Get Voting! – 94th Assembly District Best in Business 2021

We are proud to announce a brand-new initiative this year in honor of our extraordinary local businesses. This past year, we witnessed businesses continue to proudly serve our communities with dedication despite facing incredible challenges. This has inspired us to launch Best in Business 2021 to recognize these amazing local establishments.
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We are looking to highlight businesses that demonstrate their dedication to the people of the 94th Assembly District. These businesses would be described as having excellent customer service, curating valuable relationships within their communities, and going above and beyond for their customers. If you have a local business/businesses you feel fit this description you can use the submission form below to submit your vote to recognize and honor them within their respective categories.
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  • Voting is open exclusively to local residents in the 94th Assembly District for the towns of Carmel (including the hamlet of Mahopac/Mahopac Falls), Patterson, Putnam Valley, Yorktown, Somers and Southeast (including the village of Brewster). Each resident may only vote once per category and will be automatically entered in a drawing to receive a donated gift card from one of several local businesses. Voting will end May 31.
VOTE HERE

Easing of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently announced a significant easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings given significant progress in vaccinations and sustained reduction in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
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Written guidance is not yet available, and all updates are subject to New York State issuing official guidance.
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Effective May 19, most business capacities—which are currently based upon percentage of maximum occupancy—will be removed in New York. Businesses will only be limited by the space available for patrons or parties of patrons to maintain the required social distance of 6 feet. This new distance-based maximum capacity will apply across commercial settings, including retail, food services, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services, among other settings. It will also apply in houses of worship.
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A quick guide to the updates that impact Putnam County:
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  • Offices can increase capacity to 75% beginning 5/15.
  • The outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500 people on 5/10.
  • The indoor social gathering limit will increase from 100 to 250 people on 5/19.
  • The outdoor residential gathering limit of 25 people is removed as of 5/19.
  • The indoor residential gathering limit will increase from 10 to 50 people on 5/19.
  • Large-scale indoor event venues will operate at 30% capacity starting 5/19.
  • Hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services will expand to 75% capacity beginning 5/7.
  • The 12 AM food and beverage curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining areas beginning 5/7 and for indoor dining areas beginning 5/31.
  • The 1 AM curfew for catered events where attendees have provided proof of vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result will be lifted on 5/17, with the curfew for all catered events to be lifted 5/31.
  • Large-scale outdoor event venues, including professional and collegiate sports and live performing arts & entertainment, can increase capacity to 33% beginning 5/19.
  • Gyms and fitness centers outside of NYC can increase capacity to 50% beginning 5/15.
  •  Casinos and gaming facilities can increase capacity to 50% beginning 5/15.

$5 Billion in Child Care Funding for Working Families

New York State announced this week that the recently enacted New York State Fiscal Year 2022 Budget includes a $5 billion investment in child care through both state and federally funded initiatives. The Business Council President & CEO, Heather Briccetti, was a member on the New York State Child Care Availability Task Force that helped in securing the funding.
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Upcoming Events

Workshop on Clean Environment Amendment

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The Business Council is working with the New York Water Environment Association to offer a free presentation discussing concerns with the proposed amendment to the New York Constitution that “Each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment,” that will be on this fall’s ballot.
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Wednesday, May 12
1:00 – 2:00 PM
REGISTER

Fighting Unemployment Insurance Fraud

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As a follow-up to our recent joint committee meeting discussion on UI issues, we are hosting a session with NYS Department of Labor to take a deeper dive into what the Department is doing to address fraudulent applications and awards, and the steps that business and employees can take in response to fraudulent claims.
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Thursday, May 19
1:00 – 2:00 PM
REGISTER

Meet the Mayoral Candidates

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This year’s biggest election is for Mayor of New York City. We have arranged for half-hour meet the candidate sessions with three of the leading contenders, and we are working on sessions with other candidates as well. (Our apologies, you will have to separately register for each session you would like to participate in.)
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Eric Adams
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Tuesday, May 11
2:30 – 3:00 PM
REGISTER
Maya Wiley
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Wednesday, May 19
3:30 to 4:00 PM
REGISTER
Ray McGuire
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Tuesday, May 25
2:00 – 2:30 PM
REGISTER

Legislative Update

HERO Act

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Governor Cuomo has signed S.1034-B/A.2681-B, dubbed the “HERO Act,” with a commitment on a number of chapter amendments that are expected to be passed within the next several session days. The Business Council and other employer advocacy groups opposed this legislation as unnecessary to address workplace hazards and as an undue burden on small business. The bill has three major components. First, it directs the Department of Labor, with input from the Health Department, to issue workplace protocols to protect employees and customers from airborne pathogens that pose a significant risk to public health. Employers would have to adopt implementation plans within 30 days of their issuance. Second, it authorizes employees to sue employers for alleged violations of these protocols. Third, it requires employers to “permit” employees to create joint labor-management safety committees at each worksite with at least ten employees. We were able to secure several late concessions that will limit adverse impacts. Most significantly, the bill requires notice to employers and a 30 day “cure period” before any litigation can be commenced, and it eliminates the ability to recovery liquidated damages (which were up to $20,000 per violation in the original bill). These, and several other lesser amendments, were pushed by the Administration based on our input, and while the Senate was open to some of our proposals, the Assembly was generally non-responsive. We will be providing additional details once the chapter amendment legislation is introduced.

Executive Orders Repealed

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Among the provisions of legislation adopted this March (S.5357/A.5967, Chapter 71), the legislature is authorized to terminate COVID-related Executive Orders at any time by concurrent resolution of the Senate and Assembly. The legislature has made first use of this this authority this week, with both houses introducing and passing three resolutions.
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  • Concurrent Resolution 216 would repeal Executive Order 202.52, which requires that a food item purchased along with any purchase of an alcoholic beverage when served on premise or for certain off premise consumption purchases.
  • Concurrent Resolution 215 repeals provisions of Executive Orders 202.88 and 202.89, which impose requirements on entities administering COVID vaccines, including a provision that all vaccines received by such entities are administered within a week of their receipt, and one that mandates entities to require persons to attest that they are a member of an eligible priority group before they receive a vaccine, as well as the civil penalties related to violations of these provisions.
  • Concurrent Resolution 214 repeals provisions of Executive Orders 202.6 and 202.7, which exempts persons hired (or who serve in a voluntary capacity) in response to the COVID emergency from various requirement of the Public Officers Law