Nassau County Presiding officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) and fellow Majority members unanimously approved two new laws at a September 27 session that will allow the county to seize the vehicles and tools of unlicensed home improvement contractors and will ban the sale of arsenic-treated wood for residential use.

The legislature approved an amended version of the law, which will ban on the sale of chromated arsenic-treated wood for residential use only. It still could be used for commercial construction. The law was sponsored by Legislator Dave Mejias (D-North Massapequa).

According to Jacobs, arsenic-treated wood presents a danger, especially to children, and has been linked to cancer. The treated wood is used residentially primarily in decks, playground equipment and fencing.
The new seizure law will allow the county to seize the vehicles and tools of unlicensed home improvement contractors. The unlicensed contractors can regain their cars, trucks or tools after a hearing by applying for a home improvement license and paying as much as a $5,000 fine.

In other business, the full legislature approved a resolution allowing the county to enter into a grant agreement that would provide funding for the Tracs Program, and electronic traffic ticket and accident reporting system. The traffic safety program is expected to reduce the number of crashes, injuries and deaths on New York’s roads through the use of computers in Nassau County Police cars. The computers will enable officers to automatically produce traffic tickets and accident reports and transmit data quickly.

“This system will have a host of benefits, beyond improving highway safety statistical data,” said Legislator Jacobs. “Officers will also have access to databases of suspended and revoked licenses, stolen vehicles and other public safety information.”

In addition, tickets will be produced by the computer and printer, thereby eliminating motorist confusion associated with handwritten documents and data entry error. Officer safety and efficiency will also be improved by reducing time spent during traffic stops.

Funds from the grant will pay for the installation of computers in 48 police cars. The computers will be used with TraCs software and traffic tickets and accident reports will be submitted electronically to the Department of Motor Vehicle and also to the local traffic courts capable of receiving this data.

The legislature also approved a resolution allowing the county to enter into a grant agreement with the federal government and New York State to provide the Nassau County Police Department with funds to enforce HOV violations on the Long Island Expressway for the period June 1, 2003 through May 31, 2004. The federal government will provide $246,400 and the state will provide $61,600.

The legislature’s Minority Affairs, Government Services and Rules committees approved the appointment of John E. Imhof, PhD. as the Commissioner of the Department of Drug and Alcohol and the appointments of Margaret Mendez, and the reappointment of John Caraway and Sheldon Swirsky to serve as members of the Nassau County Board of Parole.