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Albany's New Democratic Legislature Passed These 5 Progressive Bills, But Now They Must Clear Cuomo
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Ross Barkan
Published Oct 1, 2019
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By
Ross Barkan
Published Oct 1, 2019
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Last week, under pressure from progressive activists, Governor Andrew Cuomo finally signed a bill into law that could have a significant impact on the presidential race next year. New York voters will now be able to switch their party affiliation far closer to election day than ever before. Valentine’s Day 2020 will be the deadline for independents to register as Democrats to vote in New York’s April presidential primary, as well as state and congressional primaries in June.
The bill passed the State Senate and Assembly just as the legislative session ended in June, but sat waiting for Cuomo’s signature all summer. This isn’t unique in Albany, where hundreds of bills can get signed into law months after their passage. Yet Cuomo’s delay began to cause confusion in political circles: until the bill was signed, voters would have until October 11th of this year to change their party affiliation for the April primary.
In New York City, a bill that passes the City Council automatically becomes a law if the mayor takes no action after 30 days. In Albany, a bill the governor receives can become a law in as soon as 10 days if the governor takes no action. In actuality, it doesn’t happen this way—the governor “calls up” bills from the legislature and usually saves his vetoes for the very end of the year, when scores of bills are rejected together.
For the progressives, good government advocates, and supporters of Bernie Sanders who pushed the party change bill, there were sighs of relief all around. Still, there are many other bills that have passed both Democrat-controlled chambers awaiting Cuomo’s signature.
Addressing the five pieces of legislation spotlighted below, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, declined to comment about all except legislation to legalize electric bikes and scooters. “Overall, these are among more than 600 bills currently pending and among more than 900 passed by both houses at the end of session. They remain under review by Counsel’s Office,” Azzopardi said.
Legalizing E-Bikes and E-Scooters
In June, state lawmakers passed legislation to legalize e-bikes bikes and scooters statewide. For immigrant advocates who argue police are unfairly criminalizing food delivery workers and transportation enthusiasts who believe new modes of transit can get more cars off the road, the bill’s passage was a significant victory. Only in Manhattan, which was deemed too dangerous for e-scooters, will e-scooter sharing remain banned.
Governor Cuomo was never an enthusiastic supporter of the bill, citing safety concerns and the need for a helmet provision, but he ultimately expressed approval in a June radio interview. “I think the general concept is a good idea. I understand the traffic concerns and you would need safety precautions, but yeah I think it's a good idea,” Cuomo said.
Advocates want him to sign the bill as soon as possible.
“The Governor must sign the e-bike/e-scooter legislation without further delay,” said Marco Conner, Transportation Alternative’s deputy director. “The bill constitutes a long-fought victory by a broad movement of groups that includes immigrant rights organizations, working cyclists, environmental groups, micro-mobility companies, and safe streets groups in tandem with local elected officials.”
"We’re on record supporting S4572,” Azzopardi, the governor’s spokesperson said. “He’s publically expressed reservations on e-bikes."
Trump Pardons
Todd Kaminsky, a state senator from Long Island, also happens to be a former federal prosecutor. The State Senate and Assembly passed his bill that would allow state prosecutors to pursue charges in some instances in which a person received a presidential pardon. It was created, in part, to end a loophole that makes it more difficult to prosecute someone who had received a pardon, especially from the likes of Donald Trump.
Cuomo has yet to commit to signing the legislation, but his office says he supports it. A Kaminsky spokesperson did not return a request for comment.
New Auditing Power for the State Comptroller
Cuomo and Tom DiNapoli, the mild-mannered state comptroller, have not always gotten along. Cuomo tends to resent Democrats with a modicum of power equal to his own, whether it’s a mayor of New York City or an attorney general. The state legislature passed a bill this year that would allow DiNapoli’s office to audit private organizations controlled by government entities.
For good government groups, the bill, which would create new oversight over shadowy local development corporations handing out business subsidies, is a top priority.
“This important bill will enable the state comptroller to monitor hundreds of quasi-private entities that issue billions in debt and do government work yet lack the transparency and safeguards of local agencies,” said Alex Camarda, Senior Policy Advisor at Reinvent Albany. “Governor Cuomo should sign it to ensure the state taxpayers' dime is protected.”
Excusing Breastfeeding Mothers From Jury Duty
Breastfeeding mothers would be able to postpone jury duty if Cuomo signs a bill sponsored by Senator Velmanette Montgomery, a Brooklyn Democrat. “No form of public service should override a mother's primary responsibility and care of her infant child,” reads the bill’s language. “This legislation provides breastfeeding mothers with the ability to be excused from jury duty per the written notice by a physician supporting the reason for excuse.”
Protecting Tenants From Unsafe Housing Conditions
Assemblymember Joe Lentol of Brooklyn, now facing a primary challenge from the left, successfully passed a bill that would create new protections for rent-regulated tenants facing harassment from landlords. The bill establishes a new misdemeanor tenant harassment offense that eliminates the need to prove physical injury to the tenant, expanding upon an existing felony crime. It was designed to address harassment that takes the form of creating unsafe or unpleasant housing conditions for a tenant.
“It’s time for the state to strengthen the law against landlords who purposely impose vile and offensive living conditions on tenants for the sole purpose of forcing people to leave their rent regulated apartments,” Lentol said in a statement.
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Ross Barkan
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