EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

A.10251 (Morelle) — Freedom Health Insurance Plans
Creates new 43% tax credit for health insurance costs for businesses with 50 or fewer employees; authorizes carriers to offer "Freedom Policies," which would have higher deductibles coupled with new health savings accounts (HSA's). Expands Healthy New York program.
Same as S.6332. Status: Assembly Insurance Committee.

A.8301 (Rules/Tonko) — "Timothy's Law"
Would require all health insurance policies provide full coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, including nervous disorders, emotional disorders, and dependency on alcohol or other drugs, with no limit on coverage of disorders not imposed on physical disorders. Estimated annual cost: $200 million for policy holders; $130 million to state budget.
Same as S.5329. Status: passed Assembly.

A.8862 (Schimminger) — Workers Comp Reform
Provides for comprehensive, cost saving, fundamental reforms including limits on duration of permanent partial disabilities; old age social security and pension offsets; changing the way scheduled loss of use awards are paid; and adopting objective medical guidelines.
Same as S.5320. Status: Assembly Labor Committee.

A.9736 (John) — Workers Comp Benefit Increase
Increases maximum Workers Comp benefit to $625 per week; indexes maximum benefits to statewide average weekly wage.
Same as S.6135. Status: Assembly Ways & Means Committee.

A.10975 (John) — Governor's Workers Compensation Bill
Establishes a system of tiered benefit levels for those claimants who have been classified as permanently partially disabled. Reduces assessment for the Second Injury Fund. Increases maximum benefit to $500/week.
Same as S.6841. Status: Assembly Labor Committee.

TAXES

A.9560 (Budget) — Single Sales Factor
Would base manufacturers' income allocation for corporate franchise purposes solely on percentage of in-state sales. Benefit phased in over five year period. Uses existing ITC definition of manufacturing.
Same as S.6060. Status: amended to A.5960-B. Passed both houses without SSF provision.
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A.11000 (Parment) — Real Property Tax Tribunal
Moves the venue for real property tax certiorari proceedings outside New York City from State Supreme Court to the Tax Appeals Division in an effort to promote expedited and more uniform decisions on cases.
Same as S.7179. Status: Assembly Real Property Tax Committee.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

A.6248-B (Tonko) — Article X Extension
Extends the Article X power plant siting process until 12/31/08; also increases intervener funding requirements; lowers applicability threshold to 30 MW; broadens environmental review criteria, including mandated "cumulative impact assessments;" requires comparison to "alternative/renewable" energy alternatives. Also extends and modifies Energy Planning law.
No same as. Status: passed Assembly.

A.11802 (DiNapoli) — Repeals Cleanup Tax/Brownfield technical cleanup
Exempts remedial wastes from hazardous waste generator surcharges (adopted in 2003); makes numerous technical amendments to the 2003 Brownfield Act, including clarification of tax credit provisions and remedial requirements.
Same as S.7726. Status: passed both houses.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

A.9559-B (Budget) — Power for Jobs Program Extender
Reimburses participants for any benefits lost due to contract expirations between March 1 and November 30, 2004; as of December 1, 2004, Phase 4 and 5 PfJ recipients can apply for extended benefits through December 31, 2005, through contract extension or participation in "PfJ savings reimbursement program;" increases NYPA's financial support of the PfJ program to $275 million.
Same as S.6059-B. Status: passed both houses.

A.9021-A (Silver) — Empire Zone program extender/restrictions
Makes several new Empire Zone program restrictions: limits designation of Empire Zones to three contiguous areas; decertifies businesses that fail to meet tax credit criteria in any single year; limits designation of zones that lag behind national, but not state, unemployment levels; others.
No same as. Status: Assembly calendar.

A.9560-B (Budget) — Empire Zone program extender
Extends the Empire Zones Program as is until 3/31/05.
Same as S.6060-B. Status: passed both houses.

A.9567-B (Brodsky) — Anti-Outsourcing Restrictions
Dubbed the "Poison pill for jobs growth bill," it would prohibit a business that has received state financial assistance from moving any "employment, jobs or positions" out-of-state while reducing in-state employment; requires "violators" to repay the state the value of state financial assistance received; imposes five year ban on receiving any additional state assistance.
No same as. Status: Assembly Economic Development Committee.

A.11682 (Brodsky) — Anti-Outsourcing Restrictions
Places restrictions on Empire Zone benefits and other benefits conferred through agreements between the Urban Development Corporations and businesses; restrictions are similar to those included in A.9567-B (see above).
Same as S.6040-C. Status: passed Assembly.

A.201 (Cahill) — Outsourcing/Utility Call center
Requires that public utilities provide call center service assistance from centers located within the state and within their own service areas.
Same as S.6079. Status: passed Assembly.

A.7775 (Nesbitt) — Assembly GOP "Roadmap" Bill
Includes numerous reforms. Key provisions: extends the Article X power plant siting law; adopts a single sales factor apportionment for manufacturers' corporate franchise tax assessments; places additional controls on state debt.
No same as. Status: Assembly Governmental Operations Committee.

OTHERS

A.1042-A (Canestrari) — Vicarious Liability
Provides that the lessor of a motor vehicle for a term of more than one year shall be deemed to be the owner of such a vehicle for the purposes of civil liability for the damage caused by the use of such motor vehicle. Brings New York into line with liability standards used in all 49 other states.
Same as S.397. Status: Assembly Transportation Committee.

A.9559-B (Budget) — Divisible Load Permits
Increases the number of divisible load truck permits that can be issued each year by the Department of Transportation from 17,000 to 21,000 this year and to a maximum of 25,000 by 2008.
Same as S.6059-B. Status: passed both houses.

A.7213 (Morelle) — Safe Place to Work (aka Scaffolding Law)
Change the current absolute liability standard for certain workplace injuries to one of contributory negligence for those employers that provide appropriate safety training and equipment.
Same as S.1710. Status: Assembly Labor Committee.