 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          2115
 
                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    January 18, 2023
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen.  FELDER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities 1
 
        AN ACT to enact the "save our stores act"
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.   Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
     2  the "save our stores act".
     3    § 2. 1. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation  to  the
     4  contrary,  in  a city with a population of one million or more, any fine
     5  or monetary civil penalty assessed against  a  not-for-profit  organiza-
     6  tion,  school,  place  of  worship or small business by a state or local
     7  agency for a violation of state or local law, rule, regulation or execu-
     8  tive order during the COVID-19 covered period shall be deemed  void  and
     9  waived  unless  such  fines  or  penalties  are assessed for a violation
    10  provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
    11    (b) No waiver of fines or penalties shall be given if a state or local
    12  agency determines that the violation may result in  a  natural  resource
    13  damage  claim  or  serious actual harm, is a violation of human or civil
    14  rights law, results in loss of employee wages  or  benefits,  interferes
    15  with any remedy, review, or resolution related to harassment or discrim-
    16  ination  claims,  was  or  is  a  willful violation, involves tax fraud,
    17  violates requirements related to federal funding to the  state,  relates
    18  to state funding or procurement, or is a penal law violation.
    19    2.  For  the  purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the
    20  following meanings:
    21    (a) "COVID-19 covered period" means the duration of the state disaster
    22  emergency declared on March 7, 2020 pursuant to executive  order  number
    23  two hundred two of two thousand twenty; and
    24    (b)  "Small  business"  means  any  business which is resident in this
    25  state, independently owned and operated, and employs one hundred or less
    26  individuals.
    27    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00133-01-3
Enacts the "save our stores act"

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