Here is an update on the status of the 2011 Legislative Program. For 2011, AIANYS top priorities were: Bills AIANYS Supported: Historic Preservation Tax Credit, reinstatement; Non-Design Professional Ownership; Design Liability Reform; Alternative Project Delivery; Qualifications-Based Selection For Professional Design Services and Good Samaritan Act. Bills AIANYS Opposed:  Professional Certification, prohibition; Criminal Prosecution for Building and Fire Code Violations; Interior Design Bills and Construction Threshold.

PASSED BOTH HOUSES:

     Non-Design Professional Ownership authorizes a new type of professional service corporation to be known as a professional service corporation. This bill will allow design professional firms to offer key personnel such as business managers, human resources managers or computer information and other specialists an equity interest in the firm, up to 25%.  Shareholders could include such employees or employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), provided that at least 75% of the voting shares of the corporation be owned by licensed design professionals.  The president, chair of the board, chief executive officer and single largest shareholder would be required to be licensed design professionals.  The bill is awaiting delivery to the governor for his consideration.

     Although not in our legislative agenda, two bills passed both houses and are now awaiting delivery to the governor that we sent memorandums of support are:

     Land Banks provides for the creation and administration of land banks, for the conversion of vacant, abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into productive use. (This was presented to AIANYS members by legislators during the Architects in Albany Lobby Day.)

     Safe Street Design Principles enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.

DIED IN COMMITTEE: Historic Preservation Tax Credit, reinstatement; Alternative Project Delivery; Design Liability Reform; Qualifications-Based Selection For Professional Design Services and Good Samaritan Act

SUCCESSFULLY OPPOSED: We were successful in killing the following bills which we oppose: Construction Threshold; Professional Certification, prohibition; Damages for Delay; Criminal Prosecution for Building and Fire Code Violations; Interior Design Bills: Interior Design, 15 year grandparenting, Interior Design, state contracts and Interior Design, Partnership formation.

     Another bill, Licensing consequences for architects or engineers who seriously abuse their professional certification privileges was killed after a small group of AIANYS members met with Assemblyman Cymbrowitz (the bill sponsor). He has a number of stop work orders in his Brooklyn district, resulting from a deviation from approved construction documents to actual construction. This bill proposes to suspend the license of a design professional who has "seriously abused" the professional certification program. A task force will review this problem, and work with the Assemblyman to better resolve the issue than what is proposed in his current bill.

     Members of the task force are: Eric Goshow, AIA, VP, Government Advocacy, Kelly Hayes McAlonie, AIA, President-Elect, Tim Boyland, AIA, AIANYS Board Member, Anthony Schirripa, FAIA, AIANYS Board Member, Margery Perlmutter, AIA, AIANYS Board Member and Sebastain D'Alessandro, AIA, President, AIA Brooklyn. Ex-officio members are: David Businelli, AIA, President, Richard Leckerling, Esq., Edward Farrell, Executive Director and Jay Bond, Policy Director, AIA New York.

     David Businelli, AIA, President, Russell Davidson, AIA, Regional Director, Francis Pitts, FAIA, Regional Director, Burton Roslyn, FAIA, Past President, Lina Telese, Esq. and Edward Farrell, Executive Director all met with DASNY on June 30 to continue the ongoing conversation on a variety of topics including an update on design professional contract language, design review process reengineering and state agency multiplier calculations.

     AIA Rochester will be holding the Swinging Fore Scholarships Golf Tournament on September 13, 2011 at Blue Heron Hills Golf Club in Macedon. Registration begins at 10 AM, shotgun start at 11 AM. Reservation deadline is September 1, 2011. For more information, go to: http://www.aiaroch.org/activities/aiagolf_11b.pdf.

     See what other Chapters are up to this month by viewing the calendar on the AIANYS website. Go to: http://aianys.org/members/index.php?m=1&p=1.

     Rogers Marvel Architects in New York City, has been named the winner of the design competition for President's Park South.

     The project is aimed at improving the visitor experience near the White House. To see the winning design, go to: http://www.ncpc.gov/ppdc/rma.html.

     For more information, go to: http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB090061.

Vote for Your Favorite AIA Barbie Dream House Design

     AIA architects submitted designs for the AIA Barbie Dream House Design Competition. 5 finalists have been selected. You can vote for your favorite now through August 1, 2011 by going to www.aianys.org. The winner will be announced August 2, 2011.

     AIA just launched a new guidebook "Creating a Citizen Architect Committee" which helps components build the organizational infrastructure to encourage civic engagement among members. To view this guidebook, go to:

http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/document/aiab090199.pdf