S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2010
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by Sens. RANZENHOFER, ZELDIN -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to interest and
collection fees assessed on debts owed by the state to municipalities
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section
16-a to read as follows:
S 16-A. INTEREST AND COLLECTION FEES ASSESSED ON DEBTS OWED BY THE
STATE TO MUNICIPALITIES. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION: (A) "STATE" SHALL
MEAN ANY STATE DEPARTMENT, BOARD, BUREAU, DIVISION, COMMISSION, COMMIT-
TEE, PUBLIC AUTHORITY, PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, COUNCIL, OFFICE, OR
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY PERFORMING A GOVERNMENTAL OR PROPRIETARY FUNC-
TION FOR THE STATE; (B) "MUNICIPALITY" SHALL MEAN A COUNTY, TOWN,
VILLAGE OR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ANY DEPARTMENT, BOARD, BUREAU, DIVISION,
COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, COUNCIL, OFFICE OR
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY PERFORMING A GOVERNMENTAL OR PROPRIETARY FUNC-
TION FOR SUCH COUNTY, TOWN, VILLAGE OR SCHOOL DISTRICT; (C) "DEBT" SHALL
MEAN ANY LIQUIDATED SUM DUE AND OWING ANY MUNICIPALITY BY THE STATE
WHICH HAS ACCRUED PURSUANT TO LAW OR THROUGH CONTRACT SUBROGATION, TORT
OR OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING
JUDGMENT FOR THAT SUM; (D) "LIQUIDATED" SHALL MEAN AN AMOUNT WHICH IS
FIXED OR CERTAIN OR CAPABLE OF BEING READILY CALCULATED, WHETHER OR NOT
THE UNDERLYING LIABILITY OR AMOUNT OF THE DEBT IS DISPUTED; AND (E)
"OUTSTANDING DEBT" SHALL MEAN THE AMOUNT SET FORTH IN THE BILLING
INVOICE OR NOTICE MAILED TO THE STATE, TOGETHER WITH LATE PAYMENT CHARG-
ES AND INTEREST, LESS ANY PAYMENTS MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE DEBTOR.
2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A MUNICIPALITY SHALL MAIL, OR
OTHERWISE NOTIFY AS MAY BE PERMITTED OR REQUIRED BY CONTRACT BETWEEN THE
MUNICIPALITY AND THE STATE, A DATED BILLING INVOICE OR NOTICE TO THE
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05247-01-3
S. 2010 2
STATE ON OR ABOUT THE DAY IT IS DATED, AND RECEIPT BY THE DEBTOR OF A
BILLING INVOICE OR NOTICE IS DEEMED TO HAVE OCCURRED FIVE DAYS AFTER ITS
DATE.
3. THE STATE SHALL PAY SUCH DEBT ON OR BEFORE THE THIRTIETH DAY
FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF ANY BILLING INVOICE OR NOTICE SENT BY THE MUNICI-
PALITY THAT SUCH DEBT IS DUE AND OWING.
4. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION ELEVEN OF THIS SECTION, IF THE
STATE FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENT OF A DEBT TO A MUNICIPALITY WITHIN THE PERI-
OD SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION IT SHALL PAY, IN ADDI-
TION TO THE AMOUNT OF DEBT, INTEREST ON THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF THE
DEBT, ACCRUING ON THE DATE ON WHICH THE RECEIPT OF THE FIRST BILLING
INVOICE OR FIRST NOTICE OCCURS, COMPUTED AT THE UNDERPAYMENT RATE WHICH
IS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE WHICH THE RECEIPT OF THE FIRST BILLING INVOICE
OR FIRST BILLING NOTICE OCCURS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE UNDER-
PAYMENT RATE SHALL BE THAT RATE SET BY THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND
FINANCE AND PUBLISHED IN THE STATE REGISTER PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (E)
OF SECTION ONE THOUSAND NINETY-SIX OF THE TAX LAW MINUS FOUR PERCENTAGE
POINTS.
5. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION ELEVEN OF THIS SECTION, IN ADDI-
TION TO THE CHARGES REFERRED TO IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, IF
THE STATE FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENT OF A DEBT SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION WITHIN
NINETY DAYS OF RECEIPT BY THE STATE OF THE FIRST BILLING INVOICE OR
NOTICE, THE STATE MAY BE ASSESSED AN ADDITIONAL COLLECTION FEE CHARGE TO
COVER THE COST OF PROCESSING, HANDLING AND COLLECTING SUCH DEBT, NOT TO
EXCEED TWENTY-TWO PERCENT OF THE OUTSTANDING DEBT, WHICH COLLECTION FEE
SHALL BE ADDED TO AND PAYABLE IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE OUTSTANDING
DEBT. THE ASSESSED COLLECTION FEE CHARGE MAY NOT EXCEED THE AGENCY'S
ESTIMATED COST OF PROCESSING, HANDLING AND COLLECTING SUCH DEBT.
6. (A) ANY INTEREST OR LATE PAYMENT CHARGES ASSESSED PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION SHALL BE PAID UPON NOTICE AND DEMAND AND SHALL BE TREATED AND
COLLECTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL DEBT WHICH IS DUE AND
OWING.
(B) IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT BY OR ON BEHALF OF A MUNICIPALITY TO RECOVER
AN OUTSTANDING DEBT, A DEMAND FOR COLLECTION FEE CHARGES MAY BE SET
FORTH IN THE STATEMENT OF DAMAGES SOUGHT.
7. THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET SHALL PROMULGATE SUCH GUIDELINES AS THE
DIRECTOR DEEMS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
8. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT SUPERSEDE ANY PROVISION OF
LAW OR REGULATION OR CONTRACT WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE IMPOSITION OF
INTEREST OR LATE PAYMENT OR COLLECTION FEE CHARGES ON DEBTS NOT SATIS-
FIED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
9. ANY CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO OR ANY REGULATION PROMULGATED ON OR
AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION WHICH PURPORTS TO WAIVE THE
IMPOSITION OF INTEREST OR LATE PAYMENT OR COLLECTION FEE CHARGES OR
IMPOSES INTEREST OR LATE PAYMENT CHARGES OR COLLECTION FEE CHARGES IN A
MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH THIS SECTION SHALL BE VOID.
10. EVERY MUNICIPALITY TO WHICH THIS SECTION IS APPLICABLE IS AUTHOR-
IZED TO ENTER INTO WRITTEN AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE UNDER WHICH THE
STATE IS ALLOWED TO SATISFY LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT OF ANY DEBT, INCLUDING
ANY INTEREST IMPOSED BY THIS SECTION ON THAT PORTION OF SUCH DEBT AS TO
WHICH AN EXTENSION IS GRANTED, IN INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS IF THE MUNICI-
PALITY DETERMINES THAT SUCH AGREEMENT WILL FACILITATE COLLECTION OF SUCH
LIABILITY.
11. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TIME OF BILLING SHALL BE TOLLED:
(A) IF THE STATE SHALL NOTIFY THE MUNICIPALITY IN WRITING WITHIN THIRTY
DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THE BILLING THAT SUCH BILLING REQUIRES SUBMISSION OF
S. 2010 3
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR THE STATE OTHERWISE HAS OBJECTION TO THE FORM
OR CONTENT OF SUCH BILLING REQUIRING CLARIFICATION, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS
THE MUNICIPALITY SHALL RESPOND TO SUCH REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMA-
TION OR MODIFICATION; (B) IF THE FUNDS FOR PAYMENT BY THE STATE ARE
BEING PROVIDED BY ANOTHER ENTITY, UNTIL SUCH FUNDS ARE RECEIVED BY THE
STATE FROM SUCH ENTITY; OR (C) IF THE EXPENDITURE FOR SUCH BILLING BY
THE STATE HAS NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY THE STATE, UNTIL SUCH
EXPENDITURE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.