George D. Maziarz - Legislative Accomplishments

Legislative Accomplishments

Since being elected to the State Senate, Maziarz has a legislative record in a variety of policy areas. These laws include:

• Sponsored Megan’s Law, which created New York's sex offender registry and tracking system. He sponsored and supported numerous other laws that have worked to strengthen penalties against sex offenders, including bill #S00011B,

• Sponsored the Assisted Living Reform Act. The law included proper consumer protections, including a resident’s bill of rights, and provided for criminal penalties for those operating unlicensed “look alike” facilities. Bill Number S7748

• Sponsored legislation allowing New York to join the Great Lakes-St Lawrence River Basin Compact. The Great lakes contain 95% of all of the freshwater in North America, and this legislation created stronger rules and regulations for any water withdrawal from the Great Lakes. Bill Number S4324-B

• In 2008 and 2010 sponsoring and co-sponsoring the net-metering bills, which allows a utility customer who generates their own electricity to receive a credit to their bill for the energy produced. The laws that were adopted in 2008 and 2010 expanded this practice to allow schools, municipalities, businesses and large farms to take full advantage of this practice as well. These laws have led to the increased development of more wind, solar, biomass and biodiesel power generation throughout New York State. Bill Numbers S7171-B; S8481; S6700

• Sponsored a bill to help the unemployed who is on unemployment to withhold part of their benefit from each check. Bill Number S7737

• Senator Maziarz co-sponsored the green residential building code program which allowed incentive payments to contractors who adopted energy efficient building methods and materials. He was also a sponsor and strong supporter of New York’s Green Jobs/Green New York law that offers financing and incentives to residents to make their homes more energy efficient. Bill Number S5888

• Sponsored the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, which for the first time offered New York residents clear protections from the deceptive and unfair practices used by some telemarketers. The law includes requirements that all telemarketers be bonded and registered with the Department of State. It also prohibits any access to a customer’s financial accounts without written authorization as well as other important protections. Bill Number S8116

• Co-Sponsored legislation for volunteer firefighters that extend the same benefits for lung ailments to volunteers as are available to professional firefighters. Bill Number S3701

• Sponsored laws to help those that volunteered to help with the relief effort after 9/11. Another significant law allows school district employees to be authorized to take paid leave to assist in disaster relief operations, and another that allows for volunteers injured or disabled as a result of participating in the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center to apply for workers compensation benefits.

• New York State’s labor laws and protections. These have included laws to hold companies accountable for violating the state’s asbestos laws and regulations, as well as a law that required the Department of Labor to issue regulations to protect child performers from abusive practices.

• Creating many local laws to promote and develop assets in the Niagara area including the Erie Canal, Niagara Wine Trail and Old Fort Niagara.