ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PERMITTING LAW: LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACTS Introduction to New York’s Environmental Justice Permitting Law On December 31, 2022, Governor Hochul signed New York’s Environmental Justice Permitting Bill (S8830) into law, which will go into effect in June 2023. This law updates New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”), which requires…
Selective Assessment Recap by Kara J. Cavallo, Esq. I very much enjoyed presenting “Constitutional Issues Impacting Real Property Taxation and Assessment” at this year’s New York State Assessors Association Fall Conference. I love real property taxation and assessment and I find myself thinking about the captivating issues presented in this field all the time. You…
KINGSTON’S NEW ZONING PLAN ADDRESSES HOUSING ISSUES Despite widely held consensus that the Hudson Valley is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis, there is little in the way of public agreement on the best way to go about addressing it. As a result, a patchwork of legislative solutions have hit the books in municipalities across the…
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…
SEEDING OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE: NYS CANNABIS UPDATE On March 10, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the first-in-the-nation Seeding Opportunity Initiative, which will position individuals with prior cannabis-related criminal offenses to make the first adult-use cannabis sales of New York-grown products. This farm-to-store initiative makes sales in New York possible before the end of 2022. This initiative…
GOVERNOR HOCHUL SIGNS CONDITIONAL ADULT-USE CANNABIS CULTIVATION BILL Continuing the New York State Office of Cannabis Management’s momentum, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation creating a new type of adult-use cannabis license, the “Conditional Adult-Use Cannabis Cultivation” license. This license establishes a “fast-track” path for existing NYS hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to…
ANOTHER BUZZKILL: THE ENERGY IMPACT OF MARIJUANA LEGISLATION IN NYS Even as Governor Hochul pushes to restart the stalled marijuana legalization momentum in New York State, there’s yet another roadblock to tackle: the growing concern over the environmental impacts of the budding cannabis industry. Tied primarily to indoor facilities, grow lights, fans, and irrigation systems…
Will the Municipal Opt-Out Kill the MRTA’s Buzz? On March 31, 2021, New York State became the 17th state to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana through the enactment of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”). Many are taking a budding interest in legalization and are looking to enter the market, whether merely as a consumer…
NEW LAW PERMITS AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OF SENIOR CITIZEN AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITES AND LIMITED INCOME REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS In another response to the Covid crisis, New York State has enacted a law which allows local tax jurisdictions to automatically renew certain real property tax exemptions for 2021. The applicable exemptions are the Real Property…
MICHELE L. BABCOCK, ESQ. RECOGNIZED BY HUDSON VALLEY MAGAZINE AS WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2020 HONOREE WALDEN, NY – The law firm of J&G, LLP (J&G) is pleased to announce and congratulate Michele L. Babcock, Managing Partner, for being selected as a 2020 Women in Business honoree by Hudson Valley Magazine. Michele is one of…
