NY may seal crime records, curb evictions, ban gas hook-ups
New York could allow for the automatic sealing of some criminal records, make it harder to evict tenants and ban gas and oil hook-ups in new buildings under bills that advocacy groups want lawmakers to pass in this year’s legislative session.
The Democratic-led Legislature passed a $220 billion budget this month that boosted pay for health care and home care workers, shaved 16 cents off the cost of a gallon of gas through December and tweaked a landmark bail law.
But the budget excluded several criminal justice and environmental policy proposals that had received support from Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Senate. State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he opposed using the budget to pass new policies.