State Senator Michael Balboni (R/C-Mineola) announced that the Senate recently passed his "Anti-Weapons of Mass Destruction Act" aimed at protecting the public against acts of terrorism. The bill would make it a felony under New York State law to use, manufacture, or possess any biological, chemical or nuclear agent that could cause mass destruction. "Unlike conventional weapons, agents of mass destruction in even the smallest amounts can wreak incalculable havoc and death," said Balboni. "Though no one is known to have died or been injured in New York through the use of chemical or biological agents, their potential to paralyze our cities warrants legislative action to deal with the eventuality." Senator Balboni noted that the recent anthrax scare at the Hempstead and Mineola courthouses illustrates how vulnerable our community is to biological weapons. Just the threat of anthrax exposure was enough to destabilize two courthouse complexes, snarl traffic for miles, and inspire public fear, not to mention all the emergency response measures that needed to be activated. The provisions of the legislation create the felony crime of possessing, manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction punishable by up to 25 years in prison. In addition, the bill makes it a crime for a person having "reasonable access" to these agents to threaten another individual within or outside of New York State. Any threats or attacks against water supplies, food sources and agriculture would also be considered a felony. During his debate on the bill on the Senate floor in May, Senator Balboni noted how the release of nerve gas in a Tokyo subway in 1995 killed 12 people and injured more than 5,000. The relative ease of transporting and deploying agents of mass destruction (such as anthrax, ricin, sarin and the ebola virus) worries law enforcement and emergency management personnel who point out that currently, there are no statutes in place in New York law to deal with such a threat. "Employing weapons of mass destruction is an act of terrorism which threatens our safety and security. Whether the threat comes from outside our nation's borders or from within our own state, law enforcement must be given the authority to counter terrorist activity before catastrophe strikes," Balboni concluded. In a victory for taxpayers, Senator Balboni announced that both houses of the New York State Legislature have passed legislation requiring mortgage institutions to adjust escrow accounts expeditiously upon receipt of property tax reductions resulting from the STAR school property tax-cut program. "The STAR program was intended to provide immediate property tax relief to homeowners and not a windfall for mortgage institutions," said Balboni. "This legislation makes it possible for homeowners to pocket their STAR savings as soon as they take effect." According to Balboni, present law requires mortgage institutions to adjust their escrow accounts once per year. In many cases, the bank's adjustment may occur months after the STAR tax reductions. This means that banks could still continue collecting payments in an unreduced rate, leading to a large, unnecessary and unjustified overage in the escrow account. Under the provisions of the bill (S.5276/A.8075), lending institutions would be required to reduce a homeowner's escrow account in a timely manner after notification that the homeowner has received the STAR tax reduction. The measure would also ensure that mortgage institutions do not charge any additional fees for the adjustment of escrow accounts. "The STAR program is one of the most popular and significant tax-cut plans in New York State history. As the program expands, it is important that homeowners benefit from the property tax reduction as quickly as possible, concluded Senator Balboni. The bill will be sent to Governor George Pataki for consideration. Senator Balboni announced that New York drivers will be able to donate to a cancer research fund through the purchase of special "Drive for the Cure" license plates. The legislation, sponsored by Balboni and passed in both the Assembly and Senate, is designed to generate additional funds in the fight against cancer. "New Yorkers have repeatedly demonstrated their compassion and generosity to cancer victims through voluntary contributions on their tax returns and other programs," said Balboni. "The Drive for the Cure initiative is an innovative way to create additional revenue for cancer research, and to show support for cancer patients." The bills (S.3038/A.5839) would establish a cancer research fund financed by drivers who voluntarily pay an additional $25 registration fee for a distinctive "Drive for the Cure" license plate. The increase of cancer diagnoses combined with limited financial resources necessitates new funding sources. Since motorists are required to purchase license plates, they would have the option at minimal added cost, to purchase the special plates and thereby contribute to cancer research. Balboni noted that revenues generated by the "Drive for the Cure" license plates would be used to fund research for all types of cancers, including prostate, ovarian and breast cancers. The bills have been sent to Governor Pataki for consideration.