Previous Legislative & Regulatory Counseling

NYS Legislative Introductions 2021 BILLS FOLLOWED NY S00528 - Relates to the right to clean air and water and a healthful environment. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to article 1 of the constitution, in relation to the right to clean air and water and a healthful environment. 01/11/2021: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing (11:00 1/11/2021 Virtually) NY A00025 - Exempts certain utility and other workers from state and local traveling bans during declared emergencies. AN ACT to [...]

“The biggest problem lies in the relationship between government and the truth” -The Great Influenza” by John M. Barry (2004) The day after Labor Day some of the the legislature’s committees will convene in Albany and report bills for consideration by the legislature on Wednesday, May 27. Members will “attend session” remotely. The capitol will remained closed to the public and lobbying efforts conducted via the web. Much of the agenda will deal with the abating the consequences of COVID -19. [...]

Assembly bill A-1434B passed the assembly but failed in the senate where the sponsor of the companion bill saw the same defects we complained about to the assembly sponsor. So the matter is set aside. Another misconceived idea became law as logic and legislation collided. Mentioned here, somewhat cynically, is the plan for generation of 50% of electricity by renewables by 2030 and 80% by 2050. The numbers are interchangeable, flexible, variable and perhaps not even real numbers. We debated this [...]

The 2018-19 Budget was passed by the Senate, Friday March 30, at around midnight, while the Assembly acted on March 31 at approximately 4AM, in time to meet the deadline for a balanced budget. Achievement of on-time budgets has become, in the public’s eye, a proxy for good governance but its contents, its size, and the many un-answered concerns should be central to such evaluations. One senator observed that social issues should be han- dled apart from fiscal matters to limit [...]