Senate Judiciary Committee advances multiple bills to the floor, sends constitutional resolution to finance

The Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary, chaired by State Senator Bridal Armand Siegel, advanced a series of bills to the Senate floor and sent a constitutional amendment to the finance committee during its March 25 meeting.

The committee reported multiple bills affecting landlord-tenant transactions, civil-practice limitations, county court judgeships, contractor surety bonds, bail-data review, condominium owner protections, disaster protections for self-storage liens, homestead exemptions and confidentiality for law enforcement peer-support communications. A concurrent resolution proposing a constitutional amendment concerning the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic sports complex in Essex County was referred to the finance committee.

The most high-profile measures included a bill to require review of bail data reports by the state commission on judicial conduct and a proposal to increase the number of county court judges in certain jurisdictions. Both measures were voted out of committee and reported forward. Several bills drew recorded negative or “without recommendation” positions from individual senators; those positions are noted below with the actions the committee took.

Votes and actions reported by the committee

- Senate Print 947 (sponsor: Senator Jackson): Amends the Real Property Law to prohibit residential landlords from charging tenants fees for rent payments made through automated clearing house or online payment systems. Motion moved by Senator Bailey and seconded by Senator Lou. The…