Aims To Increase Public Protection
Eleven bills co-sponsored by State Sen. Tony Avella have passed the State Senate in the last month, it was announced.
This legislative series would address a number of issues within New York State, including protections for veterans, protection for crime victins and an increase in overall public safety.
Working in a bi-partisan fashion, Avella co-sponsored the following bills designed to increase protections for veterans:
– S.280-A, which allows qualified veterans to add veterans’ credits to civil service competitive examination scores at any point prior to the expiration of the eligible list;
– S.283, which creates a new crime for the desecration of a veteran’s cemetery plot, grave or burial place; and
– S.284, which prohibits the unauthorized sale of veteran commemorative cemetery markers, flag holders, monuments, statues, or other physical memorabilia that are over 75 years old, if such property is currently placed or located within a cemetery.
Avella also co-sponsored a series of bills designed to protect victims of crimes and increase overall public safety by strengthening a number of criminal laws and court procedural laws:
– S.988-A amends the Penal Law to provide that the sale of controlled substances to minors under the age of 14 may be prosecuted as a more serious offense.
– S.1058 establishes that individuals who obstruct a firefighter from performing emergency medical care shall be guilty of obstructing a fire fighting operation, a class A misdemeanor.
– S.1513, introduced at the request of the judiciary, amends the criminal procedure law to permit the court to issue an order precluding the disclosure of jurors’ names and addresses, in limited instances.
– S.1695-A authorizes the courts to suspend a driver’s license where the holder fails to appear before the court, pay a fine, complete an alcohol awareness program, or complete community service within the period of time established by the court.
– S.2205 permits the use of closed circuit television for the testimony of victims of alleged domestic violence.
– S.2322 expands the list of predicate crimes for the charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in the second degree.
– S.2941 establishes the Class B felony of criminal sale of a controlled substance by a practitioner or pharmacist.
Finally, Avella also co-sponsored legislation (S.2332) that would establish a voluntary program to assist and facilitate the ability of school districts and institutions of higher learning to donate excess unused food from their school meal programs to voluntary food assistance programs for the poor and disadvantaged.
