Public Employee Press

Political Action 2012
Cuomo signs assault law, vetoes civil service bill

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law the union-backed bill to protect social service and juvenile detention workers from violence by increasing the criminal penalties for assaulting them.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Peter Rivera, the bill raises this crime to assault in the second degree, a class D felony.

In mid-August, Cuomo vetoed another bill the union supported, which would have given civil service employees who have been promoted the right to revert back to their underlying noncompetitive or labor class title in case of layoffs. The bill was introduced by Assembly member Peter Abbate.

The two bills the governor acted on were among four pieces of legislation backed by the union that the state Senate and Assembly both passed earlier this year. Both of the union-supported bills had moved to Gov. Cuomo's desk by mid-August.

Two vital bills passed by the Legislature that had not reached the governor's desk when PEP went to press involved employees of the defunct New York City Off-Track Betting Corp.

OTB legislation

The NYCOTB Retiree Health Insurance bill provides for the state to fund the health care benefits of OTB retirees, including health insurance and supplemental prescription drug, optical and dental benefits.

The bill was sponsored by New York State Assembly members Andrew J. Lanza and Peter Abbate.

The fourth piece of legislation, the NYCOTB Catskill Inclusion bill, would let the Catskill region OTB expand into New York City and rehire former Local 2021 members.

The legislation was sponsored by Assembly members Gary Pretlow and Andrew J. Lanza.

DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams credited the Senate and Assembly leaders and aggressive grassroots lobbying in Albany by DC 37 activists, local leaders and staff with playing important roles in passing the union-backed bills.