Senate committee advances package of bills on Battery Park City, public-authority subsidiaries, MWBE rules and volunteer fire departments

Albany — On May 20, 2025, the New York State Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions met and advanced a package of bills covering housing rebates in Battery Park City, restrictions on public-authority subsidiaries, changes to Battery Park City Authority board appointments, exemptions for volunteer fire departments, MWBE contracting requirements and amendments to rules governing sales of religious-corporation property.

The committee, which convened with a quorum present, moved nine agenda items forward at the meeting. Several measures were reported to the Senate floor or to other committees for further consideration; one bill on the agenda was laid aside. Committee members discussed the bills briefly on the record and completed voice votes on each item when the sponsor moved the measure.

Why it matters: The measures affect how public authorities operate and how local volunteer fire departments and nonprofit and religious corporations may manage membership and property. The Battery Park City items are aimed at affordability and local governance for residents of Battery Park City in Lower Manhattan. The MWBE-related bill would restrict agreements by a state environmental finance agency to vendors that comply with minority- and women-owned-business participation rules. Several volunteer fire departments sought exemptions to statutory limits on nonresident membership.

Key actions and outcomes

- S.1462 (Kavanaugh) — A bill addressing ground-rent rebates for eligible homeowners and renters in the Battery Park City project area was presented and moved by the chair. The transcript records the bill’s sponsor description and a motion to move; the final roll-call tally is not recorded in the transcript extract. The measure was moved on the committee agenda.

- S.2377 (sponsor listed as "Tariff" in the record) — A bill to prohibit creation of a subsidiary of a public authority or public-benefit corporation without prior legislative permission was moved by Senator Claire and seconded by Senator Scoofus; the committee chair reported the bill passed and was moved to the floor.

- S.3211 (Kavanaugh) — A bill to expand the Battery Park City Authority board by two members and require appointment of Battery Park City residents until they form a majority of the board was moved and seconded on the record and reported passed and moved to the floor.

- S.4366 (sponsor: committee chair) — This bill was laid aside by the chair during today’s meeting and was not advanced.

- S.6044 (May) — A measure to amend not-for-profit corporation law to exempt the South Onondaga Fire Department from a statutory 45% limit on nonresident volunteers was discussed. One senator recorded an "AWR" (available without recommendation) on the measure; the motion to move the bill carried and the chair said the bill would be passed and moved to the floor.

- S.6087 (Parker) — A bill to prohibit the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation from contracting with entities that do not meet General Municipal Law MWBE participation requirements was moved and the chair reported the bill passed and was reported to the floor (transcript phrase: "reported to the court").

- S.6741 (Sanders) — A bill to create the New York State Entrepreneurial Training Act (amendment to the Urban Development Corporation Act) was moved and reported to the Senate Finance Committee.

- S.6991 (Gineris) — A bill to amend the Religious Corporations Law to expedite court approval processes for disposition of real property for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and similar hierarchical churches was moved; the committee moved the bill to the floor.

- S.7204 (Ryan) — A measure to exempt the Cottonoy Volunteer Fire Department from the 45% nonresident membership limit was moved and reported passed and sent to the floor.

Votes at a glance (as recorded on the transcript)

- S.1462 (Kavanaugh): ground-rent rebates, Battery Park City — motion moved by the chair; voice vote recorded. Final tally not specified in transcript. - S.2377 ("Tariff"): prohibits authority subsidiaries without legislative permission — moved by Senator Claire; seconded by Senator Scoofus; committee chair announced passage and movement to the floor. - S.3211 (Kavanaugh): Battery Park City Authority appointments — moved and reported passed to the floor. - S.4366 (committee chair): laid aside for today. - S.6044 (May): exempts South Onondaga Fire Department from 45% nonresident limit — moved; recorded AWR from one senator; chair said bill passed and moved to floor. - S.6087 (Parker): MWBE compliance requirement for Environmental Facilities Corporation contracts — moved; chair reported bill passed and "reported to the court" (transcript wording). - S.6741 (Sanders): New York State Entrepreneurial Training Act — moved and reported to Finance. - S.6991 (Gineris): Religious Corporations Law amendment for Greek Orthodox Archdiocese property disposals — moved and passed to the floor. - S.7204 (Ryan): exempts Cottonoy Volunteer Fire Department from 45% limit — moved and passed to the floor.

Discussion highlights and follow-ups

Committee discussion on most bills was brief and limited to sponsor summaries and procedural motions. One senator raised caution about allowing nonresident membership in volunteer fire departments and suggested consolidation could be considered as an alternative; the senator recorded an "AWR" (available without recommendation) on S.6044 rather than outright support.

Near the close of the meeting a committee member (noted on the record as a closing comment) raised separate concerns about mass transit contracting and toll collection: the member said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had hired a private security contractor for $35,000,000 a year and questioned the contract’s effectiveness, and also urged further work on E‑ZPass billing and toll-collection practices. Those remarks were made as informal closing comments and are not recorded as committee directives or votes.

What the transcript does not show

The available transcript extract does not include roll-call vote tallies (individual yes/no votes) for most measures; where the record gives only voice votes, the article reflects the committee’s announced procedural outcomes as stated on the record. Where the transcript uses unclear or garbled names for sponsors or colleagues, this article uses the name text as spoken in the transcript and notes uncertainty in the provenance.

Ending

The committee indicated it expects to hold one further meeting ahead of the submission deadline the following day for additional bills; sponsors who wished to add measures were asked to notify committee staff before the deadline.