With record high gas prices continuing to burden New Yorkers in all reaches of the state, the Senate passed legislation that would provide a summer gas tax holiday. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Frank Padavan, would help provide families, commuters and small businesses with much needed relief from soaring gas prices during the summer travel season.

"Right now, the biggest strain on all household budgets throughout Queens and New York State is the rapidly climbing price at the pump," Padavan said. "High gas prices are at the very center of the economic struggle we are facing today. The price per gallon of gas has increased the price we pay for groceries and the other necessities and staples of everyday life. The state Legislature has the ability to provide essential relief from soaring gas prices and help millions of New Yorkers make ends meet. Ask anyone filling up at their local gas station and they will tell you they want relief and they want it now."

Under the legislation (S.7594-A), New York State taxes on gasoline will be eliminated from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The suspension of the taxes will come at the heart of the summer travel season. The bill also provides that sufficient state resources are maintained to fund the state's Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund.

The legislation also authorizes strict anti-price-gouging penalties for gas station owners and gasoline distributors who don't pass along the savings from the summer gas tax holiday.

If the state enacts this essential tax relief plan, New York commuters and families would save an estimated 32 cents per gallon in state gasoline taxes, including 16 cents from the Petroleum Business Tax, 8 cents from the state sales tax and 8 cents from the Motor Fuel Excise Tax. If the federal and local governments temporarily suspend their taxes on gasoline, New Yorkers would save approximately 65 cents per gallon.

"This legislation is a significant step in the right direction and will allow families and commuters throughout New York to see real savings from soaring gas prices," Padavan said. "Now it is up to the Assembly Majority to join the Senate in passing the summer gas tax holiday and help provide relief to millions of overburdened commuters, families and small business owners who are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet due to increasing prices at the pump."

Two presidential contenders, Senator John McCain and Senator Hillary Clinton, have endorsed a summer gas tax holiday on the federal level. The suspension of the federal taxes on gasoline would help save New Yorkers an estimated 18.4 cents per gallon.

Padavan also called for a sharper and renewed focus on renewable and alternative energy sources. Specific state legislative initiatives addressing alternative fuels include:

· S.3497-B- removes the state sales tax on hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles

· S.4363- provides an EZ Pass discount for fuel-efficient vehicles

· S6198- allows a property tax exemption for farmland devoted to woody bio-mass for fuel sources production.

· S6160- provides tax credits for biodiesel and ethanol storage facilities

· S7932- amends the current bio-fuel production credit to provide forty cent per gallon incentive specific for cellulosic ethanol production. A tax credit equal to 15 cents per gallon already exists for bio-fuel production.

In addition to the state legislative initiatives, Senator Padavan supports a New York State Senate resolution calling upon the federal government, Congress and the president to immediately act to reduce high energy prices burdening Americans and launch a strong commitment to building a national energy plan based on production of renewable energy and alternative fuels.

"Our economic future as a country lies in the establishment of a long-term and sustainable energy plan," Padavan said. "We can make significant progress on the state level to bring about change for our future, but ultimately it's up to our leaders in Washington to craft a long-term plan that will foster alternative fuel research, development, production and availability in all reaches of the country."

Padavan continued, "The benefits of a national long-term energy plan that is focused on alternative fuels and renewable energy sources will not only reduce our reliance on foreign oil but it will help protect our environment and bring about the reduction of the cost increases at the pump."

Senator Frank Padavan announced that the City of New York has unveiled the proposed rules and regulations for the "Lawn Litter" Law. The legislation, authored by Padavan, was signed into law in late January and allows residents throughout the City of New York to post a sign on their property to ward off the nuisance of unwanted literature, advertisements and fliers left on their property.

"The 'Lawn Litter' Law received wide support from the public along with civic and community organizations," Padavan said. "With the unveiling of the proposed rules and regulations outlining the complaint and enforcement process, we are nearing the full implementation of the law. These rules will allow residents throughout the five boroughs to fight off the annoyance and nuisance that unwanted advertisements left on their property have become."

In late February, Mayor Bloomberg took the first steps toward the implementation of the law with his Executive Order designating the Department of Sanitation as the lead enforcement agency for the law. Additional proposed rules and regulations presented by the city include:

A property owner filing a complaint must fill out and sign a completed complaint affidavit form that is duly notarized before a notary public and submitted with the unsolicited advertisement left on the property. A property owner may obtain a property owner complaint affidavit form through the Department of Sanitation website at www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/ or by calling the 3-1-1 action center.

All property owner complaint affidavit forms and the accompanying unsolicited advertisements must be mailed to the Director of Enforcement c/o Lawn Litter, New York City Department of Sanitation, 1824 Shore Parkway, Brooklyn, New York 11214. Anyone submitting a property owner complaint affidavit that results in a department's issuance of a notice of violation may be called upon to appear at a hearing by the environmental control board for the city to testify in the matter. An enforcement agent may issue a notice of violation based on their own observations.

The "Lawn Litter Law" mandates that all signs posted by residents must state in one-inch letters "Do Not Place Unsolicited Advertising Materials On This Property." The sign must also be at least five inches tall and seven inches wide and placed in a conspicuous location at a homeowner's property. Additionally, the "Lawn Litter Law" imposes a civil penalty, of not less than $250 and no more than $1,000 for each violation, on businesses who do not adhere to a sign posted by a resident.

Padavan noted that residents have until June 4 to submit written comments to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs, New York City Department of Sanitation, 125 Worth Street, Room 710 New York, New York 10013. A hearing on the proposed rules and regulations will take place Wednesday, June 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 125 Worth Street, 2nd Floor Auditorium in Manhattan.

In response to two deadly accidents caused by suspected drag racing in New York State in just one day, members of the New York State Senate Task Force on Critical Choices have introduced legislation to increase penalties for illegal drag racing.

Just recently, 5-year-old Jordan McLean of Queens was thrown from his aunt's SUV and killed after their vehicle was struck by suspected drag racers. Jordan and his aunt, Claris Edwards, were driving on 109th Avenue in Queens - a drag racing hot spot - when they were faced with two cars head on. After colliding with one car, the other drove off and did not return, while the passengers of the car that hit them fled the scene and have not yet been located by police.

Also recently, a young man and woman were killed when their car crashed into a utility pole in a suburb of Buffalo. Police suspect they were involved in a drag race at the time of the accident.

"We need to do everything we can to keep our streets safe from people who would use them for street racing," Senator Frank Padavan said. "The accident last week was a tragic and senseless loss of a young life and the driver must be caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law. This bill would specifically address the crime of street racing to stop people from putting other lives at risk."

The bill (S.8020) would increase the penalties for street racing from a misdemeanor offense to a felony for repeat offenders.

"This is an absolutely horrible - and completely preventable - tragedy," Senator Serphin Maltese, a tough former prosecutor and Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, said. "These daredevils jeopardize the lives of innocent people every time they get behind the wheel and race on our public streets. It is unconscionable and they should be held accountable."

"These tragic deaths are only the latest illustration that street racing puts peoples' lives in danger," Senator Andrew Lanza (R-I, Staten Island), sponsor of the bill, added. "Innocent people are being killed at the hands of thrill-seeking drivers. My bill would increase penalties to deter these reckless individuals from putting peoples' lives in jeopardy."