2020 New York State Legislative Agenda

SUMMARY

The City Bar’s 2020 New York State Legislative Agenda is a summary of significant legislative issues that focuses on topics 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 agenda is rooted in the City Bar’s mission equip and mobilize the legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest. The City Bar’s committees generate dozens of reports over the course of each legislative session and this agenda represents only a portion of those positions.  In 2020, the City Bar marks a century and a half of advocating reform of the law in the public interest, increasing access to justice, standing up for the rule of law, and being a second home to the legal profession. 

OVERVIEW

THE JUDICIARY & THE FAIR, EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

• Reform & modernize the administration of class actions in New York’s courts
• Simplify New York State’s courts through restructuring
• Support the Judiciary’s 2020-21 Budget Request, including adequate funding for civil legal services
• Financial support for legal services for veterans seeking benefits
• Permit nonresident attorneys to practice in New York without maintaining a physical office in state
• Re-incentivize art authenticators & restore integrity to art transactions in New York

GOOD GOVERNMENT

• Bring meaningful & comprehensive ethics reform to Albany: NYS Government Integrity Commission; limit legislators’ outside employment
• Build upon reforms to further modernize New York’s voting system & Election Law: make Election Day a work holiday; felony re-enfranchisement; Election Law enforcement reform

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND EXPERIENCE

• Advance criminal justice reform & policies that will reduce mass incarceration: Second Chance Amendment; Justice Safety Valve Act; reexamine mandatory court fees
• Create a system for the production, distribution & adult non-medical use of marijuana in New York
• Enact the Child-Parent Security Act and legalize compensated gestational surrogacy in New York
• Promote comprehensive sexual health education

BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL PRACTICE AREAS

• Support long-established practices of business-to-business arbitration proceedings
• No automatic consent to jurisdiction by foreign businesses registering to do business in New York

OUTCOMES