Billspassedtocontrolpublicauthorities
N
BySHERRYHALBROOK SafetyIncentivetopeaceofficerswhoare
Slowisrarelyexcitingoreven membersofthePS&TUnit.This
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interesting,butthestateSenatefounda implementsthetermsofapilotprogram
waythisyeartocometoadeadstopand inthecontract.
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attractmoreattentionthanifithadseta 4.S.4809/A.5049,whichexempts
newlandspeedrecord. stateemployeeswhoarelaid-offfrom
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Eventually,however,thepolitical- restrictionsunderthestateEthicsLaw
leadershipstalematethatshutdown thatprohibit,fortwoyearsafterleaving
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legislationintheSenateinJunewas stateservice,theirappearanceina
resolvedinearlyJulyandsomebillswere professionalcapacitybeforetheirformer
passedinwhatwastechnicallyaseriesof stateagencies.
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specialsessions,sincebothhouseshad Sofar,theonlyPEF-supportedbill
A
alreadyrecessed. that’sbeenvetoedisS.1948B/A.2247B.It
AccordingtoPEFLegislativeDirector wouldhaverequiredthestateLabor
I
S
L
andCounselBrianCurran,atotalof11 Departmenttostudyhostileandabusive
billsthatPEFsupportshavebeenpassed workplacebehaviorsandrecommend
bybothhouses.Sixofthosehavebeen contract. solutionstothem.
signedintolawbyGov.DavidPaterson, Thefourbillsmostrecentlysignedinto
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sofar,andonewasvetoed. laware: Up to the governor
Severalofthesebillsdealwithmaking 1.S.60428/A.8423,whichextendsthe ThefourotherbillssupportedbyPEF
publicauthoritiesmoreaccountable. procurementlobbyingrestrictionsofa thatpassedinbothhouseswillbesentto
“ThemomentumourGo Public PEFGo Publiclawenactedin2005.This thegovernorinthecomingweeksand
campaigngeneratedforreform, newlegislationextendsprovisionsofthe monthsforhissignatureorveto.They
transparencyandaccountabilityinthe ProcurementLobbyingLawthatwould are:
conductofthepublic’sbusinessisstill haveexpiredJuly31.Thelawrequires 1.S.1537C/A.2209C,calledthePublic
payingdividends,”saidPEFPresident lobbyistswhoattempttoinfluencethe AuthorityReformAct,thisbillwould:
KenBrynien. awardofstatecontractstoregisterwith increasepublicoversightoverthestate’s
“StateAssemblyMemberRichard theCommissiononPublicIntegrity.It morethan700publicauthoritiesand
Brodskysponsoredtwoimportantbillsto alsoregulatestheiractivitiesandrequires publicbenefitcorporations;establishan
reformpublicauthoritiesthatwillsoongo publicdisclosureaboutlobbyingactivities AuthoritiesBudgetOfficetoexaminetheir
toGov.Paterson,”Bryniensaid.“Weurge relatedtocontractsandotherstate finances,reviewtheirfunctionsand
thegovernortosignthemandrestore actions. recommendtheirconsolidationwithother
legislativeandpubliccontrol.” 2.S.2312/A.5808,whichextendsfor governmentalbodies;sethigher
anothertwoyearstemporarypension standardsforfiduciaryresponsibilityand
They’re the law, now benefitsundervariousprovisionsofthe accountabilityfortheirmanagement;
Ofthesixbillsalreadysignedintolaw, RetirementandSocialSecurityLaw.This requirethemtogetlegislativeapproval
twowerereportedpreviouslyinThe includestheauthorizationtocontinue beforecreatingnewsubsidiaries;and
Communicator.Oneofthemextendedthe paymentofexistingpensionsupplements empowerthestatecomptrollertopre-
injunctivereliefprovisionofstateCivil toretiredpublicemployees. audittheircontracts.
ServiceLawfortwomoreyears,andthe 3.S.5965/A.8954,whichincludesin 2.S.3508/A.4343,whichwouldlimita
othermademinortechnicalcorrectionsto Section11ofthebillaprovisionforthe publicauthority’sabilitytocontractfor
existinglawtoimplementthePS&T paymentofaFirearmsTrainingand servicesthatwouldusuallybeperformed
in-house.Itwouldrequireacost-benefit
Federal changes could
analysisdemonstratingsavingspriorto
enteringintocontractsforprofessional,
threaten NYSHESC jobs
maintenance,clericalandtechnical
services.
Amongthedramasplayingoutinthenation’scapitalisatleastonethatcould
3.S.3527/A.1752A,calledtheNursing
threatenPEFmembers’jobs.
CareQualityProtectionAct,thisbill
PresidentObama’sDirectStudentLoanproposalwouldchangethefederalstudent
wouldrequirehospitalstodisclose:the
loanprogrambyeliminatingstudentloansmadebybanksthatareguaranteedbythe
numberoflicensednursesproviding
federalgovernment.Instead,thestudentloanswouldbemadedirectlybythefederal
directcare;theratioofRNstopatients;
government.
staffingpractices;thenumberofadverse
Employees,includingPEFmembers,attheNYSHigherEducationServices
patient-careincidents;medicationerrors;
Corporation(HESC)processtheguaranteedloans.Theirjobscouldbethreatenedbya
patientinjuries;andcomplaintsfiledwith
switchtodirectfederalloans.
regulators.
PEFisworkingaggressivelywithitsaffiliate,theAmericanFederationofTeachers,
4.S4200/A8219,whichwouldallow
toadvocatethatstateagenciescontinuetohavearoleintheservicing,financial
thestateOfficeofProfessionalDiscipline
literacyandcollectionsprocessunderthenewfederalprogram,ifitisadopted.
toimposea15percentsurchargeonall
PEFPresidentKenBrynienhaswrittentoNewYork’srepresentativesintheHouse
registrationfeesexceptthosededicatedto
andSenatetoalertthemtothedangerthisproposalmayposetothejobsofPEF
theProfessionalMedicalConduct
membersandothersatHESC. – John Murphy and Sherry Halbrook
Account.
Page6—TheCommunicatorSeptember2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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