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Senate Judiciary Committee reports nine bills to the floor or finance panel, including wage-theft and juror-pay measures
Summary
At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary advanced nine bills to the floor or to the finance committee, moving proposals on domestic relations no-fault separation, wage-theft liability, juror pay increases and changes to judicial oversight and age limits.
The Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary on Feb. 25 advanced nine bills to either the Senate floor or the finance committee, moving measures on family law, wage-theft liability, juror pay and judicial oversight.
The committee, chaired by State Senator Brad Wailman Siegel, heard brief presentations and votes on each item and recorded motions, seconds and several individual dissenting or "without recommendation" notations. Most measures were moved and seconded by committee members and then reported out without extended debate.
Why it matters: Several of the measures will alter state statutes if enacted by the full Senate and the governor. The package includes changes to liability rules for wage-theft victims and a proposal to increase allowances for trial and grand jurors; other items concern judicial administration and estate law. A subset of the bills were referred to the Senate Finance Committee because of fiscal implications.
Votes at a glance (bill summary, sponsor, mover/second, notable recorded positions, outcome):
- S.1116 (sponsor: Senator Granardis): "Enacts to amend the executive law in relation to designating April 20 as the day of commemoration to be known as New York State Constitution Day." Motion to move by Senator Martins; seconded by Senator Sean Ryan. Reported to the floor (support indicated on voting sheets).
- S.1261 (sponsor: Senator Krueger): "Enacts to amend the domestic relations law in relation to allowing for no-fault separation." Motion by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded. Reported to the floor.
- S.2497 (sponsor: Senator Granardis): "Amends the Civil Practice Law and Rules to permit certain testimony and evidence by a person alleging discrimination." Motion to move by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded by Senators Oylem and Siegel. Senator Ken Denary Fitzpatrick recorded a nay. Senator Markins recorded a 'without recommendation.' Reported to the floor.
- S.4423 (sponsor: Senator Hoylman Siegel): "Enacts to amend the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law in relation to the payment and distribution of damages and wrongful death actions." Motion to move by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded by Senator Martin. Senator Kenzanar Fitzpatrick recorded 'without recommendation.' Reported to the floor.
- S.4611 (sponsor: Senator Ramos): "Amends Civil Practice Law and Rules regarding grounds for attachment and amends Business Corporation Law and Limited Liability Company Law to create personal liability avenues for certain wage-theft claims; amends Labor Law for penalties for certain wage violations." Motion to move by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded by Senator Williams. Multiple members voiced opposition during the vote; Senator Canton Area Fitzpatrick and Senator Martin were recorded as voting nay. Reported to the floor.
- S.4825-A (sponsor: Senator Hoylman Siegel): "Amends the Judiciary Law in relation to the age limitation for judges." Motion to move by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded by Senator Martin. Senator Ryan recorded 'without recommendation.' Reported to the floor.
- S.4859 (sponsors: Senator Boyle and Senator Siegel): "Amends the Judiciary Law to require the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to transmit its annual budget request to the governor for inclusion in the executive budget without revision; addresses complaints regarding judges; and extends the Commission's jurisdiction to judges who resign or retire while under investigation or formal charge." Motion was seconded by Senator Sean Ryan. Reported to the Finance Committee; Senator Canzonerty Fitzpatrick recorded 'without recommendation.'
- S.4998 (sponsor: Senator Hoyl and Sigel): "Amends the Judiciary Law to increase the allowance that trial and grand jurors are entitled to in each court of the unified court system." Motion to move by Senator Sean Ryan; seconded by Senator Bailey. Senator Canzonerty Fitzpatrick recorded 'with that recommendation.' Referred to the Finance Committee.
- S.4999 (sponsor: Senator Hoyland Sealy): "Enacts to amend the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law in relation to disqualification as a surviving spouse." Motion to move by Senator Bailey; seconded by Senator Sean Ryan. The measure received recorded nays during the vote and was reported out (transcript records: "reported to support").
Committee business concluded after the last vote; the committee adjourned following brief mentions that Senators Rhodes and Colombo had joined while the panel was in session. The bills will next proceed according to the committee referrals noted above: most to the Senate floor and key fiscal items to the Senate Finance Committee.
Notes on procedure and record: The meeting record consisted of short presentations and roll-call voice votes or notation of voting-sheet results. Where the transcript recorded a member as "without recommendation" or specifically named a nay vote, that notation is reflected above. The transcript does not provide final numerical tallies for the roll-call votes; votes where only an oral "aye" was called are reported here as moved and reported out per the committee clerk's announcement.
