S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8387
I N S E N A T E
May 21, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Home-
land Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the length of time of
a state disaster emergency declaration, requiring the governor to
transmit a weekly report to the legislature during a state disaster
emergency, and the communication between the governor and parties
affected by a suspension of laws during a state disaster emergency
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 28 of the executive law, as added
by chapter 640 of the laws of 1978 and as renumbered by chapter 708 of
the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
3. The executive order shall include a description of the disaster,
and the affected area. Such order or orders shall remain in effect for a
period not to exceed [six months] THIRTY DAYS or until rescinded by the
governor, whichever occurs first, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION
THREE OF SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT-B OF THIS ARTICLE. The governor [may
issue] SHALL REQUEST additional orders to extend the state disaster
emergency for additional periods not to exceed [six months] THIRTY DAYS.
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 28-b to read
as follows:
§ 28-B. TERM OF STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY DECLARATION. 1. THE PERIOD
FOR WHICH A DECLARATION OF A STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY, AS DEFINED IN
PARAGRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION TWENTY OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL
BE FOR NO MORE THAN THIRTY CALENDAR DAYS, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION. AFTER THE THIRTY DAY PERIOD, IF THE
GOVERNOR SHALL DEEM IT NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THE DECLARATION, HE OR SHE
SHALL SEEK THE APPROVAL OF THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY TO CONTINUE SUCH
DECLARATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL THIRTY DAYS. THE GOVERNOR MAY SEEK THE
APPROVAL OF THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY AS MANY TIMES AS IS NECESSARY TO
ADDRESS A STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY AND TO CONTINUE SUCH A DECLARATION.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16207-04-0
S. 8387 2
2. THE GOVERNOR SHALL NOT ISSUE A STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY DECLARATION
FOR MORE THAN THIRTY DAYS, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION THREE
OF THIS SECTION.
3. IN THE EVENT THAT THE GOVERNOR REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF THE SENATE
AND THE ASSEMBLY TO CONTINUE A DECLARATION OF A STATE DISASTER EMERGEN-
CY PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, AND THE LEGISLATURE IS
NOT IN SESSION, THEN THE GOVERNOR SHALL CALL UPON THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
DENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE A SPECIAL
SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE
GOVERNOR TO EXTEND THE DISASTER DECLARATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL THIRTY
DAYS. IN THE EVENT THAT THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE
SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY INFORM THE GOVERNOR THAT A QUORUM OF BOTH THE
SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY CANNOT BE MET, OR IN THE EVENT THAT THE TEMPO-
RARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND/OR THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, DUE TO
DEATH OR DISABILITY, ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO SUCH REQUEST FROM THE
GOVERNOR, THEN THE GOVERNOR SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CONTINUE THE
DECLARATION UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY CAN CONVENE.
§ 3. Subdivision 2 of section 29-a of the executive law, as amended by
chapter 23 of the laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows:
2. Suspensions pursuant to subdivision one of this section shall be
subject to the following standards and limits, which shall apply to any
directive where specifically indicated:
a. no suspension or directive shall be made for a period in excess of
thirty days, provided, however, that upon reconsideration of all of the
relevant facts and circumstances, BY AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SENATE
AND THE ASSEMBLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISIONS ONE
AND THREE OF SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT-B OF THIS ARTICLE, the governor may
extend the suspension for additional periods not to exceed thirty days
each;
b. no suspension or directive shall be made which is not in the inter-
est of the health or welfare of the public and which is not reasonably
necessary to aid the disaster effort;
c. any such suspension order shall specify the statute, local law,
ordinance, order, rule or regulation or part thereof to be suspended and
the terms and conditions of the suspension;
d. the order may provide for such suspension only under particular
circumstances, and may provide for the alteration or modification of the
requirements of such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule or regu-
lation suspended, and may include other terms and conditions;
e. any such suspension order or directive shall provide for the mini-
mum deviation from the requirements of the statute, local law, ordi-
nance, order, rule or regulation suspended consistent with the goals of
the disaster action deemed necessary; [and]
f. when practicable, specialists shall be assigned to assist with the
related emergency actions to avoid needless adverse effects resulting
from such suspension[.]; AND
G. THE ORDER MAY ONLY BE ISSUED AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAS SOLICITED INPUT
FROM AND COMMUNICATED SUCH ACTION TO THE PARTIES TO BE AFFECTED BY SUCH
SUSPENSION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INDIVIDUALS,
BUSINESSES, ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHERS WHO ARE GOVERNED BY THE SUSPENDED
LAW.
§ 4. Subdivision 2 of section 29-a of the executive law, as amended by
chapter 640 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:
2. Suspensions pursuant to subdivision one of this section shall be
subject to the following standards and limits:
S. 8387 3
a. no suspension shall be made for a period in excess of thirty days,
provided, however, that upon reconsideration of all of the relevant
facts and circumstances, the governor may extend the suspension for
additional periods not to exceed thirty days each IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISIONS ONE AND THREE OF SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT-B OF
THIS ARTICLE;
b. no suspension shall be made which does not safeguard the health and
welfare of the public and which is not reasonably necessary to the
disaster effort;
c. any such suspension order shall specify the statute, local law,
ordinance, order, rule or regulation or part thereof to be suspended and
the terms and conditions of the suspension;
d. the order may provide for such suspension only under particular
circumstances, and may provide for the alteration or modification of the
requirements of such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule or regu-
lation suspended, and may include other terms and conditions;
e. any such suspension order shall provide for the minimum deviation
from the requirements of the statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule
or regulation suspended consistent with the disaster action deemed
necessary; [and]
f. when practicable, specialists shall be assigned to assist with the
related emergency actions to avoid needless adverse effects resulting
from such suspension[.]; AND
G. THE ORDER MAY ONLY BE ISSUED AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAS SOLICITED INPUT
FROM AND COMMUNICATED SUCH ACTION TO THE PARTIES TO BE AFFECTED BY SUCH
SUSPENSION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INDIVIDUALS,
BUSINESSES, ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHERS WHO ARE GOVERNED BY THE SUSPENDED
LAW.
§ 5. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 29-l to read
as follows:
§ 29-L. WEEKLY REPORT OF GOVERNOR TO THE LEGISLATURE. THE GOVERNOR
SHALL TRANSMIT A WEEKLY REPORT ON ALL SUSPENSION OF LAWS, ALL EXECUTIVE
ACTIONS, ALL EXECUTIVE DECISIONS, AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS OF THE GOVER-
NOR, HIS AGENCIES AND AFFECTED PARTIES IN RELATION TO THE STATE DISASTER
EMERGENCY DECLARATION, ON A WEEKLY BASIS. SUCH REPORT, INCLUDING ALL
INFORMATION INCLUDED IN SUCH REPORT, SHALL BE TRANSMITTED BOTH ELECTRON-
ICALLY AND BY MAIL OR COURIER TO EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE SENATE
AND ASSEMBLY WEEKLY.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
the amendments to subdivision 2 of section 29-a of the executive law
made by section three of this act shall be subject to the expiration and
reversion of such section pursuant to section 4 of chapter 23 of the
laws of 2020, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of section
four of this act shall take effect.