Assembly advances and adopts a slate of senate bills on Feb. 5; two items laid aside

The New York State Assembly spent its Feb. 5 floor session moving a long consent calendar of senate bills and resolutions, advancing or adopting measures that amend labor, insurance, real property tax, elder law and public authority statutes and laying aside two items for later consideration.

Several bills were read under the rules and advanced to passage on recorded votes. Among the items acted on were an amendment to the labor law (Assembly No. 2434, rules report 84), amendments to the insurance law (Assembly Nos. 2443 and 2675, rules reports 85 and 86), and multiple amendments to the real property tax law (Assembly Nos. 415, 416, 2437 and 2438, rules reports 89, 90, 94 and 95). A measure amending the public authorities law (Assembly No. 1469, rules report 92) also advanced. Two bills were laid aside, including the transportation bill (Assembly No. 2746, rules report 87) and a public service law item (Assembly No. 2579, rules report 96).

Assembly member Walsh explained an affirmative vote on an elder-law chapter amendment (Assembly No. 1099, rules report 91), saying the change removes an automatic-enrollment provision. "The original legislation provided for automatic enrollment of EPIC recipients into the HEAP program, but this chapter amendment eliminates that. Now EPIC recipients will receive information about HEAP, but there won't be any automatic enrollment," Walsh said, adding she supported the chapter amendment for the possible cost-savings and to ensure only those who qualify receive benefits.

A sponsor briefly explained another chapter amendment aimed at homeowners in the town of Southampton, saying the bill is intended to help individuals and families whose primary residence saw sharp assessment increases under a 100% reassessment policy. The sponsor said he worked on the issue as a Southampton councilman and would vote in the affirmative.

Members also spoke in support of provisions recognizing volunteer ocean-rescue squads and related first-responder designations; the transcript records statements emphasizing years of local training and the squads' public-protection role, though the floor text does not include extended debate on these items.

Vote counts were recorded in the Clerk's desk entries and announced on the floor for each bill taken up in the sequence; the clerk recorded and the Speaker announced the results for each measure that was passed during the session. Two bills were specifically marked in the transcript as "laid aside" for later consideration rather than voted on during this timeframe.

The Assembly set its next floor day and adjourned. On a motion by Miss People Stokes the House stood adjourned to reconvene Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.

What happens next: Measures advanced on the Assembly floor may proceed to enrollment and to final steps required by statute; items laid aside can be taken up at a later floor day or sent back to committee according to the rules.