By Sen. John A. DeFrancisco
NYS Senate Deputy Majority Leader
As we ring in the New Year, I wanted to let you know about some new state laws that will be in effect in 2017. Many of these new measures may be of interest to you as they will help to protect children, improve healthcare, increase public safety, and provide assistance to our veterans.
Preventing heroin and opioid addiction
Most provisions of this historic legislation to address the state’s ongoing heroin and opioid abuse crisis took effect when signed into law this summer. However, certain elements become effective with health insurance contracts issued, renewed, modified or altered on or after Jan. 1, including:
- Ending prior insurance authorization for immediate access to inpatient treatment services;
- Using consistent criteria to determine the medical necessity of treatments;
- Authorizing substance use disorder medication coverage by requiring coverage, without prior authorization, for an emergency five-day supply of medications for treating a substance use disorder when emergency conditions exist; and
- Expanding access to naloxone/opioid reversal medication coverage by requiring insurance coverage for the overdose reversal medication, whether it is prescribed to a person who is addicted to opioids or their family member covered under the same insurance plan.
Testing school drinking water
A new state law that took effect in 2016 requires school districts to monitor for lead contamination in their drinking water, and to notify parents of the test results in writing. Schools that test above the threshold must implement a lead remediation plan and provide building occupants with an alternate supply of water for cooking and drinking. School districts will be reimbursed for the testing and for remediation efforts through the current building aid formula.
Supporting our veterans
The state budget extended the hire-a-vet tax credit from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 1, 2019. The period of eligible employment for qualified veterans was also extended from Jan. 1, 2016 to Jan. 1, 2018. This credit is provided to any business that hires a veteran, who’s returning home from military service, on a full-time basis for at least one year. The credit is equal to 10 percent of wages paid, with a maximum of $5,000 per veteran, and a maximum of $15,000 per disabled veteran.
Extending hours for breast cancer screenings
This new law will ensure that women throughout New York state have greater access to regular screenings and early detection by requiring that hospitals statewide extend their hours for mammograms. It also allows New York City public employees to take up to four hours of excused leave per year for breast cancer screenings.
Improving public safety/tinted windows bill
This new law that I sponsored in the State Senate will require tinted or shaded front windows to be examined during yearly motor vehicle inspections. If the glass on a vehicle is illegally composed of, covered by, or treated with any material that has a light transmittance of less than 70 percent, then that vehicle would not pass the New York state safety inspection, and the window tint would have to removed or altered. The measure is a proactive approach intended to protect law enforcement and other drivers since darkly tinted windows, which are already prohibited in New York state, hinder the ability to see inside a vehicle.
Requiring insurance companies to inform insured motorists
Beginning on Jan. 17, insurance companies will need to include a signed notice in repair estimates that informs insured motorists of the right to have their vehicle repaired in a shop of their choice. I sponsored this bill in the State Senate.
Expanding the ‘Move-Over Law’
This measure builds upon the “Move-Over Law” that already requires motorists in New York state to slow down or move over when passing authorized emergency vehicles that are roadside. To increase safety, the law will now include any vehicle that is displaying flashing blue or green lights, such as volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, and that are involved in roadside emergency operations. This law takes effect starting on Jan. 17.
Increasing access to criminal history records
The 2017 Enacted State Budget contained legislation requiring that the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) provide a copy of the nationwide criminal history record check that was a cause for denial to the prospective foster parent or adoptive parent, or other person over the age of 18 who resides in the home and whose criminal history was the basis for the denial.
Protecting consumers/cracking down on ticket bots
This new law is aimed at cracking down on the practice of using computer software to buy up a block of tickets, often for resale, at a much faster rate than that of a single consumer. The legislation establishes criminal penalties and new fines for those who use “ticket bots” to obtain tickets for resale, as well as for those who offer tickets for resale knowingly obtained through the use of such software.
Farm Workforce Retention Tax Credit
The state budget included provisions to allow eligible farm employers to claim a refundable tax credit for each employee who works 500 or more hours each year for tax years beginning on Jan. 1. The credit is equal to $250 per employee in 2017.
NYS College Savings Account deposits
Effective Jan. 1, taxpayers will be allowed to deposit all or a portion of their income tax refund into a New York State 529 College Savings Program account to help better save for higher education.
