Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. announced recently that the New York State Senate and Assembly passed legislation that would improve the oversight and regulation of charitable contributions in New York State. The legislation was based on recommendations of the Senate Task Force on World Trade Center Recovery formed in January 2002.

Úquot;The tragic events of Sept. 11 produced an outpouring of donations from citizens across New York and the entire nation,Úquot; said Fuschillo. Úquot;This bill will help ensure that the generosity of New Yorkers does not go to waste through careless accounting procedures or unscrupulous organizations.Úquot;

The legislation would require any charitable organization that intends to solicit funds to file with the New York State Attorney General. Through this filing, the Attorney General's office would be able to verify an organization's name and place of business and would obtain pertinent financial information. The organization would be required to disclose information concerning any past fines or penalties in addition to information concerning the percentage of funds that allocated for administrative purposes and funds that go directly to charity.

The legislation does include exemptions from this filing process for schools, fraternal orders, people requesting contributions for specific individuals, charities that receive less than $25,000, and police departments.

The legislation would also allow the Attorney General to bring an action against fundraisers or charities for violations of provisions of the bill such as failure to produce records; fraud; false advertising; and failure to use funds for charitable purposes. In addition the Attorney General would be able to revoke the registration of an organization and can assess fines up to $1,000.

The legislation will be sent to the governor for his consideration for signing into law.

Senator Fuschillo announced recently that legislation to create Úquot;United We StandÚquot; license plates emphasizing America's resolve against terrorism, passed in the Senate. Each plate would be available on request to legal drivers for a $25 fee in addition to the standard fee for obtaining a regulation plate.

According to Fuschillo, l00 percent of the additional proceeds from the Úquot;United We StandÚquot; license plate sales would benefit Úquot;Rewards for Justice,Úquot; a program created by the United States State Department, which gives monetary awards for individuals who provide information helpful to the capture of terrorists.

Úquot;Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, thousands of New Yorkers have wondered how they can get involved in the war against terrorism,Úquot; said Fuschillo. Úquot;Now, with this legislation, motorists will have the opportunity to assist in the effort to root out terrorism by providing direct support to governmental anti-terrorism activities.Úquot;

Úquot;This bill will do more than just provide monetary support in the fight against terrorism,Úquot; Fuschillo said. Úquot;It will be another important symbol of the strength we possess when we stand together as Americans.Úquot;

I am pleased that the Assembly has embraced the Senate's proposal to exempt nursing homes from paying a 6 percent assessment of federal Medicare revenues. The Senate made this recommendation last week and also introduced a bill to put the plan into law.

The bill introduced in the assembly is the same as the Senate's bill that would provide nursing homes with $65 million in increased support so they can maintain or increase staffing levels and ensure the quality of care for seniors. In addition, the Senate recommended another $10 million be included in the budget to begin reforming state Medicaid reimbursement rates.