Senate passes Senator Murphy's measure to strengthen economy by reducing state's regulatory burdens on businesses

Albany, NY - New Yorkers pride themselves on ranking first and being the litmus test for the rest of the country. One record we would like to eradicate was bestowed upon the State by the Tax Foundation, which in 2017 ranked New York 49th among the 50 states for the fourth year in a row because of high taxes on personal income, property, and purchases. To snap the streak and put New York back on the path to prosperity, Senator Terrence Murphy sponsored S3751A, legislation that would make improvements to the process for evaluating the potential impact of proposed rules on jobs and employment opportunities.
 
Murphy's measure is part of a pair of bills designed to help improve New York's business climate by removing some of the regulatory hurdles that hurt businesses and slow the state's economy. The current process, while useful, does not provide sufficient information on the quality of jobs that could be gained or lost by pursuing various policy choices, and does not guarantee that the most appropriate data and methodologies are used. The Senate passed Senator Murphy's bill on February 27 by a 60-1 vote.
 
"It is no secret that New York's economy continues to sputter. We continue to be near the bottom in the nation when it comes to having a business-friendly tax climate," said Senator Murphy. "New Yorkers need real reforms that will nurture, not suppress, job growth. We can start by making sure Albany bureaucrats understand the impact their red tape will have on local jobs."
 
A second bill (S244), sponsored by Senator Rob Ortt, addresses concerns about giving insufficient time to businesses or other regulated entities required to comply with a new state rule. The lack of an additional public hearing or implementation period prior to the initiation of new rule changes can lead to significant hardships in efficiently and effectively operating, providing services, or conducting business. There are also concerns that without an implementation period prior to the effective date of a new regulation, public comments made later in the comment period are less likely to be taken into account due to time constraints. This bill adds a 90-day implementation period to alleviate this situation and increase the efficient and effective implementation of new rules. The bill passed through the Senate unanimously, 61-0.
 
Senator Ortt said, "New York State was once a shining example of economic prosperity and the fostering of a positive business climate. Unfortunately, our state became known more for driving away its successful corporations than growing them, and unfortunately, our rank of 49th in business friendliness illustrates the climate that currently exists. This legislative package will help eliminate burdensome 'red tape' and more policies like these will be integral in restoring entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation in our state. This was a good first step and we must continue to focus on the significant reforms to address and change New York's business climate."
 
The measures are among several legislative initiatives being spearheaded with the Senate Majority Conference's Opportunity Agenda - a multipronged plan to save small businesses more than $1.1 billion in taxes, cut red tape, reduce regulatory burdens, invest in workforce development, and strengthen New York's existing economic development programs.
 
In recent years, the Senate has passed numerous bills - including several that have become law - to help reform the decision-making processes and practices that are putting New York's businesses at a competitive disadvantage. The Senate has taken the lead in cutting bureaucratic red tape, including holding a series of hearings in 2013 to identify the rules, regulations, and mandates that are the most cumbersome and costly. From 2006 to 2015, approximately 2,750 new rules were proposed by state agencies - an average of 275 each year - and these add to the more than 140,000 pages of state regulations currently in place.
 
Both bills have been sent to the Assembly.