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SENATOR NOZZOLIO ANNOUNCES SEX OFFENDER LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW
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Albany - New York State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette) announced today that Governor George E. Pataki signed into law legislation to mandate lifetime registration for the most dangerous sex offenders and prevent sex offenders from coming off the registry this week.
"This new law will help protect our communities by ensuring that most dangerous sex offenders do not come off the statewide registry, said Senator Nozzolio. Now we need to go one step further and strengthen the community notification provisions of Megan's Law so people are informed when a sex offender locates in their neighborhood so the public, especially children, can be better protected."
The legislation mandates lifetime registration for level two and level three offenders. Level two offenders will be allowed to petition for removal from the registry after a minimum of thirty years. Level one offenders will be required to register for twenty years, and will automatically drop off the registry after twenty years.
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SENATOR NOZZOLIO ANNOUNCES SENATE GIVES FINAL PASSAGE TO BILL PROVIDING STOPGAP PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE TO MORE THAN 600,000 SENIORS, DISABLED AND LOW INCOME NEW YORKERS
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Albany - Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette) today announced the New York State Senate gave final passage to an emergency bill, to help thousands of low-income seniors and disabled New Yorkers that are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid pay for medically necessary drugs.
"This emergency legislation is critical to ensure that not a single senior citizen, disabled or low-income New Yorker falls through the cracks because of the recent federal changes in prescription coverage," said Senator Nozzolio. "Their prescriptions are vital for their health and well being and this measure will make certain they can get their prescriptions.
On Friday, January 13th, the Governor issued an Executive Order directing the State Department of Health to suspend current Medicaid rules for seven days and to pay for prescription drugs for dual eligibles. The Executive Order instructed pharmacies to collect $1.00 for generic and $3.00 for non-preferred brand from dual eligibles prior to submitting a claim to Medicaid. On Monday, January 23rd, Governor Pataki extended the suspension of current Medicaid rules for an additional seven days. This will allow the State to continue to monitor the situation to ensure the program is properly implemented.
This bill allows the Legislature to take it one step further in providing a safety net for New York's most vulnerable by requiring that New York's Medicaid program continue to pay for prescriptions drugs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries until the Commissioner of Health declares operational problems associated with the implementation of Medicare Part D, resolved and that emergency coverage is no longer necessary.
The bill also requires that the Commissioner of Health establish an administrative process to effectively implement the temporary changes and that there shall be no local share for any medical assistance payments.
This legislation seeks reimbursement from the federal government and drug plans for any funds the State's Medicaid programs expends for prescription drugs that should have been covered by Medicare Part D.
In New York, officials estimate that over 128,000 low income beneficiaries are having difficulty in obtaining prescriptions and according to the New York Medicare Rights Center, hotline calls have increased by 400 percent over the last year and 3,000 have yet to be responded to.
"New York has risen to the challenge by quickly responding to this public health crisis to ensure these vulnerable individuals will continue to receive uninterrupted drug coverage," Nozzolio concluded.
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SENATOR NOZZOLIO ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE MEGAN'S LAW AND CRACK DOWN ON DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDERS
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Albany - In an effort to ensure the protection of our families and children, State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-Fayette), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime, and Corrections, today announced the passage of legislation (S.1323-B) that he sponsored that would require mandatory notification by law enforcement officials when a registered sex offender moves into a community.
"Mandatory notification is a key component in protecting our children and keeping them out of harms way," said Senator Nozzolio. "Enacting this legislation will ensure that every resident be notified when a dangerous sex offender enters a neighborhood. I look forward to continuing to work with community leaders in our efforts to keep our children secure from sexual offenders."
Under current law, law enforcement agencies may use their discretion about whether to notify vulnerable populations, such as schools, of a sex offenders presence in a neighborhood. This bill would mandate notification of information regarding all levels of sex offenders.
Last May, Senator Nozzolio hosted three public hearings in Albany, Long Island and Manhattan. Law enforcement officials, teachers, school officials, parents, and advocates all participated at the hearings to discuss a variety of issues surrounding sex offenders and Megan's Law.
Maureen Kanka, whose daughter Megan was raped and killed by a sexual predator, championed the passage of the original Megan's Law in 1995 and spoke at the first hearing held in Albany. Mark Lunsford, the father of a nine-year-old Florida girl who was abducted and killed by a known sexual predator and championed the recent passage of Jessica's law, also gave testimony at a hearing held in Manhattan.
In addition to Senator Nozzolio's bill to require mandatory notification, the Senate passed several measures aimed to strengthen Megan's law including:
" Website and Electronic Communication: This legislation expands the Division of Criminal Justice Services' website to include information about all sex offenders, not only the Level Three offenders under current law. In addition, visitors to the website would be able to register for e-mail notification regarding sex offenders living in, or relocating to, their zip code.
" Global Positioning System (GPS) Tracking: This legislation would require all Level Three offenders to wear a GPS monitoring device for the duration of registration. The Act includes numerous provisions relating to the type of GPS system the offender must wear, the offender's required contribution to its cost, penalties for the removal or disabling of the tracking device, and judicial authority to modify the tracking equipment.
"Strengthening the notification provisions of Megan's law will help keep our communities safer from dangerous individuals who prey on women and children," Nozzolio concluded.
The bill was sent to the Assembly.
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