Category: Ratings
2013 Assembly Ratings
Short Description of Bills Used for Senate 2013 Ratings
(The first 12 Bills passed both Houses with Bill # 2 Double Rated; the last 12 bills passed the Assembly only)
1. S1184A – Maziarz / A7906 Sweeney: This bill requires that all heating oil sold within certain counties to be bioheating fuel. CPNYS
supports methods to reduce air pollution and seeks to reduce our dependency on foreign energy, but firmly believes that the free market should be the driving force in doing so, not government mandates, we therefore oppose this bill.
2. S 2230 – Klein / A2388 – Silver: This bill enacts the NY SAFE Act of 2013. CPNYS has double rated the bill that abridges’ a citizen’s
right to bear arms.
3. S2606D Budget / A3006D Budget: CPNYS opposes this budget bill that continues to use tax dollars to fund abortions.
4. S2604E Budget / A3004E Budget: CPNYS opposes this budget bill that continues spending at levels that force government to increase
taxes to a level unsustainable to New York’s citizens.
5. S3564A – Bonacic / A4810A- Abbate: This bill seeks to regulate the practice of “job order contracting” regarding public work projects. CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the cost of doing business in New York State and ultimately costs the taxpayers more.
6. S5069a – Skelos / A7188A – Paulin: CPNYS supports this bill that restricts parental rights of sexual perpetrators when a child is born as a result of sexual offenses.
7. S5082 – Young / A7405 – Wright: CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the bonding authority of the New York City housing
development corporation from $10,250,000,000 to $11, 250,000,000.
8. S5083 – Seward / A6855 – Silver: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits investments in foreign states sponsoring terrorism.
9. S5844 – Rules / A8073 – Sweeney: This bill seeks to reorganize LIPA that is deeply in debt despite charging ratepayers some of the
highest rates in the nation. Unfortunately this reorganization does very little to protect the ratepayers as it keeps some of the most egregious problems (PILOT payments) in place. CPNYS opposes this bill.
10. S5883 – Bonacic / A810 – Pretlow: This bill gives a sweetheart deal to the Oneida Indians at the expense of taxpayers in the
surrounding counties. CPNYS opposes the bill.
11. S5898 – Bonacic / A8068 – Pretlow: CPNYS opposes the bill that allows for up to seven state owned casinos in New York State.
12. S5903 – Libous / A8113 – Silver: Government should not be in the business of deciding which business will win or fail and not create specific areas that are tax-free. CPNYS opposes this bill that carves out specific areas in New York State instead of cutting taxes across the board for all businesses and employees.
13. S283 – Larkin: CPNYS supports this bill that creates a new crime for cemetery desecration of a veteran cemetery plot, grave or burial
place.
14. S383 – Diaz: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits use of lottery funds for any purpose other than education and prohibits co-mingling with funds for other purposes.
15. S966 – Libous: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits the sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or lottery tickets
with public assistance benefits.
16. S1294 – Griffo: Unfunded mandates are decimating localities. CPNYS supports this bill that requires the state to pay any state
mandated program imposed on municipalities and school districts.
17. S1521 – Marcellino: CPNYS supports this legislation that seeks to remove perpetual repeat offenders by creating a new crime of
aggravated criminal conduct, a Class E felony.
18. S2142 – Lanza: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to prohibit expenditure of state, local or public authority moneys relating to federal terrorism trials in the state of New York.
19. S2617A – Young: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to create incentives for counties to investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud by allowing them to keep 100% of the local share of any successful Medicaid fraud prosecution or settlement, or 10% of the total recovery, whichever is greater.
20. S3035 – DeFrancisco: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to increase the estate tax threshold under applicable internal revenue code provisions.
21. S3770 – Robach: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to cap the growth of state spending (no more than the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years) and increases the allowable reserve of the rainy day fund.
22. S5166 – Marchione: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to start the process of repealing agency rules and regulations that impede
economic growth and job creation.
23. S5452 – Flanagan: CPNYS supports this bill that requires the state to pay down the “gap elimination adjustment” in three years to
provide much needed relief to all school districts.
24. S5879 – Lanza: CPNYS supports this legislation that seeks to strengthen New York’s laws prohibiting human trafficking by increasing penalties for trafficking and expand the scope of certain prostitution related crimes.
Short Description of Bills Used for Assembly 2013 Ratings
(The first 12 Bills passed both Houses with Bill # 2 Double Rated; the last 12 bills passed the Assembly only)
1. S1184A – Maziarz / A7906 Sweeney: This bill requires that all heating oil sold within certain counties to be bioheating fuel. CPNYS
supports methods to reduce air pollution and seeks to reduce our dependency on foreign energy, but firmly believes that the free market should be the driving force in doing so, not government mandates, we therefore oppose this bill.
2. S 2230 – Klein / A2388 – Silver: This bill enacts the NY SAFE Act of 2013. CPNYS has double rated the bill that abridges’ a citizen’s
right to bear arms.
3. S2606D Budget / A3006D Budget: CPNYS opposes this budget bill that continues to use tax dollars to fund abortions.
4. S2604E Budget / A3004E Budget: CPNYS opposes this budget bill that continues spending at levels that force government to increase
taxes to a level unsustainable to New York’s citizens.
5. S3564A – Bonacic / A4810A- Abbate: This bill seeks to regulate the practice of “job order contracting” regarding public work projects. CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the cost of doing business in New York State and ultimately costs the taxpayers more.
6. S5069a – Skelos / A7188A – Paulin: CPNYS supports this bill that restricts parental rights of sexual perpetrators when a child is born as a result of sexual offenses.
7. S5082 – Young / A7405 – Wright: CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the bonding authority of the New York City housing
development corporation from $10,250,000,000 to $11, 250,000,000.
8. S5083 – Seward / A6855 – Silver: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits investments in foreign states sponsoring terrorism.
9. S5844 – Rules / A8073 – Sweeney: This bill seeks to reorganize LIPA that is deeply in debt despite charging ratepayers some of the
highest rates in the nation. Unfortunately this reorganization does very little to protect the ratepayers as it keeps some of the most egregious problems (PILOT payments) in place. CPNYS opposes this bill.
10. S5883 – Bonacic / A8101 – Pretlow: This bill gives a sweetheart deal to the Oneida Indians at the expense of taxpayers in the
surrounding counties. CPNYS opposes the bill.
11. S5898 – Bonacic / A8068 – Pretlow: CPNYS opposes the bill that allows for up to seven state owned casinos in New York State.
12. S5903 – Libous / A8113 – Silver: Government should not be in the business of deciding which business will win or fail and not create specific areas that are tax-free. CPNYS opposes this bill that carves out specific areas in New York State instead of cutting taxes across the board for all businesses and employees.
13. S2606D – Budget Amendment: This Amendment to the Health and Mental Hygiene Budget Bill would remove taxpayer funding of
abortions. CPNYS supports the amendment.
14. A38 – Wright: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to raise the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour and each January 1 thereafter with the rate indexed to inflation.
15: A689 – Silver: CPNYS opposes unfunded mandates and sees this bill that seeks to add additional days and hours to voting as a financial burden on counties already struggling to pay for the unfunded mandates previously required by the state legislature.
16. A753 – Rosenthal: CPNYS strongly believes that the market place should determine the wages of its employees, not government, and therefore opposes this bill that seeks to establish a policy of equal pay for equivalent value of work.
17. A1507 – Lentol: CPNYS acknowledges that a child seeing their parent arrested can be devastating to the child, however, this bill that seeks to implement child-sensitive arrest policies and procedures could lead to unintended consequences. CPNYS opposes this bill.
18. A2597 – Moya: CPNYS opposes this bill, known as the “DREAM Act.” The “DREAM Act” is an affront to the thousands of parents who are legal residents in New York State and cannot afford to send their children to college.
19. A2736 – Clark: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to exclude evidence in the prosecution of the crime of prostitution.
20. A3569 – Peoples-Stokes: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to create a permanent environmental justice advisory group to require
state agencies to adopt and abide by effective environmental justice policies.
21. A4880 – Silver: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to expand public financing of primary and general elections and for the first time in New York law define “independent expenditures” and “express advocacy.”
22. A5424 – Sweeney: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to impose a moratorium on the issuance of hydrofracking permits.
23. A6716 – Camara: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to allow the public display of marihuana (up to 15 grams) which is currently a
Class B misdemeanor.
24. A8070 – Titus: CPNYS opposes this Bill, proposed by Governor Cuomo as the “Woman’s Equality Act” that seeks to radically expand
New York’s already liberal abortion law.
CONSERVATIVE RATINGS RELEASED
Fort Hamilton Station, NY (10/15/12) The Conservative Party released its ratings for the 2012 Legislative Session today in order
to keep the electorate knowledgeable of how their legislators voted on 19 key bills acted upon in the current year and the tax
increase from last year.
The Conservative Party tracks legislation throughout the session, issues support and opposition memos, and determines, at an
executive committee meeting, which key issues including spending, crime, education, nanny state legislation and various other
topics that affect the lives of New Yorkers, will be used. “We believe that it is necessary to keep the public informed of these
key votes and let the taxpayers be aware of how elected officials spend our money. We look beyond the budget bills to
consider how other legislation effects the cost of business and living in New York,” said Mike Long, State Chairman.
“A review of the twenty bills used in this year’s ratings will show voters where the bills passed are erroneous and where they
have helped New Yorkers,” said Long. “The ratings give voters a scorecard on how their individual legislator voted on a cross
section of bills considered in the legislative session,” said Long.
Chairman Long noted that overall the Legislature considered fewer bill in this session than they have in past years ensuring
better results for New Yorkers and their tax burden. In fact, conservative ratings have increased, in part, due to the
understanding of the dire fiscal crisis New York is trying to eliminate. If the Members of the Legislature continue to listen to
the voters, New York may once again lead the Nation in economic growth. Last December, the members of the Conservative
Party were very vocal against the passage of the “millionaires tax” and we will be continue to be vocal if the legislators return
after Election Day to pass legislation that increases spending or is not a wise use of taxpayer funds.
The Members of both Houses increased their conservative ratings significantly in 2012. This year the overall New York State
Senate rating is 72.54% up from 51.22% in 2011. The overall rating of 47.61% of the New York State Assembly increased 30%
from the 2011 ratings. They still have a long way to go, but both Houses have tried to stop the hemorrhaging of our tax dollars.
In the Senate, Conservatives endorsed 1 Democrat and 33 Republicans who averaged an 82.46% rating up 25% from last year.
The Senate Democrats averaged 60.17% up 81.6% from 2011. In the Assembly, the 3 Democrats and 42 Republicans with Conservative endorsement averaged a 76.64%; the 50 Republican members averaged a 75.06% while the 100 Democrats averaged a 33.89%, up from 19.55% in 2011.
“Voters should review our ratings and send a message to their legislators that conservatism really does make a difference and
vote on the Conservative Line. By doing that, we believe New York will become a business friendly place that people no longer
have to flee in order to save on taxes,” Long concluded.
(Ratings are online at https://www.cpnys.org/node/63. If you have a problem downloading, please call:
718-921-2158 or 518-356-7882 for a copy of the Ratings. Thank you.)
2012 Senate Ratings
2012 Assembly Ratings
Short Description of Bills Used for Senate 2012 Ratings
(The first 10 Bills passed both houses; the last 10 passed the Senate only)
1. S.50002 – Budget /A. 40002-Budget (Passed Dec. 2011): CPNYS opposed this budget bill passed at the end of the calendar year
2011 that increased the top personal income tax rate for a net tax increase of $1.5 billion per year.
2. A.8668-A Silver/S.5917-A Skelos: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits entities that invest in the Iranian energy sector from
receiving state contracts under most circumstances.
3. A.9053-E Budget/S. 6253-E Budget: CPNYS supports this Aid-to-Localities bill that kept the spending increase to 1.9% of FY 2012. In
all funds spending of $132.6 Billion actually had a decrease of 1% from FY 2012 levels.
4. A.9056-D Budget/S.6256-Budget: CPNYS opposes this bill that continues to fund abortions.
5. A.9059-Budget/S.6259-D Budget: CPNYS supports this budget revenue bill that did not include any new taxes.
6. A.9380-B DenDekker/S.7775 Golden: CPNYS supports this bill that authorizes the NYS Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Services to establish and maintain a confidential database, based on information given voluntarily, that can help law
enforcement agencies after a crime has been committed.
7. A.9558-Rules/ S.6735 Rules: CPNYS supports the creation of Tier VI for new employees in state and local governments in the hope
of giving fiscal relief to taxpayers, local and state government.
8. A.10050-Lopez,V/S.6899-Young: CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the bonding authority to $17, 280,000,000 granted to the
NYS Housing Finance Agency. (The bonding authority has increased biennial basis since 2000.)
9. A.10623-Rules/S.7637-Lanza: CPNYS supports this bill, known as I-STOP, seeking to curb the diversion and abuse of prescription
drugs.
10. A.10786 Rules/S.7792 Rules: CPNYS supports this bill that requires public disclosure of the new Annual Professional Performance Reviews (“APPRs”) of teachers and principals in order for parents to be better informed of the quality of education provided to their children.
11. S.714-A Robach: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to create a new crime relating to the use of computers for the purpose of
committing sexual offenses against children.
12. S.716 Robach: CPNYS supports this proposal to establish an annual spending growth cap and increasing the maximum capacity of the rainy day fund.
13. S.932 Marcellino: CPNYS supports the establishment of a crime of terrorism recruitment.
14. S.1407-B Golden: CPNYS supports the establishment of stiffer sentences to criminals who use firearms to commit felonies.
15. S.1539 Skelos: CPNYS has been a long time proponent of imposing life imprisonment without parole for persistent violent felony offenders.
16. S.1541 Skelos: CPNYS supports this bill that increases criminal penalties for sexual contact between a minor and a person in a
position of trust.
17. S.2732-C Golden: CPNYS has been a long time supporter of an education investment tax credit.
18. S.3871 Lanza: CPNYS supports prohibiting expenditures of state, local or public authority moneys relating to federal terrorism trials in the state of New York.
19. S.6881 Young: CPNYS supports creating incentives for counties to investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud.
20. S.7671 Libous: CPNYS supports this bill that seeks to prohibit the sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products or
lottery tickets with public assistance benefits and the electronic withdrawal of public assistance benefits in casinos, liquor stores and
establishments providing adult-oriented entertainment.
Short Description of Bills Used for Assembly 2012 Ratings
(The first 10 Bills passed both houses; the last 10 passed the Assembly only)
1. S.50002 – Budget /A. 40002-Budget (Passed Dec. 2011): CPNYS opposed this budget bill passed at the end of the calendar year
2011 that increased the top personal income tax rate for a net tax increase of $1.5 billion per year.
2. A.8668-A Silver/S.5917-A Skelos: CPNYS supports this bill that prohibits entities that invest in the Iranian energy sector from
receiving state contracts under most circumstances.
3. A.9053-E Budget/S. 6253-E Budget: CPNYS supports this Aid-to-Localities bill that kept the spending increase to 1.9% of FY 2012. In
all funds spending of $132.6 Billion actually had a decrease of 1% from FY 2012 levels.
4. A.9056-D Budget/S.6256-Budget: CPNYS opposes this bill that continues to fund abortions.
5. A.9059-Budget/S.6259-D Budget: CPNYS supports this budget revenue bill that did not include any new taxes.
6. A.9380-B DenDekker/S.7775 Golden: CPNYS supports this bill that authorizes the NYS Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Services to establish and maintain a confidential database, based on information given voluntarily, that can help law
enforcement agencies after a crime has been committed.
7. A.9558-Rules/ S.6735 Rules: CPNYS supports the creation of Tier VI for new employees in state and local governments in the hope
of giving fiscal relief to taxpayers, local and state government.
8. A.10050-Lopez,V/S.6899-Young: CPNYS opposes this bill that increases the bonding authority to $17, 280,000,000 granted to the
NYS Housing Finance Agency. (The bonding authority has increased biennial basis since 2000.)
9. A.10623-Rules/S.7637-Lanza: CPNYS supports this bill, known as I-STOP, seeking to curb the diversion and abuse of prescription
drugs.
10. A.10786 Rules/S.7792 Rules: CPNYS supports this bill that requires public disclosure of the new Annual Professional Performance Reviews (“APPRs”) of teachers and principals in order for parents to be better informed of the quality of education provided to their children.
11. RR # 31: CPNYS supports this proposed amendment that would end Medicaid (taxpayer) funding of abortions.
12. A.5039 Gottfired: The bill seeks to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. CPNYS believes that any
discrimination is wrong and that discrimination can be prosecuted under the many laws already enacted.
13. A.7347-B Gottfried: CPNYS opposes any bill that seeks to recognized marihuana as a medicine.
14. A.9148 Wright: CPNYS believes in the free market and firmly believes that business, not government, should determine the wages
paid to employees. Increasing the minimum wage makes it harder for small businesses to hire people for entry level positions.
15. A.2288 Wright: CPNYS opposes this bill that will hinder police investigations thereby putting the public at risk.
16. A.2593-A Lopez, V.: CPNYS firmly believes that the free market should determine the amount of rent increase allowed after a
vacancy; this bill would reduce the percentage currently allowed under the law.
17. 6130-A Wright: CPNYS opposes any bill that seeks to enforce pay equity by government mandated job comparisons.
18. A.10234 Sweeney: CPNYS believes this bill calling for a health impact assessment for hydraulic fracturing in New York is unnecessary at the present time due to other states successfully using this method to be more energy independent.
19. 1557-B Schimel: CPNYS opposes this costly mandate that requires semiautomatic pistols to be capable of microstamping
ammunition.
20. A.5346-A Sweeney: CPNYS opposes this bill that seeks to require the Department of Environmental Conservation to promulgate rules and regulations establishing limits on greenhouse gas emissions (many of which are naturally produced) that contribute to the unproven theory of global warming
CONSERVATIVE RATINGS RELEASED Two New Assembly Republicans Score the Highest
Fort Hamilton Station, NY (10/05/11) The Conservative Party released its ratings for the 2011 legislative session today in order to keep the electorate apprised of how their legislators voted on 25 key bills acted upon in the current year.
The Conservative Party tracks legislation throughout the session, issues support and opposition memos, and determines, at an executive committee meeting, which key issues, including spending, crime, education, nanny state legislation and various other topics that affect the lives of New Yorkers, will be used. “We believe that it is necessary to keep the public informed of these key votes and let the taxpayers be aware of how elected officials spend our money. We often look beyond the budget bills to consider how other legislation effects school budgets, health coverage and how unfunded mandates increase the cost of doing business in New York,” said Mike Long, State Chairman.
“A review of the twenty-five bills we used in this year’s ratings will show voters where the legislature is erroneous and some show where they have helped New Yorkers”, said Long. “The ratings give voters a scorecard on how their individual legislator voted and how many times they force local governments – reeling from unfunded mandates – to raise taxes or nanny state proposals that interfere in how we choose to live our lives,” Long continued.
“Last November, New York State voters sent a record 17 new Members to the Assembly, and two of the newest Members scored a 92%, the highest score in either house,” Chairman Long noted,. “the 17 new Members helped turn New York’s Assembly a little more to the right and eliminated Speaker Silver’s two-thirds majority by one vote.
The Members of both Houses appear to have listened to the voters as they increased their conservative ratings. This year the overall New York State Senate ratings were 51.22% up 13% from 2010. The 36.5% overall rating of the New York State Assembly was up 9.28% from the 2010 ratings. They still have a long way to go, but both Houses have tried to stop the hemorrhaging of our tax dollars. In the Senate, Conservatives endorse 1 Democrat and 32 Republican who averaged a 65.57 % rating up slightly from last year. The Senate Democrats averaged 33.125% up almost 20% from 2010. In the Assembly, the 6 Democrats and 44 Republicans with Conservative endorsement averaged a 66.32%; the 51 Republican members averaged a 69.25% while the 99 Democrats averaged a 19.55%, up 8.89%.
“As long as voters continue to hold Legislators responsible, we believe New York will become a business friendly place that people no longer have to flee in order to save on taxes,” Long concluded.
(Ratings are online at https://www.cpnys.org/node/63. If you have a problem downloading, please call:
718-921-2158 or 518-356-7882 for a copy of the Ratings. Thank you.)