A00766 Summary:

BILL NOA00766
 
SAME ASSAME AS S02762
 
SPONSORRosenthal L
 
COSPNSRAubry, Gottfried, Taylor, Sayegh, Simon, Colton, Reyes, Dinowitz, Sillitti, Mamdani, Gonzalez-Rojas, Ramos, Mitaynes, Forrest, Otis, Niou, Epstein, Glick, Fall
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd Lien L, generally; amd §§199-a & 663, Lab L; amd §§6201, 6210 & 6211, R6212, CPLR; amd §§624 & 630, BC L; amd §§609 & 1102, Lim Lil L
 
Relates to securing payment of wages for work already performed; creates a lien remedy for all employees; provides grounds for attachment; relates to procedures where employees may hold shareholders of non-publicly traded corporations personally liable for wage theft; relates to rights for victims of wage theft to hold the ten members with the largest ownership interests in a company personally liable for wage theft.
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A00766 Actions:

BILL NOA00766
 
01/06/2021referred to judiciary
05/04/2021reported referred to codes
05/12/2021reported
05/13/2021advanced to third reading cal.343
01/05/2022ordered to third reading cal.48
03/31/2022passed assembly
03/31/2022delivered to senate
03/31/2022REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
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A00766 Committee Votes:

JUDICIARY Chair:Lavine DATE:05/04/2021AYE/NAY:15/6 Action: Favorable refer to committee Codes
LavineAyeMontesanoNay
ZebrowskiAyeNorrisNay
WeprinAyeWalshNay
BraunsteinAyeByrnesNay
QuartAyeBrownNay
SteckAyeTannousisNay
SeawrightAye
JoynerAye
AbinantiAye
WallaceAye
WalkerAye
CruzAye
McMahonAye
MitaynesAye
RajkumarAye

CODES Chair:Dinowitz DATE:05/12/2021AYE/NAY:15/6 Action: Favorable
DinowitzAyeMorinelloNay
PretlowAyeGiglioNay
CookAyeMontesanoNay
CymbrowitzAyeReillyNay
O'DonnellAyeMikulinNay
LavineAyeTannousisNay
PerryAye
AbinantiAye
WeprinAye
HevesiAye
FahyAye
SeawrightAye
RosenthalAye
WalkerAye
VanelAbsent
CruzAye

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A00766 Floor Votes:

DATE:03/31/2022Assembly Vote  YEA/NAY: 90/55
Yes
Abbate
Yes
Colton
Yes
Frontus
Yes
Kim
No
Palmesano
No
Smith
Yes
Abinanti
No
Conrad
Yes
Galef
No
Lalor
Yes
Paulin
No
Smullen
Yes
Anderson
Yes
Cook
Yes
Gallagher
Yes
Lavine
Yes
Peoples-Stokes
Yes
Solages
No
Angelino
Yes
Cruz
No
Gallahan
No
Lawler
No
Pheffer Amato
Yes
Steck
No
Ashby
Yes
Cunningham
No
Gandolfo
No
Lemondes
Yes
Pretlow
No
Stern
Yes
Aubry
No
Cusick
Yes
Gibbs
Yes
Lucas
Yes
Quart
No
Stirpe
No
Barclay
No
Cymbrowitz
No
Giglio JA
Yes
Lunsford
No
Ra
No
Tague
Yes
Barnwell
Yes
Darling
No
Giglio JM
Yes
Lupardo
Yes
Rajkumar
No
Tannousis
Yes
Barrett
Yes
Davila
Yes
Glick
Yes
Magnarelli
Yes
Ramos
Yes
Tapia
Yes
Benedetto
Yes
De Los Santos
Yes
Gonzalez-Rojas
Yes
Mamdani
No
Reilly
Yes
Taylor
Yes
Bichotte Hermel
No
DeStefano
No
Goodell
No
Manktelow
Yes
Reyes
Yes
Thiele
No
Blankenbush
Yes
Dickens
Yes
Gottfried
No
McDonald
Yes
Rivera J
Yes
Vanel
No
Brabenec
Yes
Dilan
No
Griffin
No
McDonough
Yes
Rivera JD
No
Walczyk
Yes
Braunstein
Yes
Dinowitz
Yes
Gunther
Yes
McMahon
Yes
Rosenthal D
Yes
Walker
Yes
Bronson
No
DiPietro
No
Hawley
Yes
Meeks
Yes
Rosenthal L
Yes
Wallace
No
Brown
No
Durso
Yes
Hevesi
No
Mikulin
Yes
Rozic
No
Walsh
Yes
Burdick
Yes
Eichenstein
Yes
Hunter
No
Miller
No
Salka
Yes
Weinstein
Yes
Burgos
Yes
Englebright
Yes
Hyndman
Yes
Mitaynes
No
Santabarbara
Yes
Weprin
Yes
Burke
Yes
Epstein
Yes
Jackson
No
Montesano
ER
Sayegh
No
Williams
No
Buttenschon
Yes
Fahy
Yes
Jacobson
No
Morinello
No
Schmitt
No
Woerner
No
Byrne
Yes
Fall
Yes
Jean-Pierre
Yes
Niou
Yes
Seawright
Yes
Zebrowski
No
Byrnes
Yes
Fernandez
No
Jensen
ER
Nolan
Yes
Septimo
Yes
Zinerman
Yes
Cahill
No
Fitzpatrick
No
Jones
No
Norris
Yes
Sillitti
Yes
Mr. Speaker
Yes
Carroll
ER
Forrest
Yes
Joyner
Yes
O'Donnell
Yes
Simon
Yes
Clark
No
Friend
Yes
Kelles
Yes
Otis
No
Simpson

‡ Indicates voting via videoconference
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A00766 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                           766
 
                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 6, 2021
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, AUBRY, GOTTFRIED, TAYLOR, SAYEGH,
          SIMON, COLTON, REYES -- read once and referred  to  the  Committee  on
          Judiciary
 
        AN  ACT  to  amend the lien law, in relation to employee liens; to amend
          the labor law, in relation to employee complaints; to amend the  civil
          practice  law  and  rules,  in  relation to grounds for attachment; to
          amend the business corporation law, in relation to streamlining proce-
          dures where employees may hold  shareholders  of  non-publicly  traded
          corporations personally liable for wage theft; and to amend the limit-
          ed  liability company law, in relation to creating a right for victims
          of wage theft to hold the  ten  members  with  the  largest  ownership
          interests in a company personally liable for wage theft
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Section 2 of the lien law is amended by  adding  three  new
     2  subdivisions 21, 22 and 23 to read as follows:
     3    21.  Employee.  The  term "employee", when used in this chapter, shall
     4  have the same meaning as "employee" pursuant to articles one, six, nine-
     5  teen and nineteen-A of the labor law, as applicable, or the  Fair  Labor
     6  Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et. seq., as applicable.
     7    22.  Employer.  The  term "employer", when used in this chapter, shall
     8  have the same meaning as "employer" pursuant to articles one, six, nine-
     9  teen and nineteen-A of the labor law, as applicable, or the  Fair  Labor
    10  Standards  Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et. seq., as applicable, except that the
    11  term "employer" shall not include a governmental agency.
    12    23. Wage claim. The term "wage claim",  when  used  in  this  chapter,
    13  means  a claim that an employee has suffered a violation of sections one
    14  hundred seventy, one hundred ninety-three, one hundred ninety-six-d, six
    15  hundred fifty-two or six hundred seventy-three of the labor law  or  the
    16  related  regulations  and wage orders promulgated by the commissioner, a
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00839-01-1

        A. 766                              2
 
     1  claim for wages due to an employee pursuant to  an  employment  contract
     2  that  were  unpaid  in  violation  of  that contract, or a claim that an
     3  employee has suffered a violation of 29 U.S.C. § 206 or 207.
     4    §  2. Section 3 of the lien law, as amended by chapter 137 of the laws
     5  of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
     6    § 3. Mechanic's lien  and  employee's  lien  on  [real]  property.  1.
     7  Mechanic's  lien.  A  contractor,  subcontractor,  laborer, materialman,
     8  landscape gardener, nurseryman or person or corporation selling fruit or
     9  ornamental trees, roses, shrubbery, vines and small fruits, who performs
    10  labor or furnishes materials for the improvement of real  property  with
    11  the  consent  or  at  the request of the owner thereof, or of his agent,
    12  contractor or subcontractor, and any trust fund to  which  benefits  and
    13  wage  supplements  are  due or payable for the benefit of such laborers,
    14  shall have a lien for the principal and interest, of the value,  or  the
    15  agreed price, of such labor, including benefits and wage supplements due
    16  or  payable  for  the benefit of any laborer, or materials upon the real
    17  property improved or to be improved and upon such improvement, from  the
    18  time  of  filing  a  notice  of such lien as prescribed in this chapter.
    19  Where the contract for an improvement is made with a husband or wife and
    20  the property belongs to the other or both, the husband or wife contract-
    21  ing shall also be presumed to be the agent of  the  other,  unless  such
    22  other  having  knowledge of the improvement shall, within ten days after
    23  learning of the contract give the contractor written notice  of  his  or
    24  her  refusal  to  consent  to the improvement. Within the meaning of the
    25  provisions of this chapter, materials actually manufactured for but  not
    26  delivered  to  the  real  property, shall also be deemed to be materials
    27  furnished.
    28    2. Employee's lien. An employee who has a wage claim as that  term  is
    29  defined in subdivision twenty-three of section two of this chapter shall
    30  have  a lien on his or her employer's interest in property for the value
    31  of that employee's wage claim arising out of the  employment,  including
    32  liquidated  damages pursuant to subdivision one-a of section one hundred
    33  ninety-eight, section six hundred sixty-three  or  section  six  hundred
    34  eighty-one  of  the  labor law, or 29 U.S.C. § 216 (b), from the time of
    35  filing a notice of such lien as prescribed in this chapter.  An  employ-
    36  ee's lien based on a wage claim may be had against the employer's inter-
    37  est  in  real  property  and against the employer's interest in personal
    38  property that can  be  sufficiently  described  within  the  meaning  of
    39  section  9-108 of the uniform commercial code, except that an employee's
    40  lien shall not extend to deposit accounts or goods as  those  terms  are
    41  defined in section 9-102 of the uniform commercial code.  The department
    42  of  labor and the attorney general may obtain an employee's lien for the
    43  value of wage claims of the employees  who  are  the  subject  of  their
    44  investigations, court actions or administrative agency actions.
    45    3.  As  used  in  this  article and unless otherwise specified, a lien
    46  shall mean an employee's lien or a mechanic's lien.
    47    § 3. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 4 of the lien law, subdivision  1
    48  as amended by chapter 515 of the laws of 1929 and subdivision 2 as added
    49  by chapter 704 of the laws of 1985, are amended to read as follows:
    50    (1) [Such] A mechanic's or employee's lien and employee's lien against
    51  real  property  shall  extend to the owner's right, title or interest in
    52  the real property and improvements, existing at the time of  filing  the
    53  notice  of  lien,  or thereafter acquired, except as hereinafter in this
    54  article provided. If an owner assigns his interest in such real property
    55  by a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, within thirty days
    56  prior to such filing,  the  lien  shall  extend  to  the  interest  thus

        A. 766                              3
 
     1  assigned.  If  any  part  of the real property subjected to such lien be
     2  removed by the owner or by any other person,  at  any  time  before  the
     3  discharge  thereof,  such  removal  shall  not  affect the rights of the
     4  lienor, either in respect to the remaining real property, or the part so
     5  removed.  If  labor  is  performed  for,  or  materials  furnished to, a
     6  contractor or subcontractor for  an  improvement,  the  mechanic's  lien
     7  shall  not  be  for  a sum greater than the sum earned and unpaid on the
     8  contract at the time of filing the notice of lien, and  any  sum  subse-
     9  quently  earned  thereon. In no case shall the owner be liable to pay by
    10  reason of all mechanic's liens created pursuant to this  article  a  sum
    11  greater  than  the  value  or  agreed  price  of the labor and materials
    12  remaining unpaid, at the time of filing notices of such liens, except as
    13  hereinafter provided.
    14    (2) [Such] A mechanic's or employee's lien shall  not  extend  to  the
    15  owner's  right,  title  or  interest  in real property and improvements,
    16  existing at the time of filing the notice of lien if  such  lien  arises
    17  from the failure of a lessee of the right to explore, develop or produce
    18  natural  gas or oil, to pay for, compensate or render value for improve-
    19  ments made with the consent or at  the  request  of  such  lessee  by  a
    20  contractor,  subcontractor,  materialman,  equipment  operator or owner,
    21  landscaper, nurseryman, or person or corporation who performs  labor  or
    22  furnishes  materials  for the exploration, development, or production of
    23  oil or natural gas or otherwise  improves  such  leased  property.  Such
    24  mechanic's  or employee's lien shall extend to the improvements made for
    25  the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas,  and
    26  the  working  interest held by a lessee of the right to explore, develop
    27  or produce oil and natural gas.
    28    § 4. The opening paragraph of section 4-a of the lien law, as  amended
    29  by chapter 696 of the laws of 1959, is amended to read as follows:
    30    The  proceeds  of  any  insurance which by the terms of the policy are
    31  payable to the owner of real property improved, and actually received or
    32  to be received by him because of the destruction or removal by  fire  or
    33  other  casualty  of an improvement on which lienors have performed labor
    34  or services or for which they have furnished materials, or upon which an
    35  employee has established an employee's lien, shall after the  owner  has
    36  been  reimbursed  therefrom  for  premiums paid by him, if any, for such
    37  insurance, be subject to liens provided by this act to the  same  extent
    38  and  in  the same order of priority as the real property would have been
    39  had such improvement not been so destroyed or removed.
    40    § 5. Subdivisions 1, 2 and 5 of section 9 of the lien law, as  amended
    41  by chapter 515 of the laws of 1929, are amended to read as follows:
    42    1.  The  name of the lienor, and either the residence of the lienor or
    43  the name and business address of the lienor's attorney, if any;  and  if
    44  the  lienor  is  a partnership or a corporation, the business address of
    45  such firm, or corporation, the names of partners and principal place  of
    46  business,  and if a foreign corporation, its principal place of business
    47  within the state.
    48    2. The name of the owner of the [real] property against whose interest
    49  therein a lien is claimed, and the interest of the owner as far as known
    50  to the lienor.
    51    5. The amount unpaid to the lienor for such labor or materials, or the
    52  amount of the wage claim if a wage claim is the basis for  establishment
    53  of  the  lien,  the  items of the wage claim and the value thereof which
    54  make up the amount for which the lienor claims a lien.
    55    § 6. Subdivision 1 of section 10 of the lien law, as amended by  chap-
    56  ter 367 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:

        A. 766                              4
 
     1    1.  (a)  Notice of mechanic's lien may be filed at any time during the
     2  progress of the work and the furnishing of  the  materials,  or,  within
     3  eight months after the completion of the contract, or the final perform-
     4  ance  of the work, or the final furnishing of the materials, dating from
     5  the last item of work performed or materials furnished; provided, howev-
     6  er,  that  where the improvement is related to real property improved or
     7  to be improved with a single family dwelling, the notice  of  mechanic's
     8  lien  may  be  filed at any time during the progress of the work and the
     9  furnishing of the materials, or, within four months after the completion
    10  of the contract, or the final performance of  the  work,  or  the  final
    11  furnishing of the materials, dating from the last item of work performed
    12  or materials furnished; and provided further where the notice of mechan-
    13  ic's  lien  is for retainage, the notice of mechanic's lien may be filed
    14  within ninety days after the date the retainage was due to be  released;
    15  except  that  in  the case of a mechanic's lien by a real estate broker,
    16  the notice of mechanic's lien may be filed only after the performance of
    17  the brokerage services and execution of lease by both lessor and  lessee
    18  and  only  if  a  copy of the alleged written agreement of employment or
    19  compensation is annexed to the notice of lien, provided that  where  the
    20  payment  pursuant to the written agreement of employment or compensation
    21  is to be made in installments, then a notice of lien may be filed within
    22  eight months after the final payment is due, but in no event later  than
    23  a date five years after the first payment was made. For purposes of this
    24  section,  the term "single family dwelling" shall not include a dwelling
    25  unit which is a part of a subdivision that has been filed with a munici-
    26  pality in which the subdivision is located when at the time the lien  is
    27  filed,  such  property  in the subdivision is owned by the developer for
    28  purposes other  than  his  personal  residence.  For  purposes  of  this
    29  section,  "developer"  shall  mean  and  include any private individual,
    30  partnership, trust or corporation which improves two or more parcels  of
    31  real  property  with single family dwellings pursuant to a common scheme
    32  or plan. [The]
    33    (b) Notice of employee's lien may be filed at any time not later  than
    34  three  years following the end of the employment giving rise to the wage
    35  claim.
    36    (c) A notice of lien, other than for a lien on personal property, must
    37  be filed in the clerk's office of the county where the property is situ-
    38  ated. If such property is situated in two or more counties,  the  notice
    39  of  lien shall be filed in the office of the clerk of each of such coun-
    40  ties. The county clerk of each county shall provide and keep a  book  to
    41  be  called  the  "lien docket," which shall be suitably ruled in columns
    42  headed "owners," "lienors," "lienor's attorney,"  "property,"  "amount,"
    43  "time of filing," "proceedings had," in each of which he shall enter the
    44  particulars  of  the  notice, properly belonging therein. The date, hour
    45  and minute of the filing of each notice of lien shall be entered in  the
    46  proper  column.  Except  where the county clerk maintains a block index,
    47  the names of the owners shall be arranged in such book  in  alphabetical
    48  order.  The  validity of the lien and the right to file a notice thereof
    49  shall not be affected by the death of the owner  before  notice  of  the
    50  lien is filed.  A notice of employee's lien on personal property must be
    51  filed,  together with a financing statement, in the filing office as set
    52  forth in section 9-501 of the uniform commercial code.
    53    § 7. Section 11 of the lien law, as amended by chapter 147 of the laws
    54  of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
    55    § 11. Service of copy of notice of lien.  1. Within five  days  before
    56  or  thirty days after filing the notice of a mechanic's lien, the lienor

        A. 766                              5
 
     1  shall serve a copy of such notice upon the owner, if a  natural  person,
     2  (a)  by delivering the same to him personally, or if the owner cannot be
     3  found, to his agent or attorney, or (b) by leaving it at his last  known
     4  place  of  residence  in  the city or town in which the real property or
     5  some part thereof is  situated,  with  a  person  of  suitable  age  and
     6  discretion, or (c) by registered or certified mail addressed to his last
     7  known  place of residence, or (d) if such owner has no such residence in
     8  such city or town, or cannot be found, and he has no agent or  attorney,
     9  by  affixing  a copy thereof conspicuously on such property, between the
    10  hours of nine o'clock in the forenoon and four o'clock in the afternoon;
    11  if the owner be a corporation, said service shall be made (i) by  deliv-
    12  ering  such copy to and leaving the same with the president, vice-presi-
    13  dent, secretary or clerk to the corporation, the cashier, treasurer or a
    14  director or managing agent thereof, personally,  within  the  state,  or
    15  (ii) if such officer cannot be found within the state by affixing a copy
    16  thereof conspicuously on such property between the hours of nine o'clock
    17  in  the  forenoon  and four o'clock in the afternoon, or (iii) by regis-
    18  tered or certified mail addressed to its last known place  of  business.
    19  Failure  to  file  proof  of such a service with the county clerk within
    20  thirty-five days after the notice of lien is filed shall  terminate  the
    21  notice  as  a  lien. Until service of the notice has been made, as above
    22  provided, an owner, without knowledge of the lien, shall be protected in
    23  any payment made in good faith to any contractor or other person  claim-
    24  ing a lien.
    25    2.  Within  five days before or thirty days after filing the notice of
    26  an employee's lien, the lienor shall serve a copy of  such  notice  upon
    27  the  employer,  if  a  natural person, (a) by delivering the same to him
    28  personally, or if the employer cannot be found, to his agent  or  attor-
    29  ney,  or (b) by leaving it as his last known place of residence or busi-
    30  ness, with a person of suitable age and discretion, or (c) by registered
    31  or certified mail addressed to his last  known  place  of  residence  or
    32  business, or (d) if such employer owns real property, by affixing a copy
    33  thereof  conspicuously  on  such  property,  between  the  hours of nine
    34  o'clock in the forenoon and four o'clock in the  afternoon.  The  lienor
    35  also  shall,  within  thirty  days after filing the notice of employee's
    36  lien, affix a copy thereof conspicuously on the real property identified
    37  in the notice of employee's lien, between the hours of nine  o'clock  in
    38  the  forenoon  and  four  o'clock in the afternoon. If the employer be a
    39  corporation, said service shall be made (i) by delivering such  copy  to
    40  and  leaving  the  same with the president, vice-president, secretary or
    41  clerk to the corporation, the cashier, treasurer or a director or manag-
    42  ing agent thereof, personally, within the state, or (ii) if such officer
    43  cannot be found within the state by affixing a copy thereof conspicuous-
    44  ly on such property between the hours of nine o'clock  in  the  forenoon
    45  and  four  o'clock in the afternoon, or (iii) by registered or certified
    46  mail addressed to its last known place of business, or (iv) by  delivery
    47  to  the  secretary  of  the  department  of  state in the same manner as
    48  required by subparagraph one of paragraph (b) of section  three  hundred
    49  six  of  the  business corporation law.  Failure to file proof of such a
    50  service with the county clerk within thirty-five days after  the  notice
    51  of  lien is filed shall terminate the notice as a lien. Until service of
    52  the notice has been made, as above provided, an owner, without knowledge
    53  of the lien, shall be protected in any payment made in good faith to any
    54  other person claiming a lien.
    55    § 8. Section 11-b of the lien law, as amended by chapter  147  of  the
    56  laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:

        A. 766                              6
 
     1    §  11-b.  Copy of notice of mechanic's lien to a contractor or subcon-
     2  tractor.  Within five days before or thirty days after filing  a  notice
     3  of mechanic's lien in accordance with section ten of this chapter or the
     4  filing  of  an amendment of notice of mechanic's lien in accordance with
     5  section twelve-a of this [chapter] article the lienor shall serve a copy
     6  of such notice or amendment by certified mail on the contractor, subcon-
     7  tractor, assignee or legal representative for whom he was employed or to
     8  whom  he furnished materials or if the lienor is a contractor or subcon-
     9  tractor to the person, firm or corporation with whom  the  contract  was
    10  made.  A  lienor having a direct contractual relationship with a subcon-
    11  tractor or a sub-subcontractor but not  with  a  contractor  shall  also
    12  serve  a  copy  of  such  notice  or  amendment by certified mail to the
    13  contractor. Failure to file proof of such  a  service  with  the  county
    14  clerk  within  thirty-five  days after the notice of lien is filed shall
    15  terminate the notice as a lien. Any lienor, or a person acting on behalf
    16  of a lienor, who fails to serve a copy of the notice of mechanic's  lien
    17  as  required  by  this section shall be liable for reasonable attorney's
    18  fees, costs and expenses,  as  determined  by  the  court,  incurred  in
    19  obtaining such copy.
    20    §  9.  Subdivision  1  of  section 12-a of the lien law, as amended by
    21  chapter 1048 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
    22    1. Within sixty days after the original filing, a lienor may amend his
    23  lien upon twenty days notice to existing  lienors,  mortgagees  and  the
    24  owner,  provided  that  no action or proceeding to enforce or cancel the
    25  mechanics' lien or employee's lien has  been  brought  in  the  interim,
    26  where  the purpose of the amendment is to reduce the amount of the lien,
    27  except the question of wilful exaggeration shall survive such amendment.
    28    § 10. Subdivision 1 of section 13 of the lien law, as amended by chap-
    29  ter 878 of the laws of 1947, is amended to read as follows:
    30    (1) [A] An employee's lien, or a lien for materials furnished or labor
    31  performed in the improvement of real property, shall have priority  over
    32  a  conveyance,  mortgage,  judgment or other claim against such property
    33  not recorded, docketed or filed at the time of the filing of the  notice
    34  of  such  lien,  except  as  hereinafter  in this chapter provided; over
    35  advances made upon any mortgage or other encumbrance thereon after  such
    36  filing,  except  as  hereinafter  in this article provided; and over the
    37  claim of a creditor who has not furnished materials or  performed  labor
    38  upon such property, if such property has been assigned by the owner by a
    39  general  assignment  for  the  benefit  of creditors, within thirty days
    40  before the filing of either of such notices; and also over an attachment
    41  hereafter issued or a money judgment hereafter recovered upon  a  claim,
    42  which,  in  whole  or  in  part,  was not for materials furnished, labor
    43  performed or moneys advanced for the improvement of such real  property;
    44  and  over  any claim or lien acquired in any proceedings upon such judg-
    45  ment. Such liens shall also have priority  over  advances  made  upon  a
    46  contract  by an owner for an improvement of real property which contains
    47  an option to the contractor, his successor or assigns  to  purchase  the
    48  property, if such advances were made after the time when the labor began
    49  or  the first item of material was furnished, as stated in the notice of
    50  lien. If several buildings are demolished, erected, altered or repaired,
    51  or several pieces or parcels of real property are  improved,  under  one
    52  contract,  and  there  are  conflicting liens thereon, each lienor shall
    53  have priority upon the particular part of the real property or upon  the
    54  particular  building  or  premises  where  his labor is performed or his
    55  materials are used. Persons shall have no priority  on  account  of  the
    56  time of filing their respective notices of liens, but all liens shall be

        A. 766                              7
 
     1  on  a  parity except as hereinafter in section fifty-six of this chapter
     2  provided; and except that in all cases  laborers  for  daily  or  weekly
     3  wages  with  a  mechanic's  lien, and employees with an employee's lien,
     4  shall have preference over all other claimants under this article.
     5    §  11.  Section  17  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 324 of the
     6  laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
     7    § 17. Duration of lien. 1. (a) No mechanic's lien  specified  in  this
     8  article  shall  be  a  lien  for a longer period than one year after the
     9  notice of lien has been filed, unless within  that  time  an  action  is
    10  commenced  to  foreclose  the lien, and a notice of the pendency of such
    11  action, whether in a court of record or in a court  not  of  record,  is
    12  filed with the county clerk of the county in which the notice of lien is
    13  filed,  containing the names of the parties to the action, the object of
    14  the action, a brief description of the real property  affected  thereby,
    15  and  the  time  of  filing the notice of lien; or unless an extension to
    16  such lien, except for a lien on real property improved or to be improved
    17  with a single family dwelling, is filed with the  county  clerk  of  the
    18  county  in  which  the  notice of lien is filed within one year from the
    19  filing of the original notice of lien, continuing  such  lien  and  such
    20  lien  shall  be redocketed as of the date of filing such extension. Such
    21  extension shall contain the names of the lienor and  the  owner  of  the
    22  real  property  against  whose  interest therein such lien is claimed, a
    23  brief description of the real property affected by such lien, the amount
    24  of such lien, and the date of filing the notice of lien. No  lien  shall
    25  be  continued  by  such extension for more than one year from the filing
    26  thereof. In the event an action is not commenced to foreclose  the  lien
    27  within  such  extended period, such lien shall be extinguished unless an
    28  order be granted by a court of record or a  judge  or  justice  thereof,
    29  continuing  such  lien, and such lien shall be redocketed as of the date
    30  of granting such order and a statement made that such lien is  continued
    31  by  virtue  of  such  order.  A  lien on real property improved or to be
    32  improved with a single family dwelling may only be extended by an  order
    33  of  a  court  of record, or a judge or justice thereof. No lien shall be
    34  continued by court order for more than one year from the granting there-
    35  of, but a new order and entry may be made  in  each  of  two  successive
    36  years.  If  a  lienor  is made a party defendant in an action to enforce
    37  another lien, and the plaintiff or such defendant has filed a notice  of
    38  the  pendency  of the action within the time prescribed in this section,
    39  the lien of such defendant is thereby continued. Such  action  shall  be
    40  deemed an action to enforce the lien of such defendant lienor. The fail-
    41  ure to file a notice of pendency of action shall not abate the action as
    42  to any person liable for the payment of the debt specified in the notice
    43  of  lien,  and  the  action  may  be prosecuted to judgment against such
    44  person. The provisions of this section in  regard  to  continuing  liens
    45  shall  apply to liens discharged by deposit or by order on the filing of
    46  an undertaking. Where a lien is discharged by deposit  or  by  order,  a
    47  notice of pendency of action shall not be filed.
    48    (b) A lien, the duration of which has been extended by the filing of a
    49  notice  of  the pendency of an action as above provided, shall neverthe-
    50  less terminate as a lien after such notice has been canceled as provided
    51  in section sixty-five hundred fourteen of the  civil  practice  law  and
    52  rules  or  has ceased to be effective as constructive notice as provided
    53  in section sixty-five hundred thirteen of the  civil  practice  law  and
    54  rules.
    55    2. (a) No employee's lien on real property shall be a lien for a long-
    56  er  period than one year after the notice of lien has been filed, unless

        A. 766                              8
 
     1  an extension to such lien is filed with the county clerk of  the  county
     2  in  which the notice of lien is filed within one year from the filing of
     3  the original notice of lien, continuing such lien and such lien shall be
     4  redocketed as of the date of filing such extension. Such extension shall
     5  contain  the  names  of  the  lienor  and the owner of the real property
     6  against whose interest therein such lien is claimed, a brief description
     7  of the property affected by such lien, the amount of such lien, and  the
     8  date  of  filing the notice of lien.  No lien shall be continued by such
     9  extension for more than one year from the filing thereof. In  the  event
    10  an  action  is  not commenced to obtain judgment on the wage claim or to
    11  foreclose the lien within such extended period, such lien shall be auto-
    12  matically extinguished unless an order be granted by a court  of  record
    13  or a judge or justice thereof, continuing such lien, and such lien shall
    14  be redocketed as of the date of granting such order and a statement made
    15  that such lien is continued by virtue of such order.
    16    (b)  No  employee's  lien  on  personal property shall be a lien for a
    17  longer period than one year  after  the  financing  statement  has  been
    18  recorded,  unless  an  extension  to such lien, is filed with the filing
    19  office in which the financing statement is required to be filed pursuant
    20  to section 9-501 of the uniform commercial code within one year from the
    21  filing of the original financing statement, continuing such  lien.  Such
    22  extension  shall  contain  the  names of the lienor and the owner of the
    23  property against whose interest therein such lien is  claimed,  a  brief
    24  description  of  the  prior  financing statement to be extended, and the
    25  date of filing the prior financing statement.  No lien shall be  contin-
    26  ued by such extension for more than one year from the filing thereof. In
    27  the  event  an  action  is  not commenced to obtain judgment on the wage
    28  claim or to foreclose the lien within such extended  period,  such  lien
    29  shall  be  automatically  extinguished  unless  an order be granted by a
    30  court of record or a judge or justice thereof, continuing such lien, and
    31  such lien shall be refiled as of the date of granting such order  and  a
    32  statement made that such lien is continued by virtue of such order.
    33    (c)  If  a  lienor  is  made a party defendant in an action to enforce
    34  another lien, and the plaintiff or such defendant has filed a notice  of
    35  the  pendency  of the action within the time prescribed in this section,
    36  the lien of such defendant is thereby continued. Such  action  shall  be
    37  deemed an action to enforce the lien of such defendant lienor. The fail-
    38  ure to file a notice of pendency of action shall not abate the action as
    39  to any person liable for the payment of the debt specified in the notice
    40  of  lien,  and  the  action  may  be prosecuted to judgment against such
    41  person.  The provisions of this section in regard  to  continuing  liens
    42  shall  apply to liens discharged by deposit or by order on the filing of
    43  an undertaking. Where a lien is discharged by deposit  or  by  order,  a
    44  notice of pendency of action shall not be filed.
    45    (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a lienor commences a foreclosure
    46  action  or  an  action to obtain a judgment on the wage claim within one
    47  year from the filing of the notice of  lien  on  real  property  or  the
    48  recording of the financing statement creating lien on personal property,
    49  the lien shall be extended during the pendency of the action and for one
    50  hundred  twenty  days  following  the  entry  of  final judgment in such
    51  action, unless the action results in a final judgment or  administrative
    52  order  in the lienor's favor on the wage claims and the lienor commences
    53  a foreclosure action, in which instance the lien shall be  valid  during
    54  the  pendency of the foreclosure action, provided, that the lien will be
    55  automatically extinguished if, after a dismissal with prejudice  of  the
    56  wage  claims  on which it is based, the lienor fails to file a notice of

        A. 766                              9

     1  appeal within the prescribed period to file a notice of appeal.    If  a
     2  lien  is  extended  due  to  the  pendency of a foreclosure action or an
     3  action to obtain a judgment on the wage claim, the lienor shall  file  a
     4  notice of such pendency and extension with the county clerk of the coun-
     5  ty  in  which  the  notice of lien is filed, containing the names of the
     6  parties to the action, the object of the action, a brief description  of
     7  the  property  affected  thereby,  and  the time of filing the notice of
     8  lien, or in the case of a lien on  personal  property  shall  file  such
     9  notice  with the office authorized to accept financing statements pursu-
    10  ant to section 9-501 of the uniform commercial  code.  For  purposes  of
    11  this  section,  an action to obtain judgment on a wage claim includes an
    12  action brought in any court of competent jurisdiction, the submission of
    13  a complaint to the department of labor or the submission of a  claim  to
    14  arbitration  pursuant  to  an  arbitration  agreement.  An  action  also
    15  includes an investigation of wage claims by the commissioner of labor or
    16  the attorney general of the state of New  York,  regardless  of  whether
    17  such investigation was initiated by a complaint.
    18    (e) A lien, the duration of which has been extended by the filing of a
    19  notice  of  the pendency of an action as above provided, shall neverthe-
    20  less terminate as a lien after such notice has been canceled as provided
    21  in section sixty-five hundred fourteen of the  civil  practice  law  and
    22  rules  or  has ceased to be effective as constructive notice as provided
    23  in section sixty-five hundred thirteen of the  civil  practice  law  and
    24  rules.
    25    §  12. Subdivisions 2 and 4 of section 19 of the lien law, subdivision
    26  2 as amended by chapter 310 of the laws of 1962, subdivision 4 as  added
    27  by  chapter  582 of the laws of 2002 and paragraph a of subdivision 4 as
    28  further amended by section 104 of part A of chapter 62 of  the  laws  of
    29  2011, are amended to read as follows:
    30    (2)  By failure to begin an action to foreclose such lien or to secure
    31  an order continuing it, within one year from  the  time  of  filing  the
    32  notice  of lien, unless (i) an action be begun within the same period to
    33  foreclose a mortgage or another mechanic's lien upon the  same  property
    34  or  any  part  thereof  and a notice of pendency of such action is filed
    35  according to law, or (ii) an action is commenced to obtain a judgment on
    36  a wage claim pursuant to subdivision two of section  seventeen  of  this
    37  article,  but  a  lien,  the  duration of which has been extended by the
    38  filing of a notice of the pendency of  an  action  as  herein  provided,
    39  shall  nevertheless  terminate  as  a  lien  after  such notice has been
    40  cancelled or has ceased to be effective as constructive notice.
    41    (4) Either before or after the beginning of an action by the employer,
    42  owner or contractor executing a bond or undertaking in an  amount  equal
    43  to  one  hundred ten percent of such lien conditioned for the payment of
    44  any judgment which may be rendered against the property or employer  for
    45  the enforcement of the lien:
    46    a.  The  execution  of any such bond or undertaking by any fidelity or
    47  surety company authorized by the laws of this state  to  transact  busi-
    48  ness,  shall be sufficient; and where a certificate of qualification has
    49  been issued by  the  superintendent  of  financial  services  under  the
    50  provisions  of  section one thousand one hundred eleven of the insurance
    51  law, and has not been revoked, no justification or notice thereof  shall
    52  be  necessary. Any such company may execute any such bond or undertaking
    53  as surety by the hand of its  officers,  or  attorney,  duly  authorized
    54  thereto  by  resolution  of  its board of directors, a certified copy of
    55  which resolution, under the seal of said company, shall  be  filed  with
    56  each  bond  or  undertaking. Any such bond or undertaking shall be filed

        A. 766                             10
 
     1  with the clerk of the county in which the notice of lien is filed, and a
     2  copy shall be served upon the adverse party. The undertaking  is  effec-
     3  tive  when so served and filed. If a certificate of qualification issued
     4  pursuant  to  subsections  (b),  (c) and (d) of section one thousand one
     5  hundred eleven of the insurance law is not filed with the undertaking, a
     6  party may except, to the sufficiency of a surety and by a written notice
     7  of exception served  upon  the  adverse  party  within  ten  days  after
     8  receipt,  a  copy  of the undertaking. Exceptions deemed by the court to
     9  have been taken unnecessarily, or  for  vexation  or  delay,  may,  upon
    10  notice,  be  set  aside,  with  costs. Where no exception to sureties is
    11  taken within ten days or where  exceptions  taken  are  set  aside,  the
    12  undertaking shall be allowed.
    13    b. In the case of bonds or undertakings not executed pursuant to para-
    14  graph  a  of  this  subdivision, the employer, owner or contractor shall
    15  execute an undertaking with two or more sufficient sureties,  who  shall
    16  be free holders, to the clerk of the county where the premises are situ-
    17  ated.  The  sureties  must  together  justify in at least double the sum
    18  named in the undertaking. A copy of the undertaking,  with  notice  that
    19  the sureties will justify before the court, or a judge or justice there-
    20  of,  at  the  time  and place therein mentioned, must be served upon the
    21  lienor or his attorney, not less than five days before such  time.  Upon
    22  the  approval of the undertaking by the court, judge or justice an order
    23  shall be made by such court, judge or justice discharging such lien.
    24    c. If the lienor cannot be found, or  does  not  appear  by  attorney,
    25  service  under  this  subsection  may  be made by leaving a copy of such
    26  undertaking and notice at the lienor's  place  of  residence,  or  if  a
    27  corporation at its principal place of business within the state as stat-
    28  ed  in  the notice of lien, with a person of suitable age and discretion
    29  therein, or if the house of his abode or its place of  business  is  not
    30  stated  in  said notice of lien and is not known, then in such manner as
    31  the court may direct. The premises, if any, described in the  notice  of
    32  lien  as  the lienor's residence or place of business shall be deemed to
    33  be his said residence or its place of business for the purposes of  said
    34  service  at  the time thereof, unless it is shown affirmatively that the
    35  person servicing the papers or directing the service  had  knowledge  to
    36  the  contrary.  Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subdivision
    37  relating to service of notice, in any case where the mailing address  of
    38  the  lienor  is outside the state such service may be made by registered
    39  or certified mail, return receipt requested, to such lienor at the mail-
    40  ing address contained in the notice of lien.
    41    d. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the provisions of
    42  article twenty-five of the  civil  practice  law  and  rules  regulating
    43  undertakings  is  applicable  to  a  bond  or  undertaking given for the
    44  discharge of a lien on account of private improvements or of an  employ-
    45  ee's lien.
    46    §  13.  Section  24  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 515 of the
    47  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
    48    § 24.  Enforcement  of  [mechanic's]  lien.  (1)  Real  property.  The
    49  [mechanics']  liens  on  real  property specified in this article may be
    50  enforced against the property specified in the notice of lien and  which
    51  is subject thereto and against any person liable for the debt upon which
    52  the lien is founded, as prescribed in article three of this chapter.
    53    (2)  Personal property. An employee's lien on personal property speci-
    54  fied in this article may immediately be enforced  against  the  property
    55  through  a  foreclosure  as  prescribed  in  article nine of the uniform
    56  commercial code, or upon judgment obtained by the employee, commissioner

        A. 766                             11

     1  of labor or attorney general of the state of New York, may  be  enforced
     2  in  any  manner  available  to the judgment creditor pursuant to article
     3  nine of the uniform commercial code or other applicable laws.
     4    §  14.  Section  26  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 373 of the
     5  laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
     6    § 26. Subordination of liens after agreement with owner.  In  case  an
     7  owner of real property shall execute to one or more persons, or a corpo-
     8  ration,  as trustee or trustees, a bond and mortgage or a note and mort-
     9  gage affecting such property in whole or in part, or  an  assignment  of
    10  the  moneys due or to become due under a contract for a building loan in
    11  relation to such property, and in case such mortgage, if any,  shall  be
    12  recorded  in  the  office  of the register of the county where such real
    13  property is situated, or if such county has  no  register  then  in  the
    14  office of the clerk of such county, and in case such assignment, if any,
    15  shall  be filed in the office of the clerk of the county where such real
    16  property is situated; and in  case  lienors  having  [mechanics']  liens
    17  against  said  real property, notices of which have been filed up to and
    18  not later than fifteen days after the recording of such mortgage or  the
    19  filing  of  such assignment, and which liens have not been discharged as
    20  in this article provided, shall, to the extent of  at  least  fifty-five
    21  per  centum of the aggregate amount for which such notices of liens have
    22  been so filed, approve such bond and mortgage or such note and mortgage,
    23  if any, and such assignment, if any, by an instrument or instruments  in
    24  writing, duly acknowledged and filed in the office of such county clerk,
    25  then  all  mechanics'  liens  for  labor performed or material furnished
    26  prior to the recording of such mortgage or filing  of  such  assignment,
    27  whether  notices  thereof  have been theretofore or are thereafter filed
    28  and which have not been discharged as in this article provided, shall be
    29  subordinate to the lien of such trust bond and mortgage  or  such  trust
    30  note  and  mortgage to the extent of the aggregate amount of all certif-
    31  icates of interest therein issued by such trustee or trustees, or  their
    32  successors,  for moneys loaned, materials furnished, labor performed and
    33  any other indebtedness incurred after said  trust  mortgage  shall  have
    34  been  recorded, and for expenses in connection with said trust mortgage,
    35  and shall also be subordinate to the lien of the bond  and  mortgage  or
    36  note  and  mortgage,  given  to  secure the amount agreed to be advanced
    37  under such contract for a building loan to  the  extent  of  the  amount
    38  which  shall be advanced by the holder of such bond and mortgage or such
    39  note and mortgage to the trustee or trustees, or their successors, under
    40  such assignment. The provisions of this section shall apply to all bonds
    41  and mortgages and notes and mortgages and all assignments of moneys due,
    42  or to become due under building loan contracts executed by  such  owner,
    43  in like manner, and recorded or filed, from time to time as hereinbefore
    44  provided.  In  case of an assignment to trustees under the provisions of
    45  this section, the trustees and their successors shall be the  agents  of
    46  the assignor to receive and receipt for any and all sums advanced by the
    47  holder  of the building loan bond and mortgage or the building loan note
    48  and mortgage under the building loan contract and  such  assignment.  No
    49  lienor  shall  have  any priority over the bond and mortgage or note and
    50  mortgage given to secure the money agreed to be advanced under a  build-
    51  ing loan contract or over the advances made thereunder, by reason of any
    52  act preceding the making and approval of such assignment.
    53    §  15.  Section  38  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 859 of the
    54  laws of 1930, is amended to read as follows:
    55    § 38. Itemized statement may be required of lienor. A lienor  who  has
    56  filed  a  notice of mechanic's lien shall, on demand in writing, deliver

        A. 766                             12
 
     1  to the owner or contractor making such demand  a  statement  in  writing
     2  which  shall  set forth the items of labor and/or material and the value
     3  thereof which make up the amount for which he claims a lien,  and  which
     4  shall  also  set  forth the terms of the contract under which such items
     5  were furnished.  The statement shall be verified by the  lienor  or  his
     6  agent  in  the  form required for the verification of notices in section
     7  nine of this [chapter] article. If the lienor shall fail to comply  with
     8  such  a  demand  within five days after the same shall have been made by
     9  the owner or contractor, or  if  the  lienor  delivers  an  insufficient
    10  statement,  the  person aggrieved may petition the supreme court of this
    11  state or any justice thereof, or the county court of  the  county  where
    12  the  premises  are  situated,  or the county judge of such county for an
    13  order directing the lienor within a  time  specified  in  the  order  to
    14  deliver  to  the  petitioner the statement required by this section. Two
    15  days' notice in writing of such application shall  be  served  upon  the
    16  lienor. Such service shall be made in the manner provided by law for the
    17  personal  service  of a summons. The court or a justice or judge thereof
    18  shall hear the parties and upon being  satisfied  that  the  lienor  has
    19  failed,  neglected  or  refused  to comply with the requirements of this
    20  section shall have an appropriate order directing  such  compliance.  In
    21  case  the  lienor fails to comply with the order so made within the time
    22  specified, then upon five days' notice to  the  lienor,  served  in  the
    23  manner  provided by law for the personal service of a summons, the court
    24  or a justice or judge thereof may make an order cancelling the lien.
    25    § 16. Section 39 of the lien law, as added by chapter 859 of the  laws
    26  of 1930, is amended to read as follows:
    27    §  39.  Lien wilfully exaggerated is void. In any action or proceeding
    28  to enforce a mechanic's lien upon a private or public improvement or  an
    29  employee's  lien,  or  in which the validity of the lien is an issue, if
    30  the court shall find that a lienor has wilfully exaggerated  the  amount
    31  for  which  he  claims  a lien as stated in his notice of lien, his lien
    32  shall be declared to be void and no recovery shall be  had  thereon.  No
    33  such lienor shall have a right to file any other or further lien for the
    34  same  claim.  A second or subsequent lien filed in contravention of this
    35  section may be vacated upon  application  to  the  court  on  two  days'
    36  notice.
    37    §  17.  Section  39-a  of the lien law, as added by chapter 859 of the
    38  laws of 1930, is amended to read as follows:
    39    § 39-a. Liability of lienor where  lien  has  been  declared  void  on
    40  account  of  wilful  exaggeration.  Where in any action or proceeding to
    41  enforce a mechanic's lien upon a private or  public  improvement  or  an
    42  employee's  lien  the  court shall have declared said lien to be void on
    43  account of wilful exaggeration the person filing  such  notice  of  lien
    44  shall be liable in damages to the owner or contractor. The damages which
    45  said owner or contractor shall be entitled to recover, shall include the
    46  amount  of  any  premium for a bond given to obtain the discharge of the
    47  lien or the interest on any money deposited for the purpose of discharg-
    48  ing the lien, reasonable attorney's fees for services  in  securing  the
    49  discharge  of  the  lien,  and,  in an action or proceeding to enforce a
    50  mechanic's lien, an amount equal to the difference by which  the  amount
    51  claimed  to  be  due  or  to  become due as stated in the notice of lien
    52  exceeded the amount actually due or to become due thereon.
    53    § 18. Section 40 of the lien law, as amended by  chapter  515  of  the
    54  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
    55    §  40.  Construction  of  article.  This article is to be construed in
    56  connection with article two of this chapter,  and  provides  proceedings

        A. 766                             13
 
     1  for  the  enforcement  of  employee's liens on real property, as well as
     2  liens for labor performed and materials furnished in the improvement  of
     3  real property, created by virtue of such article.
     4    §  19.  Section  41  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 807 of the
     5  laws of 1952, is amended to read as follows:
     6    § 41. Enforcement of mechanic's or employee's lien on real property. A
     7  mechanic's lien or employee's lien on  real  property  may  be  enforced
     8  against  such  property,  and  against a person liable for the debt upon
     9  which the lien is founded, by an action, by the lienor, his assignee  or
    10  legal  representative,  in the supreme court or in a county court other-
    11  wise having jurisdiction, regardless of the amount of such debt, or in a
    12  court which has jurisdiction in an action founded on a  contract  for  a
    13  sum of money equivalent to the amount of such debt.
    14    §  20.  Section  43  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 310 of the
    15  laws of 1962, is amended to read as follows:
    16    § 43. Action in a court  of  record;  consolidation  of  actions.  The
    17  provisions  of the real property actions and proceedings law relating to
    18  actions for the foreclosure of a mortgage upon real  property,  and  the
    19  sale  and the distribution of the proceeds thereof apply to actions in a
    20  court of record, to enforce mechanics' liens  and  employees'  liens  on
    21  real  property, except as otherwise provided in this article. If actions
    22  are brought by different lienors in a court  of  record,  the  court  in
    23  which  the  first  action was brought, may, upon its own motion, or upon
    24  the application of any party in any of such actions, consolidate all  of
    25  such actions.
    26    §  21.  Section  46  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 515 of the
    27  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
    28    § 46. Action in a court not of record.  If  an  action  to  enforce  a
    29  mechanic's lien or employee's lien against real property is brought in a
    30  court  not of record, it shall be commenced by the personal service upon
    31  the owner of a summons and complaint verified in the same  manner  as  a
    32  complaint  in  an  action  in  a court of record. The complaint must set
    33  forth substantially the facts contained in the notice of lien,  and  the
    34  substance  of  the  agreement under which the labor was performed or the
    35  materials were furnished, or if the lien is based upon a wage  claim  as
    36  defined  in  section two of this chapter, the basis for such wage claim.
    37  The form and contents of the summons shall be the same  as  provided  by
    38  law for the commencement of an action upon a contract in such court. The
    39  summons  must  be  returnable  not less than twelve nor more than twenty
    40  days after the date of the summons, or if service is  made  by  publica-
    41  tion,  after  the  day  of the last publication of the summons.  Service
    42  must be made at least eight days before the return day.
    43    § 22. Section 50 of the lien law, as amended by  chapter  515  of  the
    44  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
    45    §  50.  Execution. Execution may be issued upon a judgment obtained in
    46  an action to enforce a mechanic's lien or  an  employee's  lien  against
    47  real  property  in a court not of record, which shall direct the officer
    48  to sell the title and interest of the owner in the premises, upon  which
    49  the  lien  set  forth in the complaint existed at the time of filing the
    50  notice of lien.
    51    § 23. Section 53 of the lien law, as amended by  chapter  515  of  the
    52  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
    53    §  53.  Costs  and disbursements. If an action is brought to enforce a
    54  mechanic's lien or an employee's lien against real property in  a  court
    55  of  record,  the costs and disbursements shall rest in the discretion of
    56  the court, and may be awarded to  the  prevailing  party.  The  judgment

        A. 766                             14
 
     1  rendered  in  such  an action shall include the amount of such costs and
     2  specify to whom and by whom the costs are to be paid. If such action  is
     3  brought  in  a court not of record, they shall be the same as allowed in
     4  civil  actions  in  such  court.  The  expenses  incurred in serving the
     5  summons by publication may be added to the amount of costs  now  allowed
     6  in such court.
     7    §  24.  Section  59  of the lien law, as amended by chapter 515 of the
     8  laws of 1929, is amended to read as follows:
     9    § 59. Vacating of a [mechanic's] lien; cancellation of bond; return of
    10  deposit, by order of court. 1. A mechanic's lien  notice  of  which  has
    11  been filed on real property or a bond given to discharge the same may be
    12  vacated  and cancelled or a deposit made to discharge a lien pursuant to
    13  section twenty of this chapter may be returned, by an order of  a  court
    14  of  record. Before such order shall be granted, a notice shall be served
    15  upon the lienor, either personally or by leaving it as  his  last  known
    16  place  of  residence,  with a person of suitable age, with directions to
    17  deliver it to the lienor.  Such  notice  shall  require  the  lienor  to
    18  commence  an  action to enforce the lien, within a time specified in the
    19  notice, not less than thirty days from the  time  of  service,  or  show
    20  cause at a special term of a court of record, or at a county court, in a
    21  county  in which the property is situated, at a time and place specified
    22  therein, why the notice of lien filed or the bond given  should  not  be
    23  vacated  and  cancelled,  or  the  deposit returned, as the case may be.
    24  Proof of such service and that the lienor has not commenced  the  action
    25  to  foreclose  such  lien,  as  directed in the notice, shall be made by
    26  affidavit, at the time of applying for such order.
    27    2. An employee's lien notice of which has been filed on real  property
    28  or  a bond given to discharge the same may be vacated and cancelled or a
    29  deposit made to discharge a lien pursuant  to  section  twenty  of  this
    30  chapter  may be returned, by an order of a court of record.  Before such
    31  order shall be granted, a notice shall be served upon the lienor, either
    32  personally or by leaving it at his last  known  place  of  residence  or
    33  attorney's  place  of  business,  with  a  person  of suitable age, with
    34  directions to deliver it to the lienor. Such notice  shall  require  the
    35  lienor  to  commence  an  action  to enforce the lien, or to commence an
    36  action to obtain judgment on the wage claim  upon  which  the  lien  was
    37  established, within a time specified in the notice, not less than thirty
    38  days  from  the  time  of  service, or show cause at a special term of a
    39  court of record, or at a county court, in a county in which the property
    40  is situated, at a time and place specified therein, why  the  notice  of
    41  lien filed or the bond given should not be vacated and cancelled, or the
    42  deposit returned, as the case may be. Proof of such service and that the
    43  lienor  has not commenced the action to foreclose such lien or an action
    44  to obtain judgment on the wage claim upon  which  the  lien  was  estab-
    45  lished,  as  directed  in the notice, shall be made by affidavit, at the
    46  time of applying for such order.
    47    § 25. Section 62 of the lien law, as amended by  chapter  697  of  the
    48  laws of 1934, is amended to read as follows:
    49    § 62. Bringing in new parties. A lienor who has filed a notice of lien
    50  after the commencement of an action in a court of record to foreclose or
    51  enforce an employee's lien or a mechanic's lien against real property or
    52  a  public  improvement,  may  at  any  time  up to and including the day
    53  preceding the day on which the trial of such action is  commenced,  make
    54  application upon notice to the plaintiff or his attorney in such action,
    55  to  be made a party therein. Upon good cause shown, the court must order
    56  such lienor to be brought in by amendment. If the application is made by

        A. 766                             15
 
     1  any other party in said action to make such lienor  or  other  person  a
     2  party,  the  court  may  in  its  discretion direct such lienor or other
     3  person to be brought in by like amendment. The order to  be  entered  on
     4  such  application  shall  provide the time for and manner of serving the
     5  pleading of such additional lienor or other person and shall direct that
     6  the pleadings, papers and proceedings of the other  several  parties  in
     7  such action, shall be deemed amended, so as not to require the making or
     8  serving  of  papers  other than said order to effectuate such amendment,
     9  and shall further provide that the allegations in  the  answer  of  such
    10  additional lienor or other person shall, for the purposes of the action,
    11  be  deemed  denied  by the other parties therein. The action shall be so
    12  conducted by the court as not to cause substantially any  delay  in  the
    13  trial  thereof.    The  bringing  in  of such additional lienor or other
    14  person shall be without prejudice to the proceedings  had,  and  if  the
    15  action  be  on the calendar of the court, same shall retain its place on
    16  such calendar without the necessity of serving a new note of  issue  and
    17  new notices of trial.
    18    §  26.  Subdivision 3 of section 199-a of the labor law, as amended by
    19  chapter 564 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    20    3. Each employee and his or her  authorized  representative  shall  be
    21  notified  in  writing, of the termination of the commissioner's investi-
    22  gation of the employee's complaint and the result of such investigation,
    23  of any award and collection of back wages and civil  penalties,  and  of
    24  any intent to seek criminal penalties. In the event that criminal penal-
    25  ties  are  sought  the employee and his or her authorized representative
    26  shall be notified of the outcome of prosecution.
    27    § 27. Subdivision 2 of section 663 of the labor  law,  as  amended  by
    28  chapter 564 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
    29    2.  By commissioner. On behalf of any employee paid less than the wage
    30  to which the employee is entitled under the provisions of this  article,
    31  the  commissioner may bring any legal action necessary, including admin-
    32  istrative action, to collect such  claim,  and  the  employer  shall  be
    33  required  to  pay  the  full amount of the underpayment, plus costs, and
    34  unless the employer proves a good faith basis to believe that its under-
    35  payment was in compliance with the law, an additional amount  as  liqui-
    36  dated damages. Liquidated damages shall be calculated by the commission-
    37  er  as  no  more  than  one  hundred  percent  of  the  total  amount of
    38  underpayments found to be due the employee. In any action brought by the
    39  commissioner in a court of competent  jurisdiction,  liquidated  damages
    40  shall  be calculated as an amount equal to one hundred percent of under-
    41  payments found to be due the employee.  Each  employee  or  his  or  her
    42  authorized representative shall be notified in writing of the outcome of
    43  any  legal  action  brought  on  the  employee's behalf pursuant to this
    44  section.
    45    § 28. Subdivision 5 of section 6201 of  the  civil  practice  law  and
    46  rules,  as  amended by chapter 860 of the laws of 1977 and as renumbered
    47  by chapter 618 of the laws of 1992, is amended and a new  subdivision  6
    48  is added to read as follows:
    49    5.  the  cause  of action is based on a judgment, decree or order of a
    50  court of the United States or of any other court which  is  entitled  to
    51  full  faith  and  credit in this state, or on a judgment which qualifies
    52  for recognition under the provisions of article 53[.] of  this  chapter;
    53  or
    54    6.  the  cause  of action is based on wage claims. "Wage claims," when
    55  used in this chapter, shall include any claims of violations of articles
    56  five, six, and nineteen of the labor law, section two hundred fifteen of

        A. 766                             16
 
     1  the labor law, and the related regulations or wage orders promulgated by
     2  the commissioner of labor, including but not limited to  any  claims  of
     3  unpaid,  minimum, overtime, and spread-of-hours pay, unlawfully retained
     4  gratuities,  unlawful  deductions from wages, unpaid commissions, unpaid
     5  benefits and wage supplements, and retaliation, and any claims  pursuant
     6  to 18 U.S.C. § 1595, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., and/or employment contract
     7  as  well  as the concomitant liquidated damages and penalties authorized
     8  pursuant to the labor law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, or any  employ-
     9  ment contract.
    10    §  29.  Section  6210 of the civil practice law and rules, as added by
    11  chapter 860 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
    12    § 6210. Order of attachment on notice;  temporary  restraining  order;
    13  contents.  Upon a motion on notice for an order of attachment, the court
    14  may, without notice to the  defendant,  grant  a  temporary  restraining
    15  order  prohibiting  the transfer of assets by a garnishee as provided in
    16  subdivision (b) of section 6214. When attachment is sought  pursuant  to
    17  subdivision  six  of  section  6201,  and  if  the employer contests the
    18  motion, the court shall hold a hearing  within  ten  days  of  when  the
    19  employer's  response  to  plaintiffs'  motion for attachment is due. The
    20  contents of the order of attachment granted  pursuant  to  this  section
    21  shall be as provided in subdivision (a) of section 6211.
    22    §  30.  Subdivision  (b) of section 6211 of the civil practice law and
    23  rules, as amended by chapter 566 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read
    24  as follows:
    25    (b) Confirmation of order. Except where  an  order  of  attachment  is
    26  granted  on  the  ground  specified in subdivision one or six of section
    27  6201, an order of attachment granted without notice shall  provide  that
    28  within  a period not to exceed five days after levy, the plaintiff shall
    29  move, on such notice as the court shall direct  to  the  defendant,  the
    30  garnishee, if any, and the sheriff, for an order confirming the order of
    31  attachment.  Where  an  order of attachment without notice is granted on
    32  the ground specified in subdivision one or  six  of  section  6201,  the
    33  court shall direct that the statement required by section 6219 be served
    34  within  five days, that a copy thereof be served upon the plaintiff, and
    35  the plaintiff shall move  within  ten  days  after  levy  for  an  order
    36  confirming  the  order  of attachment. If the plaintiff upon such motion
    37  shall show that the statement has not been served and that the plaintiff
    38  will be unable to satisfy the requirement of subdivision (b) of  section
    39  6223 until the statement has been served, the court may grant one exten-
    40  sion of the time to move for confirmation for a period not to exceed ten
    41  days. If plaintiff fails to make such motion within the required period,
    42  the  order  of  attachment and any levy thereunder shall have no further
    43  effect and shall be vacated upon motion. Upon the motion to confirm, the
    44  provisions of subdivision (b) of section 6223 shall apply. An  order  of
    45  attachment  granted  without notice may provide that the sheriff refrain
    46  from taking any property levied upon into his  actual  custody,  pending
    47  further order of the court.
    48    §  31. Subdivisions (b) and (e) of rule 6212 of the civil practice law
    49  and rules, subdivision (b) as separately amended by chapters 15 and  860
    50  of  the  laws of 1977 and subdivision (e) as added by chapter 860 of the
    51  laws of 1977, are amended to read as follows:
    52    (b) Undertaking. [On] 1. Except where an order of attachment is sought
    53  on the ground specified in subdivision six of section 6201, on a  motion
    54  for  an order of attachment, the plaintiff shall give an undertaking, in
    55  a total amount fixed by the  court,  but  not  less  than  five  hundred
    56  dollars,  a  specified part thereof conditioned that the plaintiff shall

        A. 766                             17
 
     1  pay to the defendant all costs and damages, including reasonable  attor-
     2  ney's  fees,  which  may be sustained by reason of the attachment if the
     3  defendant recovers judgment or if it is finally decided that the  plain-
     4  tiff  was not entitled to an attachment of the defendant's property, and
     5  the balance conditioned that the plaintiff shall pay to the sheriff  all
     6  of his allowable fees.
     7    2.  On  a  motion  for  an  attachment  pursuant to subdivision six of
     8  section 6201, the court shall order that the plaintiff give an  accessi-
     9  ble undertaking of no more than five hundred dollars, or in the alterna-
    10  tive,  may waive the undertaking altogether. The attorney for the plain-
    11  tiff shall not be liable to the sheriff for such fees. The surety on the
    12  undertaking shall not be discharged except upon notice to the sheriff.
    13    (e) Damages. [The] Except where an order of attachment  is  sought  on
    14  the  ground  specified in subdivision six of section 6201, the plaintiff
    15  shall be liable to the defendant for all costs  and  damages,  including
    16  reasonable  attorney's  fees,  which  may  be sustained by reason of the
    17  attachment if the defendant recovers  judgment,  or  if  it  is  finally
    18  decided  that  the  plaintiff  was  not entitled to an attachment of the
    19  defendant's property. Plaintiff's liability shall not be limited by  the
    20  amount of the undertaking.
    21    § 32. Paragraph (b) of section 624 of the business corporation law, as
    22  amended  by  chapter  449  of  the  laws  of 1997, is amended to read as
    23  follows:
    24    (b) Any person who shall have been a shareholder of record of a corpo-
    25  ration, or who is or shall have been a  laborer,  servant  or  employee,
    26  upon  at least five days' written demand shall have the right to examine
    27  in person or by agent or attorney,  during  usual  business  hours,  its
    28  minutes  of the proceedings of its shareholders and record of sharehold-
    29  ers and to make extracts therefrom for any purpose reasonably related to
    30  such person's interest as a shareholder, laborer, servant  or  employee,
    31  provided  the  purpose  reasonably  related  to a person's interest as a
    32  laborer, servant or employee shall be to obtain  the  names,  addresses,
    33  and  value  of  shareholders'  interests  in the corporation. Holders of
    34  voting trust certificates representing shares of the  corporation  shall
    35  be  regarded  as shareholders for the purpose of this section.  Any such
    36  agent or attorney shall be authorized in a writing  that  satisfies  the
    37  requirements  of a writing under paragraph (b) of section 609 (Proxies).
    38  A corporation requested to provide information pursuant  to  this  para-
    39  graph  shall  make available such information in written form and in any
    40  other format in which such information is maintained by the  corporation
    41  and  shall  not  be  required  to  provide such information in any other
    42  format. If a request made pursuant to this paragraph includes a  request
    43  to  furnish  information  regarding  beneficial  owners, the corporation
    44  shall make available such information in its possession regarding  bene-
    45  ficial  owners  as is provided to the corporation by a registered broker
    46  or dealer or a bank, association or other entity that exercises  fiduci-
    47  ary  powers  in  connection  with  the forwarding of information to such
    48  owners. The corporation shall not  be  required  to  obtain  information
    49  about beneficial owners not in its possession.
    50    §  33.  Section  630 of the business corporation law, paragraph (a) as
    51  amended by chapter 5 of the laws of 2016, paragraph (c)  as  amended  by
    52  chapter 746 of the laws of 1963, is amended to read as follows:
    53  § 630. Liability  of shareholders for wages due to laborers, servants or
    54           employees.
    55    (a) The ten largest shareholders, as determined by the fair  value  of
    56  their beneficial interest as of the beginning of the period during which

        A. 766                             18
 
     1  the  unpaid services referred to in this section are performed, of every
     2  domestic corporation or of any  foreign  corporation,  when  the  unpaid
     3  services were performed in the state, no shares of which are listed on a
     4  national  securities exchange or regularly quoted in an over-the-counter
     5  market by one or more members of a national or an affiliated  securities
     6  association,  shall  jointly  and severally be personally liable for all
     7  debts, wages or salaries due and owing to any of its laborers,  servants
     8  or  employees other than contractors, for services performed by them for
     9  such corporation. [Before such laborer, servant or employee shall charge
    10  such shareholder for such services, he shall give notice in  writing  to
    11  such  shareholder that he intends to hold him liable under this section.
    12  Such notice shall be given within one  hundred  and  eighty  days  after
    13  termination  of  such  services, except that if, within such period, the
    14  laborer, servant or employee demands an examination  of  the  record  of
    15  shareholders  under  paragraph  (b)  of  section 624 (Books and records;
    16  right of inspection, prima facie evidence) of this article, such  notice
    17  may  be  given within sixty days after he has been given the opportunity
    18  to examine the record of shareholders. An action to enforce such liabil-
    19  ity shall be commenced  within  ninety  days  after  the  return  of  an
    20  execution  unsatisfied against the corporation upon a judgment recovered
    21  against it for such services.] The provisions of  this  paragraph  shall
    22  not  apply  to  an investment company registered as such under an act of
    23  congress entitled "Investment Company Act of 1940."
    24    (b) For the purposes of this section, wages or salaries shall mean all
    25  compensation and benefits payable by an employer to or for  the  account
    26  of  the employee for personal services rendered by such employee includ-
    27  ing any concomitant liquidated damages, penalties, interest,  attorney's
    28  fees  or costs.   These shall specifically include but not be limited to
    29  salaries,  overtime,  vacation,  holiday  and  severance  pay;  employer
    30  contributions  to or payments of insurance or welfare benefits; employer
    31  contributions to pension or annuity funds; and any other moneys properly
    32  due or payable for services rendered by such employee.
    33    (c) A shareholder who has paid more than his pro rata share under this
    34  section shall be entitled to contribution pro rata from the other share-
    35  holders liable under this section with respect to the  excess  so  paid,
    36  over and above his pro rata share, and may sue them jointly or severally
    37  or  any number of them to recover the amount due from them.  Such recov-
    38  ery may be had in a separate action. As used  in  this  paragraph,  "pro
    39  rata"  means in proportion to beneficial share interest. Before a share-
    40  holder may claim contribution from other shareholders under  this  para-
    41  graph, he shall[, unless they have been given notice by a laborer, serv-
    42  ant  or  employee under paragraph (a),] give them notice in writing that
    43  he intends to hold them so liable to him. Such notice shall be given  by
    44  him  within twenty days after the date that [notice was given to him by]
    45  he became aware that a laborer, servant or employee may seek to hold him
    46  liable under paragraph (a).
    47    § 34. Subdivision (c) of section 609 of the limited liability  company
    48  law,  as  amended by chapter 620 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read
    49  as follows:
    50    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) of this
    51  section, the ten members with the largest percentage ownership interest,
    52  as determined as of the beginning of the period during which the  unpaid
    53  services  referred  to  in this section are performed, of every domestic
    54  limited liability company, or of any foreign limited liability  company,
    55  when  the unpaid services were performed in the state, shall jointly and
    56  severally be personally liable for all debts, wages or salaries due  and

        A. 766                             19
 
     1  owing  to  any  of  its  laborers,  servants  or employees, for services
     2  performed by them for  such  limited  liability  company.  [Before  such
     3  laborer, servant or employee shall charge such member for such services,
     4  he  or  she  shall  give notice in writing to such member that he or she
     5  intends to hold such member liable under this section. Such notice shall
     6  be given within one  hundred  eighty  days  after  termination  of  such
     7  services.  An action to enforce such liability shall be commenced within
     8  ninety days after the return of an  execution  unsatisfied  against  the
     9  limited  liability company upon a judgment recovered against it for such
    10  services.] A member who has paid more than his or  her  pro  rata  share
    11  under  this  section shall be entitled to contribution pro rata from the
    12  other members liable under this section with respect to  the  excess  so
    13  paid, over and above his or her pro rata share, and may sue them jointly
    14  or  severally or any number of them to recover the amount due from them.
    15  Such recovery may be had in a separate action. As used in this  subdivi-
    16  sion,  "pro  rata" means in proportion to percentage ownership interest.
    17  Before a member may claim contribution from  other  members  under  this
    18  section,  he  or  she  shall  give them notice in writing that he or she
    19  intends to hold them so liable to him or her.
    20    § 35. Section 1102 of the limited liability company law is amended  by
    21  adding a new subdivision (e) to read as follows:
    22    (e) Any person who is or shall have been a laborer, servant or employ-
    23  ee  of  a  limited  liability  company, upon at least five days' written
    24  demand shall have the right to examine in person or by agent  or  attor-
    25  ney,  during usual business hours, records described in paragraph two of
    26  subdivision (a) of this section throughout the  period  of  time  during
    27  which such laborer, servant or employee provided services to such compa-
    28  ny.  A  company  requested to provide information pursuant to this para-
    29  graph shall make available such records in written form and in any other
    30  format in which such information is maintained by the company and  shall
    31  not  be  required to provide such information in any other format.  Upon
    32  refusal by the company or by an officer  or  agent  of  the  company  to
    33  permit  an  inspection  of  the records described in this paragraph, the
    34  person making the demand for inspection may apply to the  supreme  court
    35  in  the  judicial  district  where the office of the company is located,
    36  upon such notice as the court may direct, for  an  order  directing  the
    37  company,  its  members or managers to show cause why an order should not
    38  be granted permitting such inspection by the applicant.  Upon the return
    39  day of the order to show cause, the court shall hear the parties summar-
    40  ily, by affidavit or otherwise, and if it appears that the applicant  is
    41  qualified  and  entitled  to  such  inspection, the court shall grant an
    42  order compelling such inspection and awarding such further relief as  to
    43  the  court  may  seem  just  and proper. If the applicant is found to be
    44  qualified and entitled to such inspection, the  company  shall  pay  all
    45  reasonable  attorney's  fees  and costs of said applicant related to the
    46  demand for inspection of the records.
    47    § 36. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after  it  shall
    48  have become a law.  The procedures and rights created in this act may be
    49  used  by  employees,  laborers or servants in connection with claims for
    50  liabilities that arose prior to the effective date.
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