Senate Agriculture Committee reports five bills, refers Carbon Farming and Urban Agriculture measures to Finance

The New York State Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture advanced five bills and referred two measures to the Finance Committee during its second standing committee meeting. Committee members voted by voice on a slate of bills, with multiple items reported out and a pair sent to finance for further consideration.

Senate bill S593 (sponsor: Senator Hinchey), an amendment to the Agriculture and Markets Law concerning land used in agricultural production, was introduced and the committee voted to report the bill. Senator Hinchey presented the item and a motion "to report" was moved and seconded; the chair called for the vote and the committee responded "Aye." The chair announced that the bill was reported.

Senate bill S879A (sponsor: Senator May), proposing the Garden Protection Act, was presented and moved through the committee after a motion to report was seconded by Senator Fahey and approved by voice vote.

Senate bill S1529A (sponsor: Senator Parker), the Carbon Farming Act to amend Agriculture and Markets Law and the Tax Law, was presented and the committee moved to refer the bill to the Finance Committee. The transcript records the motion was moved by Senator Fahey and seconded by Senator Borrello; the committee approved the referral by voice vote.

Senate bill S3277 (sponsor name recorded in the transcript as "Scoofus") would establish a process for designating transfer-on-death beneficiaries for farming implements. The committee moved to report the bill and approved it by voice vote.

Senate bill S4754 (sponsor: Senator Bailey), to establish an Office of Urban Agriculture, drew additional questions about its procedural history before the committee moved to report it to Finance. Senator Barela asked why the bill, which has passed this committee previously, had not advanced farther in the Assembly; Chair and others said they would coordinate with the sponsor and Assembly partners. The motion to report S4754 to Finance was recorded as moved by Senator Morelos and seconded by Senator Fauci; the committee approved the referral by voice vote.

All recorded votes in the transcript were voice votes with "Aye" responses and no roll-call tallies or individual yes/no votes recorded. Where motions and seconders were named in the transcript, they are noted above; when only a motion or voice vote is recorded without a named mover or seconder, the article reports the procedural outcome as stated in the transcript.

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda and the guest presentation.