The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2587
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 19, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  EICHENSTEIN -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Cities
 
 AN ACT to enact the "save our stores act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "save our stores act".
   § 2. 1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation  to  the
 contrary,  in  a city with a population of one million or more, any fine
 or monetary civil penalty assessed against  a  not-for-profit  organiza-
 tion,  school,  place  of  worship or small business by a state or local
 agency for a violation of state or local law, rule, regulation or execu-
 tive order during the COVID-19 covered period shall be deemed  void  and
 waived  unless  such  fines  or  penalties  are assessed for a violation
 provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
   (b) No waiver of fines or penalties shall be given if a state or local
 agency determines that the violation may result in  a  natural  resource
 damage  claim  or  serious actual harm, is a violation of human or civil
 rights law, results in loss of employee wages  or  benefits,  interferes
 with any remedy, review, or resolution related to harassment or discrim-
 ination  claims,  was  or  is  a  willful violation, involves tax fraud,
 violates requirements related to federal funding to the  state,  relates
 to state funding or procurement, or is a penal law violation.
   2.  For  the  purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the
 following meanings:
   (a) "COVID-19 covered period" means the duration of the state disaster
 emergency declared on March 7, 2020 pursuant to executive  order  number
 two hundred two of two thousand twenty; and
   (b)  "Small  business"  means  any  business which is resident in this
 state, independently owned and operated, and employs one hundred or less
 individuals.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06825-01-1