January 9, 2006

FAST FOOD FACTS

Metro Government Relations Update

WHAT'S HAPPENING

· Mayor Bloomberg has not yet acted on Int. No. 758-A, amendments to the Health Care Security Act (HCSA) passed by the New York City Council December 21, 2005. (See the December 22 Fast Food Facts for details or call the Metro Office.) The mayor has until January 19, 2006 to sign or veto the bill, though it is widely expected that he will veto it.  If the bill is vetoed, the City Council could vote to override as early as its first stated meeting in February.

The original HCSA becomes effective today (January 9, 2006) except that covered employers are not required to make health care expenditures until July 1, 2006.  In the meantime, however, it is anticipated that the law will be challenged since the Bloomberg administration believes it to be unlawful.

· As was widely reported last week, Council Member Christine Quinn, sponsor of the HCSA, was elected Speaker of the City Council, replacing term-limited Gifford Miller.  New committee appointments and leadership positions will be voted at the next meeting, January 18, 2006.  Of interest to FIA members, the Consumer Affairs Committee chairmanship is open since former chair, Phil Reed, no longer serves due to term limits.  The City Council has eight new members (all Democrats): Inez Dickens (Manhattan District 9); Daniel Garodnick (Manhattan District 4); Jessica Lappin (Manhattan District 5); Darlene Mealy (Brooklyn District 41); Rosie Mendez (Manhattan District 2); James Vacca (Bronx District 13); Melissa Mark Viverito (Manhattan District 8); and Thomas White, Jr. (Queens District 28).

· As expected, Suffolk County legislators elected Bill Lindsay presiding officer as Republicans saw their numbers drop from 11 to 8 and Democrats took control of the legislature.  The new leader replaced both the clerk of the legislature and the legislative counsel and appointed new committee chairs.  However, Legislator Cameron Alden, a Republican, retained the chairmanship of the Consumer Protection Committee. Seven of the 18 county legislators are new: Ed Romaine (R-1^st District); Kate Browning (Working Families Party-3^rd District); Jack Eddington (Working Families Party-7^th District); Thomas Barraga (R-11^th District); Wayne Horsley (D-14^th District); Steve Stern (D-16^th District); and Louis D’Amaro (D-17^th District).

· All of the excitement last week centered on usually predictable Nassau County where a power struggle developed over selecting the presiding officer that wound up in court.  As the nine Republican county legislators prepared to support Democrat Roger Corbin in his bid to unseat Judy Jacobs, the current presiding officer and fellow Democrat, Jacobs changed her party affiliation from Democrat to independent – a move designed to prevent the Republicans from retaining the minority leader position.  Jacobs won a last minute stay and a hearing to determine the legality of her action is scheduled for Thursday (1/12).

· Legislation long championed by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs was introduced in the state Assembly last week by Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin (D-Queens).  The bill, companion to legislation introduced last session in the Senate by Frank Padavan, would give the department authority to hold administrative hearings for the adjudication of violations of all laws within the department’s jurisdiction as well as to docket judgments in civil court. The department has thus far pursued such legislation unsuccessfully, in the City and Albany, as well as a failed attempt two years ago at charter revision.  Nevertheless, FIA will watch the bill, A.9274, closely.  On a related topic, at this writing no one has been named to fill the vacancy as commissioner at DCA, leaving Jonathan Mintz to continue as acting commissioner.