The NY State Assembly
Labor Committee

January 22, 2002

ASSEMBLY LABOR COMMITTEE CONCLUDES 2001 SESSION PLANS ACTIVE 2002 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The Assembly's Labor Committee recently concluded a successful 2001 legislative session in which they met sixteen times, hosted numerous public speakers, participated in eight public hearings and roundtables and worked for the enactment of new labor laws.

Plans are already underway for an active 2002 legislative session focusing on occupational safety and health and worker education and retraining, among other things. The first meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday, January 29th with guest speaker Commissioner Linda Angello of the Department of Labor. On Tuesday, February 5th Chairman Robert Snashall of the Workers' Compensation Board will address the Committee. Times for these meetings will be determined as the dates get closer.

The Assembly Labor Committee welcomes a new committee clerk, Susan Buchanan. She joins returning staff, Geri Reilly, Committee Counsel, Bernard Bryan, Legislative Coordinator, Anne Baumann Weiss, Committee Director, Glen Casey, Committee Analyst and Jerome Adams, Committee Assistant. As always, they can be reached at (518) 455-4851 if you have any questions or concerns about labor issues.

"I am pleased that the Labor Committee, with the support of Speaker Sheldon Silver, was able to accomplish so much during the 2001 legislative session," said Assemblywoman Nolan. "Numerous new laws that the Committee worked on will add to our state's worker protection and safety record. I'm especially pleased that we were able to pass important "card check" legislation. Much remains to be done, however, and I look forward to working with all of you to face the many challenges that lie ahead," said Nolan.

The following is a list of legislation enacted and vetoed from the 2001 legislative session. For further information on these or other bills, please do not hesitate to contact Geri Reilly, Committee Counsel and Labor Liaison at (518) 455-4851.

• A. 2388 (Cahill) - relates to the care and treatment of public safety workers, including but not limited to a firefighter, emergency medical technician, police officer, corrections officer, driver and medical observer, who in the course of performing his or her duties are exposed to blood or other bodily fluids. Signed into law, Chapter 251.
• A. 3219-A (McEneny) - Permits boards of education to consider labor standards and working conditions, including the use of child labor, in purchasing apparel. Signed into law, Chapter 227.
• A. 4138 (Hoyt) - Permits state employees to take up to seven days paid leave for bone marrow donation and thirty days paid leave for organ donation, in addition to any other annual or sick leave; prohibits retaliatory practices against any such employee. Signed into law, Chapter 214.
• A. 6689 (Nolan) - Requires municipalities to provide notice and to amend their rules before reclassifying laborers, workmen or mechanics; specifies elements of notice; prohibits municipalities from administratively reclassifying laborers, workmen or mechanics who are subject to prevailing rate and supplements of labor law article on public work without the consent of the collective bargaining unit representing affected workers; applies retroactively to reclassifications which have occurred since 1/1/2000. Vetoed by the Governor, memo #51.
• A. 7000 (Nolan) - Provides that officers and agents of corporations in the apparel industry who knowingly permit such corporation to violate the registration requirements of the apparel industry shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Signed into law, Chapter 439.
• A. 7458 (Nolan) - Provides that the Commissioner of Labor shall ensure that all supplements due to employees under public works contracts shall be paid to or on behalf of an employee; provides that the commissioner shall require proof that the pension plan for which any supplement has been paid is qualified as a bona fide plan by the United States Internal Revenue Service. Signed into law, Chapter 203.
• A. 8370-A Rules (Nolan) - Extends for two years (from 11/1/2001 to 11/1/2003) certain labor law provisions relating to discrimination for failure to meet certain ticket quotas. Delivered to Governor, awaiting action.
• A. 8503-A Rules (Nolan) - Provides for public access (public inspection and copying) to certain records of public entities regarding certain public work and building service employees. Vetoed by the Governor, memo #7.
• A. 8612-A Rules (Nolan) - Authorizes governmental entities that are to be a party to a construction contract to require contractors and subcontractors have, prior to entering such contract, apprenticeship agreements appropriate for the type and scope of work to be performed, that have been registered with and approved by the commissioner. Signed into law, Chapter 571.
• A. 8920 Rules (Cahill) - Includes civilian personnel of the Department of Corrections as covered for testing and associated medical costs due to exposure to blood or other bodily fluids. Signed into law, Chapter 572.
• A. 9191 Rules (Nolan) - Strengthens penalties for violations of wage recordkeeping on public works projects and provides a remedy for affected workers. Vetoed by the Governor, memo # 40.
• A. 9202 Rules (Nolan) - Provides that the State Employee Relations Board shall designate a collective bargaining representative after a showing of majority interest by employees in the unit and provides for action by the board in the case of a disagreement and in cases involving fraud, coercion or unfair labor practices. Signed into law, Chapter 534.
• A. 9331 Rules (Nolan) - Creates a new article in the Labor Law providing for standards for plumbing materials and for uses of standard piping materials; makes certain plumbing and piping provisions of the state uniform fire prevention and building code statutory; establishes a three year sunset. Signed into law, Chapter 526.
• A. 9424 Rules (Hoyt) - Relates to requiring a state employee to provide to a state employer not less than fourteen days written notice for leave allowed for organ or bone marrow donation unless there exists a medical emergency. Signed into law, Chapter 465.