Legislative Update June 16, 2017 There are only 3 scheduled days left in the 2017 legislative session. While legislative leaders have indicated that they do not plan on staying in Albany past next Wednesday, June 21, there are still outstanding issues that have not yet been resolved. The two main issues that remain are extending mayoral control of the New York City school system and extending the authority of counties and New York City to impose sales and other taxes. Mayoral control expires at the end of June, while county tax extenders are routinely taken up by the legislature every two years. The Assembly passed an omnibus bill including all county tax extenders, New York City tax extenders, and a two year extension of mayoral control. The Senate has passed the tax bills individually, and is seeking some expansion of charter schools in return for extending mayoral control and New York City taxes. As legislative leaders work on resolving their differences on these issues, CSEA’s priorities continue to move through the legislature. Several bills have now passed both houses, including: S.4630 - Gallivan / A.6505 - Kearns This legislation would stop the relocation of Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center. S.4324 - Tedisco / A. 5210 - Abinanti This legislation would require local governments to give retirees 45 days of notice prior to changing a health insurance contract that covers retirees. Current law does not require any notice be given. S.2836 - Ortt / A.2229 - Gunther This legislation would require that notices of closure of Office of Mental Health (OMH) facilities expire after one year and one month of being issued. Currently, the state can issue a one year notice of closure or downsizing and not close a facility during that year. The notice of closure then stays in effect in perpetuity, creating uncertainty for employees and patients. S.5681 - Ortt / A.7399A - Gunther This legislation would codify care pilots within the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). These programs offer community based care staffed by state employees. Codifying these programs would lead to more predictable funding and would expand available services to families in need. S.3146 - Golden / A.4049 Lupardo This legislation would cap the number of cases that child protective services workers can have at any one time to 15 cases per month. S.5929A - Avella / A.7726A - Jaffee This legislation would establish a Child Care Availability Taskforce to evaluate the cost, accessibility, availability, quality, and impact of childcare subsidies. Many more bills strongly supported by CSEA  are working their way through the legislature. Con Con Fact New York State’s constitution has strong protections for our environment, including the “forever wild” provisions for the Adirondacks and the Catskills.