SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

Campaign for Fiscal Equity

The Assembly believes that the new capital construction money for the City school system complies with the CFE decision. However, the Senate refused to change operating aid formulas to comply with the decision, despite our efforts in the Assembly. The fight to win full funding for CFE now shifts to increasing operating aid in future years.

School Budget Highlights

• $1.8 billion more for NYC school construction

• $501 million increase in NYC education funding

• $25 million more for NYC pre-K

• $88.9 million for class size reduction

Representatives from United Federation of Teachers voice their budget concerns.

Enhancing Education

Libraries provide research and resource materials to enhance what children learn in the classroom. To keep New York State libraries up to date, the Legislative budget provides:

• $5.7 million to ensure library aid keeps up with local population growth and other rising costs

• $14 million for capital projects to help local libraries modernize their facilities and invest in new educational technology

The Legislature also restored cuts to several programs, providing increases over the governor’s budget for New York City of:

• $70 million for special education

• $10.7 million for Teacher Centers

• $1.6 million for the Teacher Mentor Intern Program

Child Tax Credit

The Legislature has passed its Empire Child Tax Credit program, which will provide a maximum benefit of $330 for each child between ages 4 and 17 for every family in the state. The result will be $600 million in tax relief for New York families.

Unlike the governor’s proposed child tax credit, which would have been limited to only a small number of school districts, every family in the state no matter what district they reside in will qualify for the credit under the Legislature’s plan. Families with children in public, private, or charter schools will all equally qualify for the child tax credits. The Legislature hopes that the Empire State Child Tax Credit will help New York families face the financial challenges associated with raising children.

Tax Relief

New Yorkers will reap $750 million in property tax relief in this year’s budget, including a cost of living adjustment to Enhanced STAR, which will save seniors an additional $72 million a year. The Legislature raised the New York City STAR personal income tax credit, currently at $62.50 for single taxpayers and $125 for households, to $115 for single filers and $230 for households.

Other tax relief components in the bipartisan budget:

• A tax exemption for New York State National Guard members called to service by the federal government, saving them $1 million.

• An income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers.

• The elimination of the so called marriage penalty, saving married couples $41 million annually.

Prosecuting criminals who possess firearms - Possession a Class C felony

This legislation will elevate the possession of a single illegal loaded firearm to a Class C Felony by removing the requirement of intent to use the firearm (A.12042).

Under current law, an individual must possess five or more illegal handguns or have the intent to use a single loaded firearm to face a Class C felony charge. Currently, a person charged with possession of a loaded firearm, with special findings, may be sentenced to local jail time or straight probation. The measure approved by the Legislature requires a mandatory, no-parole prison term of 3.5 years.

By elevating the penalty for possession of an illegal firearm and ensuring those found guilty face prison time instead of probation, this legislation takes an important step toward ridding New York’s streets of illegal guns.

This bill sends a clear message that the people of New York will not tolerate violence perpetuated by illegal weapons.

Predatory Sexual Assault

To crack down on the most dangerous sexual predators (A.8939-A). The Assembly passed the measure in January as part of its Child Safety and Sexual Predator Punishment and Confinement Strategy.

The bill will create the crime of predatory sexual assault, elevating penalties for Class B violent felony sex crimes, such as rape, to a maximum of life in prison if the perpetrator:

• Causes serious physical injury to the victim while committing the crime;

• Uses or threatens the immediate use of a dangerous instrument while committing the crime;

• Commits any of the four Class B violent sex felonies against more than one person; or

• Has had a previous major sex crime conviction or conviction of incest or the use of a child in a sexual performance.

Additionally, adults convicted of serious sex crimes in which the victim is under the age of 13 could spend the rest of their lives in prison, regardless of any other aggravating circumstance.

Sex offender registry - Level 2 offenders to be available online

The bill adds Level 2, moderate-risk sex offenders to the state’s online sex offender registry and authorizes local police authorities to provide information concerning Level 1 offenders to vulnerable populations (A.8370-A).

In addition, this measure allows groups representing our most vulnerable populations access to information on even low-risk, Level 1 sex offenders so that more children can be protected under the law.

Health Care

New York State will invest an additional $800 million this year in health care programs (A.12045/S.8471).

John Rappaport & Glendon Bleedy lobby on behalf of the expansion for Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA

Under the budget agreement between the Assembly, Senate and governor, the state will:

• Increase hospital emergency room reimbursement rates from $95 to $12 beginning January 1, 2007; $140 beginning in 2008; and $150 in 2009;

• Increase nursing home reimbursement;

• Provide $172 million in additional HCRA spending for restorations and new initiatives; and

• Extend the state’s wraparound coverage of Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible individuals for an additional year, through December 31, 2007.