New York Gov. David Paterson signed 60 bills into law on Sept. 17, including new reporting requirements for hospitals and the creation of a state energy planning board.
He also vetoed 18 bills that would have cost the state $28 million over the next two years.
Among the bills Paterson signed is one creating a permanent state energy board that will assess the state’s needs in the areas of power generation, distribution and transmission. The 11-member board will have the power to write regulations governing the energy industry, issue subpoenas and recommend policies to Paterson and state legislators.
The board also will write a statewide energy plan by the end of 2012. It supersedes an existing board Paterson established a year ago.
Paterson also signed a bill requiring hospitals to publicly disclose the number of licensed and unlicensed nursing personnel providing patient care, and the methods they use to determine and adjust staffing levels. Hospitals had lobbied against the bill.
He also signed a bill requiring state agencies to publish contracting plans for hiring minority- and women-owned businesses, in an effort to ensure better oversight and accountability in that program.
In other actions, Paterson rejected 18 bills, including proposals to:
• require entities applying for or receiving state economic development grants to commit to first consider Ne York companies as primary suppliers for their work;
• open a state micro-business outreach center;
• better protect workers from retaliation from employers when the workers report illegal business activities.
No explanations were attached to the vetoes. In the past, Paterson has noted the state’s financial difficulties in rejecting legislation.
The state has a budget deficit of $2.1 billion.
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