Senate Committee on Local Government advances 13 bills, including 911, housing plan review and property tax exemptions

The Senate Committee on Local Government met March 10 and advanced 13 bills to subsequent committees, the panel’s chair said, moving a package of measures that touch emergency services, municipal planning and tax exemptions.

The chair opened the session and said, "We have 13 bills on the agenda today," and introduced James Cuddy as the committee clerk; Cuddy read bill summaries in his first meeting with the committee. Most measures were advanced by motion and voice vote, with a small number of recorded nays noted during several roll calls.

Why it matters: The package includes items that would change how local governments handle emergency communications, municipal planning for housing, benefits for volunteer first responders and several retroactive real property tax exemptions for religious and fire-company properties. If enacted by subsequent committees and the full Senate, some measures could alter municipal finances or administrative procedures in counties and towns across the state.

Key measures and committee actions

- S192 (sponsor: Senator Martinez): An act to amend county law relating to the next generation 911 system and the emergency services Internet protocol network. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the Finance Committee.

- S900 (sponsor: Senator Martinez): Proposes amendments to the local finance law on delivery of good-faith deposits following bond awards. The committee moved and reported the bill.

- S1982A: Would amend the general municipal law and the executive law concerning completion of training requirements for sheriffs and undersheriffs. The committee moved and reported the bill.

- S2084 (sponsor: Senator Kavanaugh): Would require municipalities to determine whether creating or updating a comprehensive plan to address housing needs is in the public interest. The motion passed; the committee recorded at least one nay during the vote and reported the bill.

- S5432 (sponsor: Senator Scoopus): Seeks to increase certain benefits under the volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers benefit laws. The committee moved the bill and reported it to Finance.

- 7288A (sponsor: Senator Bayern): Amends the general municipal law to permit industrial development agencies to accept applications for projects that include environmental pollution mitigation when considering financial incentives. The committee moved and reported the bill.

- S7663A (as transcribed): Authorizes the Nassau county assessor to accept a real property tax exemption application from Al Nir Foundation Inc.; members discussed procedural issues at property closings and agreed sponsor offices should submit memos if they seek to remove the bill from committee; the motion passed and the bill was reported.

- 7677A (as transcribed): Would allow the town of Warwick to use preservation funds for water-quality improvement projects; the committee moved and reported the bill (several ‘AWR’ responses recorded during the vote).

- S8151A (sponsor: Senator Martinez): Amends the real property tax law to authorize the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance to establish special equalization rates for certain school districts. The motion passed and the bill was reported, with one recorded nay noted.

- S8296 (sponsor: Senator Martinez): Amends county law relating to eye and tissue donation. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the Health Committee.

- S8378B (sponsor: Senator Palumbo): Relates to conveyance of land formerly used as an armory to the town of Riverhead and the use of that property; the committee moved and reported the bill.

- S8941 (sponsor: Senator Martinez): Would authorize retroactive real property tax-exempt status for Farming Belt First Baptist Church, Inc.; the committee moved and reported the bill.

- S8961 (sponsor: Senator Rhodes; transcribed name for beneficiary: "May hook and ladder CO1"): An act authorizing retroactive real property tax-exempt status for the entity named in the bill text as transcribed; the committee moved and reported the bill.

Votes and procedure

Most bills were advanced by voice vote after a motion and second. The committee recorded occasional nays or other responses on several items; the transcript does not provide a roll-call tally listing each senator’s vote. The chair confirmed the committee had a quorum and repeatedly requested motions and seconds as the clerk read each bill.

Other notes

Committee clerk James Cuddy, serving his first meeting in the role, read each bill summary aloud. Members asked procedural questions on property closings and sponsor offices were advised to file memos if they sought to remove bills from committee consideration.

The chair closed the session after the last bill was moved and reported and thanked the clerk for his work. The meeting adjourned.