Budget & Taxes

This bill grants Cortland County the exclusive authority to collect an additional one percent sales tax without it being overridden by state preemption laws. The legislation amends the state tax code to ensure this specific local tax rate is calculated separately from the maximum allowable tax rate set by the state. By explicitly stating that the tax is not subject to preemption, the measure protects Cortland's ability to raise revenue independently from other local governments. This change directly affects businesses and consumers in Cortland County by allowing the county to maintain its own tax rate even if the state adjusts broader tax policies.

This bill allows low-income housing tax credits to be transferred multiple times between different owners or entities, rather than being limited to a single transfer. It directly affects taxpayers who own interests in low-income housing buildings and the entities that receive these tax credits. The key provision permits a transferee to pass the credit on to another person or entity, provided the transfer is properly documented and does not affect the project's eligibility for program benefits. The changes apply to tax credits allocated under the public housing law, regardless of whether the projects are under construction, completed, or in pre-development stages.

This bill expands the definition of "period of war" for a veterans' property tax exemption to include recent military service. It adds specific conflicts: the Global War on Terrorism (starting September 11, 2001), and U.S. military operations in Somalia (1992-1994), Bosnia (1995-2004), and Kosovo (1999-1999) to the existing list. Veterans who served during these newly defined periods will now qualify for the tax exemption. The change directly affects veterans whose service falls within these added conflict dates. The bill amends existing law to clarify which military service periods count for the exemption.

This bill amends a 2001 law to clarify how the Ridge Volunteer Exempt Firefighter's Benevolent Association collects and uses specific taxes. It requires the association to collect foreign fire insurance premium taxes (on property in its fire district) under Insurance Law §9104 and §9105, and mandates these funds be used solely for the care and relief of disabled or indigent volunteer firefighters and their families. The association gains authority to collect these taxes as a fire department treasurer would, with funds restricted to the association's charitable purposes. The changes apply to taxes due on or after January 1, 2026.

Provides that for taxable years beginning on and after January first, two thousand twenty-six, a resident taxpayer who serves as an active volunteer firefighter or as a volunteer ambulance worker shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed equal to eight hundred dollars; provides for a real property tax exemption under certain circumstances to an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service residing in such city, village, town, school district, special district, fire district or county.

This bill increases civil penalties for employers violating New York's child labor laws. Penalties rise to up to $3,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for third or subsequent violations. Crucially, if a minor is seriously injured (defined as permanent disability) or dies due to a violation, penalties triple to up to $30,000. The law directly affects employers who break child labor rules, with penalties paid to the state treasury.

This bill extends the Economic Transformation and Facility Redevelopment Program until December 31, 2031, allowing correctional facilities selected for closure between 2011 and 2031 to continue receiving tax credits. The program provides financial incentives to help these facilities transition or redevelop after they are no longer needed for housing inmates. By updating the expiration date, the legislation ensures that eligible correctional facilities can access these tax benefits for a longer period than previously allowed.

This bill expands real property tax exemptions to veterans who served in designated combat zones or theaters of operation. To qualify, veterans must provide proof of their service through specific military documents, such as discharge papers, campaign medals, or records showing they received hostile fire pay. If eligible, the bill allows these veterans to reduce their property taxes by up to ten percent of their home's assessed value, with a maximum benefit capped at eight thousand dollars. The law takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to qualifying residential properties.

Authorizes the county of Nassau assessor to accept an application for a retroactive real property tax exemption from the Incorporated Village of Hempstead Community Development Agency for the 2020--2021 school taxes and the 2021 general taxes for the property at 40 Byrd Street.

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state education, labor, housing and family assistance budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; relates to contracts for excellence, foundation aid, the homeless and foster count, renewable energy projects, zero-emissions school buses and to apportioning aid for universal prekindergarten; relates to reimbursement for the 2026-2027 school year and the maximum contract hours, withholding a portion of employment preparation education aid, and the effectiveness thereof; relates to the use of apportionments for the EXCEL program and the effectiveness thereof; relates to maximum class sizes for special classes for certain students with disabilities; provides for special apportionment for salary expenses; provides for special apportionment for public pension accruals; amends provisions relating to the apportionment amount for the Roosevelt union free school district; provides for set-asides from the state funds which certain districts are receiving from the total foundation aid; provides for support of public libraries; repeals certain provisions relating to the statewide universal full-day prekindergarten program (Part A); relates to evidence-based instructional practices in the subject of mathematics for students in kindergarten through grade five (Part B); relates to the eligibility of students enrolled in an approved program leading to a degree in a high demand field for the New York opportunity promise scholarship (Part C); allows for the chancellor of SUNY and CUNY to impose differential tuition rates on non-resident undergraduate and graduate students until the 2028-2029 academic year (Part E); relates to early childhood educator eligibility for the masters-in-education teacher incentive scholarship program (Part F); changes the name of the "New York state musical instrument revolving fund" to the "New York state music grant fund"; includes musical education in school districts and boards of cooperative educational services within not-for-profit musical entities incorporated in the state and organized for the purpose of the presentation of performing arts for the benefit of the public (Part G); extends provisions of law relating to restructuring financing for residential school placements (Part K); increases the standards of monthly need for aged, blind and disabled persons living in the community (Part L); utilizes reserves in the mortgage insurance fund for the neighborhood preservation program, the rural preservation program, the rural rental assistance program, and the New York state supportive housing program, the solutions to end homelessness program or the operational support for AIDS housing program (Part M); increases the number of land banks which can simultaneously exist in the state of New York from 35 to 45 (Part N); authorizes a tax abatement for alterations and improvements to multiple dwellings for purposes of preserving habitability in affordable housing (Part O); relates to establishing the crime of aggravated harassment of a rent regulated tenant (Part P); renumbers the disparate impact standard for housing and employment in the human rights law (Part Q); defines eligible multiple dwelling under the affordable New York housing program; includes a multiple dwelling that is located on a parcel of land which was part of a tract of land for which a special permit for a large scale general development was approved via the uniform land use review procedure on or before June 15, 2022, and such tract contains a multiple dwelling for which the commencement date is after December 31, 2015 and on or before June 15, 2022 and complies with certain affordability options (Part R).