Senate Bill S1136

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1136

SPONSOR: TEDISCO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring the
forfeiture by state officers or local officers of STAR exemption eligi-
bility upon conviction of a felony related to public employment

 
PURPOSE:

Provides that certain state and local officers convicted of a felony
involving breach of public trust be ineligible for a School tax relief
(STAR) exemption.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 74-h to read
as follows:

§ 74-b.Felony convictions of public officers. Any state officer or local
officer, as defined in section two of this chapter, who is convicted in
              

any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction of a felony related
to the performance of his or her duties in public office or to abuse of
his or her office, shall, in addition to any other penalty be subject to
permanent forfeiture of his or her eligibility for a School tax relief
(STAR) exemption as provided in section four hundred twenty-five of the=
real property tax law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With the overwhelming support of Proposal 2 on the November 2017
election ballot, which allowed judges, following a court hearing, to
reduce or revoke the public pension of a public officer convicted of a
felony related to his or her official duties, the citizens of New York
State sent a clear and strong message.

Property tax relief under the STAR program should by no means be
extended to those who have violated their oath of office, stole tax
dollars and betrayed the public trust.

This bill would remove STAR exemption eligibility for those convicted of
such acts.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

01/26/18: S.7580 02/15/18: S.7580 REFERRED TO FINANCE

02/15/18: S.7580 01/18/19: S.2008 AMEND (I) AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE

02/15/18: PRINT NUMBER 7580A

01/18/19:S.2008 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

01/08/20:S.2008 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

01/08/21:S.1258 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

01/05/22:S.1258 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE
01/05/23:S.672 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

01/03/24:S.672 REFERRED TO ETHICS AND INTERNAL GOVERNANCE

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Savings to the State to the extent that the State will not have to
disburse STAR rebate checks to certain convicted felons.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to convictions
occurring on or after such effective date.