A.B. 6607 was introduced Friday by Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes, D-Buffalo. It would allow businesses to designate remote work by employees that began March 7, 2020, as having been done at the place where they had worked before that date for state and local tax purposes. The bill would stay in effect for the duration of the declared COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
A justification for the measure notes that a large number of employees have been displaced and have had to work remotely because of the pandemic and that the state Department of Taxation and Finance "has not provided adequate guidance to employers." The bill aims to "remove unnecessary confusion and complexity" when it comes to filing taxes, the justification said.
The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. S.B. 602, a companion bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Benjamin, D-Manhattan, was introduced Jan. 6 and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Budget and Revenue.
Similar legislation introduced last year by Benjamin, S.B. 8386, died in committee.
--Editing by Vincent Sherry.
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