Democratic Senate candidate Ted O’Brien is criticizing his Republican opponent, Assemblyman Sean Hanna, for voting against a measure that the would deny tax credits, loans and incentives to companies that ship call center jobs overseas.

“My opponent would rather line the coffers of wealthy corporations than protect jobs for hard-working New Yorkers,” O’Brien said. “Many people in our Monroe and Ontario county communities are struggling during these tough economic times, and the people who live here deserve a State Senator who understands the concerns of middle class families and will do everything he can to support them.”

O’Brien’s campaign sees the “no” vote as an opening to pain Hanna as “extreme.”

But the law, which passed in the Assembly largely along party lines, but has not been taken up in the GOP-led Senate, was opposed by business groups for being overly broad.

In a memo of opposition, the state Business Council wrote the measure would penalize companies regardless of size.

The legislation would require a call center employer to notify the Labor Commissioner of its intention to relocate a call center, or operating units within a call center, from New York State to a foreign country 100 days prior to such relocation. Failure to give such notice can result in a penalty of up to $10,000 per day. It would also mandate the Commissioner of Labor to compile a list of all New York companies that relocate call centers to foreign countries. Once on this “black list,” a company is no longer eligible for state grants, loans and procurement opportunities.

The Senate race in the Rochester area would replace outgoing Republican Sen. Jim Alesi, one of several battleground campaigns around the state.

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