Asm. Jerett Gandolfo

Argued that larger dogs cause more damage in bite incidents and that insurance companies use actuarial science to price risk. Expressed concern that preventing breed-based pricing will increase premiums for all renters or cause insurers to stop writing policies to dog owners.

Removing missed utility payment reporting would harm the 26 million credit-invisible Americans and 19 million unscorable Americans who rely on utility payment history to build credit, and the bill was previously vetoed due to lack of budget appropriation.

Argued that larger dogs cause more damage if they bite and that preventing breed-based pricing will either increase premiums for all renters or cause insurers to stop writing policies for renters with dogs, leaving some underinsured.

Removing missed utility payment reporting would harm the 26 million credit-invisible Americans and 19 million unscorable Americans who rely on utility payments to build credit history, and the bill was previously vetoed due to lack of budget appropriation.

Argued that larger dogs cause more damage if they bite and that insurance companies use actuarial science to price risk. He expressed concern that prohibiting breed-based pricing will raise premiums for all renters or cause insurers to stop writing policies to renters with dogs.

Questioned the size of the NYC bailout after Chair Pretlow denied a $4 billion figure, seeking clarification on the actual amount of assistance being provided.

Argued the bill is unnecessary since existing law requires fee-free payment options, allowing tenants to avoid fees. Contended landlords should be able to pass through processing costs for online payments and warned the bill may cause landlords to eliminate online options or raise rents, ultimately harming tenants.

While the goal is laudable, New York's accumulation of health insurance mandates drives up costs for small and medium-sized businesses and consumers. Twenty-nine other states require fiscal analysis before enacting mandates; New York should adopt similar protections and study existing mandates' costs.

Expressed concern that eliminating the exclusion could cause insurers to raise premiums or withdraw from markets with older housing stock, reducing housing availability. He also questioned whether the change might create incentives for landlords to rely on insurance rather than proactively remediate lead hazards.

Opposed the bill as another insurance mandate that collectively raises premiums and disproportionately affects small and medium-size businesses. He questioned why the State does not cover acupuncture in the Essential Plan if it is truly necessary.

Expressed concern that removing the exclusion could incentivize landlords to rely on insurance rather than remediate hazards, increase premiums, and cause insurers to withdraw from markets with older housing stock, reducing housing availability.

Opposed the bill as another insurance mandate that raises premiums for consumers and disproportionately affects small and medium-size businesses. Questioned why private insurers are mandated while the State does not cover acupuncture in the Essential Plan.

The bill encroaches on voluntary contracts entered into when purchasing property in HOA communities. Residents should lobby their HOA boards rather than have the state override private agreements. The Governor vetoed similar legislation last year for this reason.

Questioned whether the bill is duplicative of existing mental health parity laws and expressed concern that the bill may not address the root problem of aggressive gambling advertising and accessibility on mobile phones.

Argued that existing out-of-pocket expense caps and mental health parity laws may already cover these services, and that imposing rigid cost-sharing restrictions will shift costs to premiums, raising insurance costs for employers and consumers. Contended DFS can handle cost-sharing review internally.

Mandating all arbitrators be neutral would eliminate the established practice where each party chooses an arbitrator who then agrees on a neutral third party, potentially preventing labor unions from using their preferred arbitrators in labor disputes.

The bill lacks specificity about which vehicles are affected, does not require removal of infested vehicles from service, and provides no follow-up notification about when it is safe to ride again, leaving riders unable to protect themselves with vague alerts.

Criticized the bill as government bureaucracy requiring a 210-day advisory committee process to produce a one-page summary of the Declaration Page, arguing it raises costs for insurers, the state, and consumers without providing meaningful consumer protection.

Noted the absence of corrections officer representation on the State Commission of Correction and expressed concern about officer safety, citing the HALT Act's impact on assaults against corrections officers.

Concerned about the bill's vagueness and the power granted to the Commissioner, whom many New Yorkers have lost trust in. The bill does not explicitly outline that parents and school boards retain a role, which may inflame tensions. Requested an amendment clarifying school board involvement, as suggested by the New York State School Boards Association.

Too much power resides with the Commissioner rather than local school boards. Determining age-appropriateness based on sexual content is not banning; parents and school boards must be included in developmentally appropriate decisions.

Expressed concern that removing the license suspension threat removes an incentive for delinquent taxpayers to come in and make payment deals, and argued the state needs every incentive to collect tax revenues.

Distinguished between likelihood of a bite and severity of damage; argued that if a pit bull or German Shepherd bites, it causes more damage than a small dog, and insurance companies should be able to price in this liability exposure to prevent costs from rising for other policyholders.

Questioned whether the bill merely reformats existing declarations pages, creating bureaucracy and information overload. Argued declarations pages already provide necessary information and the summary requirement may confuse rather than clarify.

Distinguished between likelihood of a bite and severity of damage; argued that if a pit bull or German Shepherd bites, it will cause more damage than a smaller breed, and insurance companies should be able to price in this liability exposure to prevent costs from rising for other policyholders.

Questioned whether the bill merely reformats existing declarations pages, creating bureaucracy and information overload. Argued declarations pages already provide necessary information and the summary requirement may confuse rather than clarify.

Questioned whether eliminating retainage would increase litigation and project delays by removing the financial incentive for quick dispute resolution. Also noted a similar bill was vetoed by Governor Cuomo in 2015 and asked whether changes had been made in response to that veto.

Opposed the bill as pitting people with disabilities and veterans against formerly incarcerated individuals for the same contracts. Questioned why formerly incarcerated persons were being codified into statute while veterans were not, and argued the bill gives preference to people with criminal records over law-abiding New Yorkers and those with disabilities who need support through no fault of their own.

HOAs exist to maintain neighborhood aesthetics; native plant gardens off-season look wild and unkempt. More importantly, the bill nullifies existing contracts that residents voluntarily entered into with full knowledge of restrictions. The state should not alter contracts; residents can vote to change HOA bylaws if they wish.

Contended that restricting information access would make it harder to detect organized fraud rings and that insurance fraud costs all policyholders $400-$700 annually. Argued insurers would not voluntarily reduce investigations if it saved money.

Contended that restricting information access would impede fraud investigations and ultimately cost all policyholders more in premiums. Argued that financial records and other information are necessary to detect organized theft rings and fraud patterns.