State lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo should take up a laundry list of items in response to the coronavirus pandemic in the remaining weeks of the legislative session, the New York Public Interest Group wrote in a letter released on Monday.
The group wants lawmakers to consider legislation that would bolster the environment, address price gouging, bolster and expand absentee and early voting procedures and pass a ban on flavored tobacco products.
The group also wants lawmakers to address issues like antibiotic usage and making banking laws more consumer friendly.
“A lot has changed since the beginning of the 2020 session,” the group wrote in the letter. “Your actions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting fiscal impact appropriately drove budget discussions.”
Lawmakers have approved emergency rules changes that allow legislators to cast votes remotely, which was put into practice during the budget process at the start of this month.
Still, the Legislature for now has not reconvened and was due back on Monday.
The legislative session is scheduled to end on June 2.