OPEN MEETINGS LAW AMENDED TO PERMIT SOME REMOTE ATTENDANCE The Open Meetings Law was recently amended to permit public bodies to use videoconferencing to conduct open meetings under “extraordinary circumstances” without there being a declared state disaster emergency in effect. Public bodies seeking to use remote attendance must adopt a local law or ordinance to…
RUSSIA, UKRAINE, AND CONVERGING FORCES – A GUIDE TO THE INCREASED PRICE OF FUEL AND OTHER GOODS Ever since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, ordinary citizens in Ukraine and abroad have felt the effects of this crisis. The United States’ economy was already in an inflationary state due to COVID…
PRESIDENTIAL CHESS: PLAYING THE LONG GAME WITH APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES TO THE SUPREME COURT Article III of the Constitution created the authority for a Supreme Court of the United States, but the composition of the Court was left to the discretion of Congress. The Judiciary Act of 1789 proclaimed that the Supreme Court would be…
THE NEW YORK STATE MASK MANDATE STAY: TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK? THAT IS NOT THE QUESTION. On January 31, 2022, a panel of Judges in the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department issued a Decision and Order on Motion, which stayed the enforcement of a Decision and Order that Nassau County Judge Thomas Rademaker…
REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATION MAKES A PERMANENT RETURN TO NEW YORK In March 2020, remote online notarization was introduced to New York as part of an array of gubernatorial Executive Orders to reduce the need for in-person meetings during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The order permitted any documents that would require a standard in-person notary to…
NEW LAW PROTECTION FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES In recognition of the essential role of public employees during this pandemic, New York State has adopted legislation requiring public employers to plan for similar emergencies in the future. The New York State Labor Law has been amended by adding a new section (27-c)…
Update: On August 21, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Manhattan and covering federal courts in New York, Connecticut and Vermont, granted a stay of the preliminary injunction discussed below, upon a motion filed on behalf of the State. This stay effectively lifts the preliminary injunction which itself lifted the 50-person limit for…
The New State Senate is considering new consumer protection legislation. The legislation amends the General Business Law by adding a new article 29-BB entitled “Prohibited Service Offer Practices”. This proposal addresses an age-old problem whereby consumers struggle with misleading offers of automatic renewals of merchandise and services. In a typical scenario, consumers believe they made…
There are many factors to contemplate when considering a divorce. Our divorce tips will help you be aware of the impact a divorce will have on you, your children, finances, taxes, insurance and property. Here are some key factors to consider before filing for divorce: Divorce Tips, No. 1: Consider your Options There are many ways to approach…
FIREWORKS IN 2020! UPDATE: Do not bring in fireworks from Pennsylvania! Late on Monday, June 29, 2020 Governor Cuomo announced that he was “directing the New York State Police to establish a temporary Fireworks Enforcement Detail to stop illegal fireworks being brought to New York from Pennsylvania. This is in response to a spike of…
