New York City Bar Association Releases 2014 State Legislative Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kathryn Inman
(212) 382-6656

New York City Bar Association Releases 2014 State Legislative Agenda

New York, February 19, 2014 – The New York City Bar Association has released its 2014 State Legislative Agenda. This agenda represents only a portion of the dozens of positions generated by our committees over the course of each legislative session. It focuses on issues that are relevant to the current legislative debate or of particular importance to the City Bar, as well as legislative proposals drafted by our committees.

The following are the agenda items for 2014:

• Support legislation to bring public campaign financing to New York and institute stronger ethics, disclosure and transparency laws.
• Support legislation to establish the fourth Tuesday in June as New York’s Primary Day for both federal and state offices and party positions.
• Support legislation to allow properly certified patients to gain easy access to medical marijuana that meets standards for growth and sale under the law.
• Support the Women’s Equality Act.
• Support the proposed 2014-2015 Judiciary Budget request and efforts to increase the number of Family Court judges.
• Support access to justice initiatives, including proposals to consolidate the state’s major trial courts and requiring commission-based judicial appointments.
• Support the Gender Expression Nondiscrimination Act so that gender identity and gender expression are included as protected classes under the New York Human Rights Law.
• Support efforts to require the New York State Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders to consult a validated risk instrument when it makes a recommendation to the court regarding the appropriate risk level of a sex offender. 
• Continue to speak out against legislation that would lessen consumer protections vis-à-vis questionable debt collectors, payday lenders and so-called budget planners.
• Support legislation to protect the inheritance rights of posthumously conceived children.
• Advance City Bar-drafted bill to clarify and expand the category of claimants under the Unjust Conviction and Imprisonment Act so that individuals are not unreasonably or arbitrarily barred from bringing claims.
• Advance City Bar-drafted Home Mortgage Bridge Loan Act to create a statewide program to provide mortgage bridge loans to low- and middle-income homeowners.
• Advance City Bar-drafted bill to amend the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law to better protect art authenticators against frivolous lawsuits.

The 2014 Legislative Agenda can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/1oRV3Wp

About the Association
The New York City Bar Association, since its founding in 1870, has been dedicated to maintaining the high ethical standards of the legal profession, promoting reform of the law and access to justice, and providing service to the profession and the public. The Association, through its 24,000 members, continues to work for political, legal and social reform while implementing innovative means to help the disadvantaged. Protecting the public’s welfare remains one of the Association’s highest priorities. www.nycbar.org