Legislative Update: June 2, 2007

By: Prospector

On Thursday, 5/31, I was back in Albany to deliver the remaining copies of our position papers that were left from the Freedom Rally.  I got an early start and was finished before 9 AM.  While there, I learned that A1939 was on the agenda for the Codes Committee meeting.  I was unable to be at that meeting, but was confident that the bill would report out, which, in fact, it did.It is now in Ways and Means.  Next Tuesday, I will again see the Senate sponsor and urge his office to work at getting S1705 on the Transportation Committee agenda.  I read the street gang bill, S5594/A6294, it is not as bad as some other
state's have been. In the NY version, gangs are primarily defined as being involved in criminal activity.  Street gangs have been a growing problem for some time and it is likely that this bill will be one that will fast-track through both houses.

I also looked over A7864, the exhibition driving bill.  When a "wheelie" bill was introduced last year we suggested that it be rewritten patterned after an existing bill in another state (it's pretty hard to argue that wheelies should be allowed on public property).  The sponsor, Assemblyman Joel Miller, who has always been a supporter of our Dutchess County Chapter, took our advice and rewrote the bill to it's current state, which would be easier to live with should it pass.  At this point, there is no Senate equivalent, and it's too late for one to be introduced, so we'll see what happens in 2008