Short Description of Bills Used for Senate Ratings

(The first 18 Bills passed both houses; the last 7 passed the Senate only)

1. A.529-Destito/S.5923-Parker: This bill provides for a civil remedy for victims of bias-related violence or intimidations. CPNYS believes
discrimination against every person, religion, race, gender, ancestry, age, disability or sexual orientation is unacceptable in our society,
however, the language in this bill is extremely vague and the burden of proof will fall upon the defendant making him guilty until he proves himself innocent the exact opposite of our justice system, therefore CPNYS opposed this bill.

2. A.1470-Wright/S2311-Savino: This bill provides domestic workers with a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. CPNYS believes that the contract with the individual family and the worker should be a contract between them and not subject to the labor laws designed for companies and the feasibility and practicality of collective bargaining for domestic workers is a ploy for more union representation, therefore CPNYS opposed this bill.

3. A.2374-Lancman/S2613-Klein: The bill enacts the “jury pool fair representation act” requiring the recording of demographic data on jury polls to determine whether jury pools in the state represent a fair cross-section of the community. CPNYS believes this will eventually lead to bureaucratic bungling with convictions being dismissed on the technicality of not having a fair cross-section on the jury and therefore opposed the bill.

4. A.2565-Glick/S.2664-Duane: The bill sought to provide that certain persons living with HIV or AIDS shall not be required to pay more than 30% of the household income towards shelter costs. CPNYS is consistently opposed to unfunded mandates and legislation that imposes a financial burden on localities. This bill did both, therefore CPNYS opposed it.

5. A.3065-Benjamin/S.3601-Parker: This bill seeks to require that certain day care centers provide six months notice before it intends to close. In today’s society, we understand how the immediate closing of a day care center will impact the lives of those relying on it, however, it should not be mandated to provide six months notice, especially when the municipality owns the day care center. CPNYS considers this legislation another unfunded mandate on local government.

6. A.3421-Sweeney/S4958-Thompson: This bill seeks to establish that the Dept. of Environmental Conservation create a method for
individuals and businesses to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions. The cost to implement this legislation is unwarranted and
unnecessary and even DEC recommended that this bill be vetoed. CPNYS agrees.

7. A.3661-O’Donnell/S.1987-Duane: All students are protected by Project Save, this bill seeks to create a special class of students, and we firmly believe all students need equal protection from all whom deem to bully or harm others.

8. A.5652-Rosenthal/S.1523-Duane: CPNYS is a strong proponent of traditional marriage and believes that the best environment for adopted children is in a home that supports traditional marriage.

9. A.7917-Kavanagh/S.5292-Squadron: This bill requires exercising due care in the operation of a motor vehicle to avoid colliding with any bicyclist, pedestrian or domestic animal. CPNYS believes this bill is redundant and unnecessary as current law covers traffic infractions and penalties for those who do not exercise due care.

10. A.8396-Gottfried/S.5620-Duane: CPNYS is opposed to liberalizing the syringe exchange program by allowing those who use the program to not be criminally liable for possessing syringes with drug residue.

11. A.9703-Budget/S.6603-Budget: CPNYS is opposed to taxpayer funded abortions, just one of the components in this budget bill.

12. A.9710-Budget/S.6610-Budget: This budget bill is the revenue producer that increases taxes for New Yorkers

13. A.10257-Gianaris/S.8379-Schneiderman: This bill broadens the scope of prevailing wage requirements and establishes criminal penalties for violations, thereby increasing the cost of doing business in New York State. CPNYS opposes this bill.

14. A.11104-Rules/S.7847-Rules: This bill extends until March 2011 the authority to issue bonds to fund capital spending. CPNYS opposes the constant annual authorization of issuing bonds that continue to put all New Yorkers deeper in debt.

15. A.11177-Jeffries/S.7945-Adams: This bill prohibits the recording of certain identifying information of a person stopped and questioned by police and subsequently released. CPNYS believes this will hinder police investigations thereby putting the public at risk.

16. A.11310-Rules/S.7990-Oppenheimer: CPNYS is a strong support of charter schools.

17. A.11515-Rules/S.8285-Rules: This bill contains more revenue enhancers that allow for the out of control spending taking place in New York State, including the increase in the tax on cigarettes that ultimately helps fund terrorism.

18. A.41011-Rules/S.67011-Rules: CPNYS opposes any bill that ensures continuation of appropriations to fund services and expenses in any area without making some attempt to decrease a portion of the spending.

19. S.2286-Parker: Relates to enacting an agreement among the states to elect the president by national popular vote. CPNYS believes that the Founding Fathers created a fair and just system when they designed the Electoral College which has served us well for over 200 years.

20. S.5807-Sampson: This bill seeks to increase the number of city court judges. CPNYS is opposed to this extra burden on New York taxpayers during this time of fiscal crisis.

21. S.7023-Huntley: This bill seeks to establish the division of “minority mental health” within the office of mental health. CPNYS is opposed to this extra burden on New York taxpayers during this time of fiscal crisis.

22. S.7434-Perkins: CPNYS supports all legislation that seeks to protect New York’s citizens.

23. S. 8080-Kruger: CPNYS supports all legislation that seeks to save taxpayer money which this bill would do by merging the state office of real property services into the department of taxation and finance.

24. S.8119-Adams: The bill seeks to allow casinos in five areas of New York State. CPNYS is opposed to casino gambling due to the economic tribulations it brings to surrounding areas.

25. S.8129-Thompson: The bill seeks to suspend the issuance of permits for hydraulic fracturing for the extraction of natural gas or oil. CPNYS encourages any method that would lessen our dependence on foreign countries for our energy needs while providing good jobs for New Yorkers.