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Three local bills will be forwarded to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her approval after passage during this week's two-day state Assembly session.
Extending authorization of a portion of the county's occupancy tax and the additional 1% of the county's sales tax two taxes were among the legislation laid aside when the state legislative session officially ended in the early morning hours of June 10. Both bills had already passed the state Senate and will now be sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul for approval.
The occupancy tax renewal (A.6581/S.6206) was passed 116-25 with opposition coming from as many Republicans as Democrats on the Assembly floor. Senate passage was 53-8.
According to the bill's legislative justification, the bill is designed to make sure half of the lake management and enhancement funds are used for activities performed by the Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Cassadaga Lakes Association, Findley Lake Watershed Foundation, Bear Lake Association, and for Mobitrac and shoreline cleanup. The money is not supposed to be used for third-party staff expenses for project evaluation, supervision or related management or administrative expenses, such as the county watershed coordinator or the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance.
The additional 1% sales tax extension passed 110-31, with opposition again coming from both sides of the political aisle. Senate passage came via a 53-8 vote.
The Assembly also passed legislation exempting the East Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Company from the requirement that its percentage of non-resident members not exceed 45%. The bill passed unanimously in the Assembly and 60-1 in the state Senate with Sen. James Skoufis, D-Cornwall, the only no vote.
Two bills passed the Assembly but have not passed the Senate, meaning they will begin the legislative process again next year.
A.5941 would authorize the towns of Harmony and North Harmony to elect a single town justice to preside in the towns' courts. While Assembly approval was unanimous the bill wasn't approved out of committee in the Senate.
Also passing the Assembly was legislation designating uniformed court offices in the town of Busti as peace officers. A.1715/S.1114 passed the Assembly 127-14 but did not pass the Senate. Having a peace officer designation will allow a uniformed court officer to maintain peace officer status and certification for future employment and decrease liability for the town of Busti by filling the position from a pool of peace officer-certified candidates. The bill has been introduced each year since 2019-20 before passage this year, passing the Assembly in 2019-20, passing the Senate in 2017-18 and passing the Assembly in 2021-22.