Post by Logan on Jun 17, 2016 3:28:11 GMT -6
After much drama, Marchione’s Superfund statute bill passes smoothly
A day after it was embroiled in controversy, state Sen. Kathy Marchione’s bill amending the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits brought by those injured by pollution at Superfund sites passed the chamber Thursday night, 62-0.
There was no debate or comment.
The bill would set a three-year clock on personal injury lawsuits stemming from contamination at a state or federal Superfund site to begin ticking with the site’s designation or the discovery of the injury, whichever is latest. Under current law, the clock begins when an injury is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, whichever is earlier.
The legislation passed the Assembly by an overwhelming vote of 132-7 in May, and now heads to Cuomo’s desk. It’s opposed by the state Business Council, which argues the change is unnecessary and would inject questions of litigation and politics into Superfund decisions.
In one of the week’s more bizarre reversals and counter-reversals, Marchione decided to amend the bill on Tuesday night. The next day, advocates said the changes effectively gutted the measure, Marchione’s Assembly co-sponsor John McDonald said the amended bill was dead in his chamber, and environmental advocate Mark Ruffalo tweeted that the development was “disgusting.”
Read more: blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/250533/after-much-drama-marchiones-superfund-statute-bill-passes-smoothly/
A day after it was embroiled in controversy, state Sen. Kathy Marchione’s bill amending the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits brought by those injured by pollution at Superfund sites passed the chamber Thursday night, 62-0.
There was no debate or comment.
The bill would set a three-year clock on personal injury lawsuits stemming from contamination at a state or federal Superfund site to begin ticking with the site’s designation or the discovery of the injury, whichever is latest. Under current law, the clock begins when an injury is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered, whichever is earlier.
The legislation passed the Assembly by an overwhelming vote of 132-7 in May, and now heads to Cuomo’s desk. It’s opposed by the state Business Council, which argues the change is unnecessary and would inject questions of litigation and politics into Superfund decisions.
In one of the week’s more bizarre reversals and counter-reversals, Marchione decided to amend the bill on Tuesday night. The next day, advocates said the changes effectively gutted the measure, Marchione’s Assembly co-sponsor John McDonald said the amended bill was dead in his chamber, and environmental advocate Mark Ruffalo tweeted that the development was “disgusting.”
Read more: blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/250533/after-much-drama-marchiones-superfund-statute-bill-passes-smoothly/