FewPEFbillssurvivelegislativeturmoil
N
By SHERRY HALBROOK
PassedintheAssembly
requirehospitalstopubliclydisclosethe
O
The2009NewYorkStatelegislative
ThestateAssemblyrecessedJune22,
numberoflicensednurses(RNsand
sessionhasbecomeoneforthehistory
afterpassing20morebillsofimportance
LPNs)providingdirectcare,theratioof
books,settinganewstandardforpoor
toPEF,includingthreeopposedbythe
RNstopatients,andotherinformation
C
T
I
productivity,particularlyinthestate
union.
suchasthenumberofadversepatient-
A
Senate.
Perhapsmostsignificant,however,
careincidents,medicationerrors,patient
AsthisissueofTheCommunicator
wasabilltheAssemblydidnotbringto
injuries,andthenumberofcomplaints
goestopressJuly1,thestateSenate filedwithregulatoryagencies.
E
thefloorforavote:thebilltocreatea
remainsparalyzedbyapolitical
newTier5forthestatepensionsystem
BillA.3103/S.4018wouldmakeita
stalematecausedbythedefectionofa
andwhichwouldapplytoemployees
felonytoassaultanyRNorLPN.
T
I
V
Democrat,PedroEspadaJr.oftheBronx,
hiredafterJuly1,2009.Patersonhas
ThePEFNursesCommitteespent
leavingeachpartywithexactly31votes.
beencountingonanewTier5tosave
June2meetingwithkeylegislativestaff
AlthoughEspadachangedhisvoting
mostofthemoneyhesaysisneededto
inthestateSenatetoadvocateforsafe
allegiance,butnothispartyenrollment,
avoid8,700statelayoffs.
staffingandsafeliftingbills. However,
I
S
L
A
ithasallowedbothsidestoclaimcontrol
NeitherhastheSenate,which
lessthanaweeklater,theSenatecoup
oftheSenate.Neithernegotiation
Patersonhasforcedto“meet”dailysince
shutdownallproductiveactioninthat
June22,actedonhisTier5proposal.
house.
L
E
G
s,
pressurefromGov.DavidPaterson,nor
effortstohavethecourtsresolvethe
ThethreebillsPEFopposedthatwere
Twoofthebillspassedbythe
issuehaverelievedtheparalysis.
passedbytheAssemblyare:
AssemblysupportedbyPEFtryto
•A.1039/S.396,whichwould
establishpayequityandcurbpay
Passedinbothhouses
authorizethecityofAlbanytoimposea
discriminationbasedonsex,raceor
BeforeJune8,justthreebillsPEF
residentialparking-permitsystemthat
nationalorigin.
supportswerepassedbyboththe
woulddisadvantagestateemployeeswho
Anotherbillwouldprotectthequality
AssemblyandtheSenate.Thesebills,all
workdowntown;
ofairinstatebuildings.Andtwobills
sponsoredbyAssemblyMemberPeter
•A.3233A/S.4790,whichwould
introducedbyAssemblyMemberRichard
AbbateJr.andSen.DianeSavino,are:
establishastateOfficeofChildAdvocate
Brodskywouldimposegreater
•S.1407/A.3427,whichwouldextend
foryouthsinprogramsandfacilities
accountabilityonindependentpublic
theeffectivenessofprovisionsofthestate
underthestateOfficeofChildrenand
authoritiesandlimittheiruseof
CivilServiceLawwhichcreatea
FamilyServices.
subcontractors.
proceduretoenjoinimproperpractices
Amongthe18billsPEFsupportsthat
TheAssemblyalsopassedabill,long
temporarilywhereirreparableharm
passedintheAssembly,twowould
soughtbyPEF,tostoptheassignmentof
mightotherwiseresult.Thisbillhasbeen
directlyaffectstatenurses.
stateparoleofficerstocollectsupervision
signedintolaw;
BillA.1752A/S.3527,theNursing
feesfromparolees.
•S.2312/A.5808,whichwouldextend
CareQualityProtectionAct,would
foranothertwoyearscertaintemporary
benefitsandpensionsupplementation
programsforretiredpublicemployees.
ThisbillwassentJune19tothe
governorforhissignatureorveto;and
•S.5503/A.8254,whichincludesa
sectionthatmakesminortechnical
correctionstoimplementthetermsofthe
PS&Tcontractratifiedin2008.Paterson
signedthisbillintolaw.
TALKINGITOVER—
Above,PEFnursesandstaff
discusslegislationwithJohn
Clinton,anaidetostateSen.
KempHannon.Shownare
WandaTyson,Clinton,Dee
Dodson,DanLeffingwell,
HAPPYCHANCE—Achancemeeting
RyanDelgado,Barbara
inJuneatthecapitalwithstate
SerafinandJemmaMarie-
AssemblyMemberEarleneHooper(a
Hanson
formerPEFmember)gavePEFRegion
—
.
PhotobySherryHalbrook
11CoordinatorJemmaMarie-Hanson
Atleft,stateAssembly
andRegion12CoordinatorDee
MemberMichaelCusick
Dodsontheopportunitytodiscuss
speaksataPEFRegion11
nurses’legislation
Page6—TheComm
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