Bill Text: NY A04628 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires the court to hold a settlement conference prior to conducting any further proceedings in any pending residential eviction matter; provides for the repeal of such provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to judiciary [A04628 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-A04628-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4628 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary AN ACT requiring the court to hold a settlement conference prior to conducting any further proceedings in any pending residential eviction matter; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, prior 2 to conducting any further proceedings in any pending residential 3 eviction matter, the court must hold a settlement conference with the 4 petitioner and the respondent to review the effects, if any, that the 5 COVID-19 pandemic has had on either parties, review any relief under 6 state or federal law that either party may be eligible for, including 7 the New York Tenant Safe Harbor Act (Chapter 127 of 2020), refer either 8 party to local civil legal service providers or housing counseling agen- 9 cies, assess any pending and anticipated motions, approved briefing 10 schedules proposed by stipulation of the parties, determine whether the 11 parties can reach a mutually agreeable resolution to avoid eviction and 12 review any other issues the court deems relevant. To the greatest extent 13 possible, the court shall schedule a settlement conference prior to a 14 trial or hearing, provided however, this requirement shall apply in all 15 matters at any stage of the eviction process, including any matter where 16 a warrant of eviction has issued and been delivered to an enforcement 17 agent but has not been executed. The court shall establish the parame- 18 ters of the conference to ensure it is conducted, either in person or 19 virtually, in a manner that ensures equitable participation of the 20 parties and a good faith attempt at settlement. The chief administrative 21 judge shall by rule adopt procedures to implement such settlement 22 conference. 23 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed 24 repealed January 1, 2023. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07266-01-1
