1. CSEA-Supported Bills Awaiting Action
There are still several bills that have passed both houses that are awaiting final action, including:
- S.7543/A.9430: The Legislative Oversight of Automated Decision-making in Government (LOADING) Act
- S.6357-B/A.7341-B: Allowing virtual training for CPS workers
- S.3397-A/A.9011-A: Setting a maximum temperature for school buildings and indoor facilities
Last week, Governor Hochul signed four CSEA-supported bills into law:
- S.8557/A.9386: Counting provision time toward promotion requirements
- S.5500-B/A.8934-A: Providing employee notice of records disclosures
- S.8216/A.8876: Reducing the minimum age and education requirements to take civil service exams
- S.8551/A.9349: Updating civil service exams
So far this year, Governor Hochul has signed more than 315 bills. There are 490 remaining bills that require action by the Governor.
2. Legislative Highlight: Virtual Training for CPS Workers
In each issue, we’ll be highlighting one of CSEA’s legislative victories from this past session. This week, we’re highlighting S.6357/A.7341, which allows Child Protective Services caseworkers to complete certain training requirements virtually, rather than in-person.
The current requirement for CPS case workers to complete all of their training in-person can present a significant burden. CPS caseworkers across our state are already spread thin, with some counties experiencing caseloads at double or triple the recommended level. At such high levels, it is impractical to require caseworkers to travel to an in-person training when those trainings can be effectively administered virtually. This bill removes a costly and time-consuming burden on both case workers and their employers. Permitting virtual trainings increases flexibility for caseworkers, allowing them to complete training at a time and pace that fits their demanding schedules.
This bill passed both houses of the State Legislature and is awaiting delivery to Governor Hochul.
3. Government Shutdown Looms
Congress must act to fund the federal government by September 30 or face a partial government shutdown. This week, House Speaker Mike Johnson pulled a temporary funding bill after losing support from over a dozen Republicans. Due to the slim Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker Johnson can only afford to lose four votes from his caucus on any future funding bills.
4. Election Highlight: Anthony D’Esposito
CSEA is proud to endorse Anthony D’Esposito in his re-election bid for New York’s 4th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Nassau County. D’Esposito has a strong relationship with CSEA and has been a consistent advocate for our union’s issues. D’Esposito served as a Councilman for the Town of Hempstead for eight years. During that time, he voted to support fair contracts for our members and became an ally for our workforce. As such, CSEA endorsed each of his re-election campaigns for town council.
You can find all of CSEA’s endorsed candidates by region here.
5. CSEA Legislative Toolkit
We’re encouraging members to get the word out about our legislative successes. Click the icons below for informational documents that you can print, share, and post on social media to spread the news. You can also check out CSEA’s summary of the 2024-2025 Enacted Budget here.
Tier 6 Reform:
Updating Civil Service Exams:
Counting Provisional Time Toward Promotions:
Employee Notice of Records Disclosure:
Minimum Age & Education Requirements for Exams: