June 25, 2010 — PC Public Affairs lauds Democratic leadership in both the Assembly and Senate for continuing to support important initiatives to help University Police Officers. Two of the top legislative priorities for the University Police Officers Union are moving in both houses.
Assemblyman Lentol and Senator Valesky are poised to pass A.4940-B/S.4302 which will grant NYS University Police Officers the ability to enforce violations and infractions statewide — the same authority they currently have for misdemeanors and felonies. The bill is expected to come up for a vote this week in the Senate and is currently awaiting action in the Assembly Rules Committe. The bill has broad support from the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Council 82, New York State Troopers PBA, SUNY, Police Chiefs of the State of NY, and over thirty other state and local police departments and municipalities.
“Both Assemblyman Lentol and Senator Valesky are working hard to pass their respective bills before this year’s legislative session comes to an end,” said Andre Claridge, Partner, PC Public Affairs. “We are hopeful the Speaker will see the importance of this bill and bring it up for a vote this week.”
“The bill has been vetted for the last three sessions and with nearly forty memos in support from every type of law enforcement agency across state there is no reason why this bi-partisan bill shouldn’t be passed this session, “said Claridge.
The other top legislative item supported and passed by Democratic leadership in both houses is a professional standards bill that would allow University Police Officers the ability to transfer to other police agencies. Assemblyman Canestrari and Senator Craig Johnson sponsored the bill that will now be sent to Governor Paterson for consideration.
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