June 2015

HEVESI’S ENTERPRISE FRAUD LEGISLATION PASSES NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUSLY

Last month, the New York State Assembly voted 144-0 to pass A.5056, also known as the Enterprise Fraud bill. Authored by Assemblyman Hevesi in cooperation with the Office of the State Comptroller, the Enterprise Fraud bill is a first of its kind, multifaceted piece of legislation that, once enacted, will save New York State taxpayers millions of dollars by utilizing real time data analytic tools to target waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money. The Enterprise Fraud bill will authorize the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) to implement an enterprise fraud prevention program using electronic data analytics for the purpose of preventing improper payments, fraud, waste, and abuse throughout state government. The program would require that all state agencies, including public authorities, provide OSC with access to pertinent real time, regular and periodic electronic data, while still complying with all applicable federal and state laws to ensure the safety and security of shared information. By streamlining the fraud prevention efforts of multiple agencies and data sources into one single agency, the state will be able to more efficiently utilize data to detect various forms of financial mismanagement and fraud in its earliest stages.

INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL PASSES BOTH HOUSES; TO BE SENT TO GOVERNOR FOR REVIEW
Last month, the New York State Senate unanimously passed its counterpart to Assemblyman Hevesi’s legislation, A.551, which would extend and expand upon the interagency task force on human trafficking. This legislation ensures that all who have a role in fighting human trafficking (law enforcement, the legislature, the executive, nonprofit organizations, etc.) have up-to-date information, particularly regarding the efficacy of their policies. This legislation received unanimous bipartisan support, and will assure that agencies are working together to combat this horrendous crime. The bill will now go to the Governor of New York for consideration.
HEVSI HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING ON COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANTS
Assemblyman Hevesi, Chair of the Assembly Social Services Committee, held a joint, bipartisan public hearing last week examining New York State’s use of Community Service Block Grants (CSBGs). Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes, Senator DeFrancisco, and Senator Carlucci were among the legislators that discussed how the state meets federal requirements to receive CSBGs, and the manner in which these funds are distributed. Receiving testimony from experts, the legislators focused on the methodology behind prioritization of CSBG-eligible programs, impacts of reliance upon this source of funding, and other points of concern.
4th ANNUAL ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT COLLECTS OVER THREE TONS OF UNWANTED GOODS
Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi joined together with Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz to host their 4th annual e-cycling event in Forest Hills last month. Due to the rapid development of technology, more and more electronic waste is generated each year. These discarded devices often end up in landfills, which can cause environmental problems. Recycling events such as these allow communities to participate in the safe disposal of a variety of electronic goods. Over 7,000 pounds of electronics were obtained by the Lower East Side Ecology Center, with the outdated technology scheduled to be recycled in an environmentally sound manner.


Office Locations:
District Office: 70-50 Austin Street, Suite 110, Forest Hills, NY 11375 • 718-263-5595
Albany Office: Room 742 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 • 518-455-4926
Email: hevesia@assembly.state.ny.us