The state Senate approved a bill requiring the agency that plans for disasters to compile public service announcements about how to prepare for and respond to disasters, including terrorist attacks.

"Panic can undo a community that's already been hit by disaster, and we need to make sure as many people as possible have information beforehand to alleviate that confusion and anxiety," said Senator Michael Balboni (R-East Williston), who sponsors the bill and chairs the Senate committee overseeing homeland security.

Balboni's legislation requires the state Disaster Preparedness Commission to prepare the public service announcements for television and radio, and to convey the messages in a wide variety of languages.

"The information has to be accessible to everybody, including the 28 percent of people in New York State who speak a language other than English at home," Balboni said.

The bill passed the Senate unanimously, as it did last year. It was sent to the Assembly.

Senator Balboni represents the 7th Senate District, which is located in the northwest corner of Nassau County. The district encompasses the entire town of North Hempstead, and includes the communities of Elmont, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor, Bellerose, Franklin Square and part of Hicksville.

The state Senate passed legislation that will allow the legal system to use the state's anti-terrorism law to prosecute certain crimes against nuclear-powered facilities.

"If it's clear a criminal has a terrorist act in mind when trespassing at a nuclear facility, he or she will be guilty of a terrorist crime," said Senator Michael Balboni (R-East Williston), sponsor of the legislation and chairman of the Senate committee that oversees homeland security.

Balboni's bill also puts crimes against those nuclear-powered electric generating facilities on equal footing with other public utilities. Existing law punishes people who trespass at, tamper with or damage other public utilities, but is silent on those issues when it comes to nuclear-powered utilities.

Nuclear-powered plants currently require a high level of security against unauthorized people who either inadvertently or intentionally enter a secure area because of the dangerous materials in these facilities.

Penalties for the trespassing, tampering and damaging crimes range from an A misdemeanor (up to a year in prison) to a Class D felony (up to seven years in prison). Penalties for the terrorism-related crimes constitute a Class A felony, which carries life imprisonment.

The bill unanimously passed the Senate this year, as well as in 2003 and 2004. It was sent to the Assembly for consideration.