholic beverage liquidator's permits and temporary retail permits
S6237A/A 9733-A: Designating a portion of state highway 812 in Ogdensburg as "Trooper Shawn W. Snow Street"
S6263C/A 9243-B: Enacts Ian's Law, which provides enhanced consumer protections in the event of an insurer's discontinuance of coverage
S6279A/ A 9501-A: Relates to preferences to veterans for rentals and selection of tenants by certain housing companies
S6419A/A 9484-A: Provides for the elimination of certain properties of the Westerlo Water District No. 1 inadvertently included within such district
S6455/A 9535: Extends provisions of chapter 105 of the laws of 2009 enabling the county of Albany to impose and collect taxes on occupancy of hotel or motel rooms in Albany county
S6671A/A 9804-A: Relates to an exchange of ownership and maintenance responsibility between the village of Medina and the state of New York regarding roads in such village
S6766/A 9827: Authorizes the city of Schenectady to accept an application for real property tax exemption from the Tabernacle of New Hope
S6948/A 10178-A: Enacts provisions relating to reciprocal insurers having a corporate attorney-in-fact wholly owned by subscribers at the reciprocal insurers
S6987A/A 10161-A: Relates to criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and strangulation
S7327A/A 11041: Extends the city's energy cost savings program and lower Manhattan energy program
S7420/A 11238: Increases the bond and note authorization of the New York state housing finance agency
S7480A/A 10673-A: Relates to the sale of wine and beer for consumption upon the premises at the New York State Fair
S7485A/A 10617-A: Relates to the suspension of driving privileges
S7512A/A 9841-A: Allows consideration of in-kind support when determining grantees of the naturally occurring retirement communities supportive service program
S7815A/A 10957-A: Legalizes, validates, ratifies and confirms the establishment and funding of water district no. 7 in the town of Brutus, county of Cayuga
S7864/A 10611: Relates to significant programmatic accomplishments for limited credit time allowances for inmates
S7897/A 10993: Relates to vehicles passing bicycles
S8114/A 11396: Relates to an application for exemption from real property taxes by the House of Refuge Apostolic Church
S8391/A 11576: Chapter amends S. 4532-A and A. 7569-A, relating to counsel and expert fees in matrimonial actions, to change the effective date to 60 days after enactment