Senate Budget and Revenue Committee advances seven tax-related bills to finance or calendar

State Senator Andrew Pinares, chair of the State Senate Committee on Budget and Revenue, opened the committee’s Feb. 11 meeting and led votes advancing seven tax-related bills to either the Finance Committee or the Senate calendar.

The bills considered would: expand the definition of a qualified historic home for a historic homeownership rehabilitation credit (S405, sponsored by Senator Meili); increase the authorized resident taxpayer contribution to family tuition accounts (S1145, sponsored by Senator Gunnarz); create a New York State working families tax credit (S2082, sponsored by Senator Cuenartes); enact an online revenues and expenditures transparency act (S2275, sponsored by Senator Krueger); exclude certain food donations from sales tax (S2279, sponsored by Senator Webb); increase the sales-tax exemption threshold for apparel items from $110 to $200 (S2390, sponsored by Senator Felder); and amend New York City administrative treatment of gains from qualified opportunity zones and calculation of taxable income (S3340, sponsored by Senator Gineris).

Why it matters: the package touches on tax policy areas that affect households (working families and family tuition accounts), charitable food donations, retail apparel purchases, historic-preservation incentives and tax treatment of opportunity-zone gains in New York City. Several bills were reported to the Finance Committee for further review; one was reported to the calendar for floor consideration.

Key outcomes and notable votes

- S405 (Meili) — To amend the Tax Law to add certain properties to the definition of a qualified historic home for the historic homeownership rehabilitation credit. Motion to move the bill carried; the committee chair reported the bill to Finance. No recusals or negative votes were recorded on the transcript for this item.

- S1145 (Gunnarz) — To amend the Tax Law to increase the authorized resident taxpayer contribution to family tuition accounts. Motion carried and the bill was reported to Finance. The transcript records Senator Krueger as "without rec" on this item.

- S2082 (Cuenartes) — To add a New York State working families tax credit. Motion carried unanimously and the bill was reported to Finance.

- S2275 (Krueger) — To enact the Online Revenues and Expenditures Transparency Act (executive law). The committee moved the bill; it was reported to the calendar.

- S2279 (Webb) — To amend the Tax Law to exclude certain food donations from sales tax. Motion carried and the bill was reported to Finance.

- S2390 (Felder) — To increase the tax exemption amount for certain apparel items from $110 to $200. Motion carried and the bill was reported to Finance; the transcript records Senators Kruger and Rhodes voting "nay" on this item.

- S3340 (Gineris) — To amend the administrative code of the City of New York relating to treatment of gains from qualified opportunity zones and calculating taxable income. Motion carried and the bill was reported to Finance; the transcript records Senators Weber and Rose voting "nay" on this item.

Discussion and process notes

The meeting featured short, procedural consideration of each item, with motions made and seconded and roll-call or voice votes taken. The committee chair noted a clerical issue on one voting sheet that was not on the agenda; that item was not considered. The transcript records minimal floor discussion on the substance of the bills during this meeting; most items were moved with brief or no debate and sent on for further consideration.

What’s next

Bills reported to Finance will undergo committee review there before possible further action by the full Senate. The item sent to the calendar is available for consideration by the full Senate. The transcript does not record implementation details, fiscal notes, or committee amendments; those will typically appear in subsequent committee reports or sponsor memos.