S473

The New York State Senate passed legislation amending the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act on a 58-1 vote, with only Sen. O'Mara voting in opposition. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sepúlveda and designated as Calendar Number 134, creates consistency between filing procedures in Supreme Court and Surrogate's Court. During floor debate, Sen. Rhoads raised concerns about advance fee collection and refund procedures for rejected documents. Sen. Sepúlveda responded that the legislation ensures parties who pay fees in advance will receive credit toward resubmission if documents are rejected, and that clerks will provide specific error notifications without requiring duplicate payments. The measure was moved to the noncontroversial calendar by agreement between Sen. Gianaris and Sen. Lanza before the vote.