City Bar Releases 2017 State Legislative Agenda

As part of its ongoing policy work at the local, state and federal levels, the New York City Bar Association has released its 2017 New York State Legislative Agenda. This agenda represents only a portion of the dozens of positions generated by City Bar 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 committees. 

The following are the agenda items for 2017:

• Support efforts to bring meaningful and comprehensive ethics, rules and election law reform to Albany.
• Advance criminal justice reform and policies that will reduce mass incarceration.
• Support the Judiciary’s 2017-18 Budget Request, including adequate funding for civil legal services.
• Support the full funding of indigent legal services.
• Promote comprehensive reproductive health policies and age-appropriate sexual education.
• Amend the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law to re-incentivize art authenticators and restore integrity to art transactions in New York
• Reform and modernize the administration of class actions in New York’s courts by amending Article 9 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
• Enact the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act, which would modernize New York’s laws related to fraudulent conveyances.
• Provide that communications between a consumer of legal services and a legal referral service or lawyer referral service be deemed to be privileged.
• Modernize New York’s public procurement construction laws to provide public owners with a wider variety of procurement and delivery modes, as necessary and appropriate, to reduce costs, speed delivery and improve quality and safety.

The City Bar’s 2017 New York State Legislative Agenda can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/2lVpjWf

On the federal level, the City Bar has been releasing a series of memoranda to convey policy positions to the incoming Presidential administration on issues including the environment, national security, infrastructure and immigration. The City Bar’s Presidential transition memoranda can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/2jVz3gG.