CI Newsletter – State Legislature Passes Package of COVID-19 Bills
State Legislature Passes Package of COVID-19 Bills
New York state legislators returned to session late May to pass a series of COVID-19 related bills. Many of the lawmakers voted remotely by video conference, approving measures that establish a state disaster emergency loan program, extend the state’s price gouging law, and exempt school districts from losing state aid due to school closures because of local or state of emergencies, among others.
Please find below an overview of some of the pieces of legislation that the Legislature passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that I thought would be of interest to you and the business community.
· S.8181-A May/ A.10294-A Stirpe – establishes a state disaster emergency loan program to be administered by industrial development agencies for small businesses and small not-for-profit corporations.
· S.8417 Krueger / A.10492 Thiele – relates to bond anticipation notes issued in calendar years 2015 through 2021; authorizes the expenditure and temporary transfer of reserve funds for expenses related to COVID-19.
· S.7996 Carlucci / A.10189-A Ortiz – provides that school districts are entitled to an apportionment of state aid for the closure of schools due in response to the Novel Coronavirus.
· S.8189 Hoylman/ A.10270 Rozic – updates New York’s statute regarding the price gouging of consumer goods by expanding it to cover essential medical supplies and services related to public health.
· S.8419 Kavanagh/ A.10522 Cymbrowitz – enacts the “emergency rent relief act of 2020” to establish an interim residential rent relief program; program would provide rental assistance vouchers to landlords on behalf of tenants who experienced a loss of income as a result of the COVOD-19 pandemic through Homes and Community Renewal.
These bills await the Governor’s final review and signature. For a full list of COVID-19 related bills, please click here. If you have any questions or comments, please email MACNY’s Tiffany Latino- Gerlock at tiffanylatinog@macny.org, of Harold King at hking@councilofindustry.org
In other developing news, Central New York, Finger Lakes, North Country, Southern Tier, and Mohawk Valley regions have begun its Phase II Reopening, which includes the below industries. Reopening Guidance from the state can be found on the New York Forward website by clicking here.
• Offices
• Real Estate
• Hair Salons and Barbershops (limited services)
• Essential and Phase 2 In-Store Retail
• Vehicle Sales, Leases, and Rentals
• Retail Rental, Repair, and Cleaning
• Commercial Building Management
Please note that businesses must go to the New York Forward website to review the state’s reopening guidelines and to affirm business compliance with the New York Forward reopening guidance. We have a full list of business resources on our website that explain the New York Forward plan and the reopening phases and safety guidelines at COVID-19 Resource Guide
