June 19, 1998

New York State Legislature, on final night of 1998 session, passes measure requiring that names of HIV-positive people be reported to state and mandating that govt health workers ask infected people to name their sexual partners so that they can be notified that they are at risk; aides to Gov Pataki says he intends to sign it; in addition to HIV tracking measure, both houses of Legislature pass two bills resulting from 11th-hour agreements with Pataki, one to create appeals process for people whose health insurance companies deny coverage for treatment, and another to expand health care for poor children (M)

Traditional best time to buy a new car, August of September, may have moved up to late spring, as end-of-the-model-year clearances begin; supplies are already low because of aggressive incentives, and spreading strike against General Motors leaves dealers short of some popular models (S)

New York City's overcrowded public school system, with less than three months left before 14,000 4-year-olds are supposed to begin new pre-kindergarten classes established by state, plans to enroll third of those children in private and parochial preschools; officials, unable to squeeze preschoolers into public schools ripping at seams, expect to use public funds to educate about 5,000 children in private schools; it is a rare example of city's public school system relying on private sector for basic academic services; the only precedents are smaller programs in counseling and tutoring (M)

Japanese Pledge on Banks Raises Hopes for Overhaul Japan's Prime Minister has again pledged to resolve the more than $600 billion in bad bank loans that have been hampering that country's economic recovery.

Antoine, Reid, squeegee man who was shot by off-duty Police Officer Michael W Meyer in Bronx, says Meyer shot him in chest at point-blank range even after he offered to remove soap he had poured onto windshield of officer's car; shooting has raised new questions about whether Police Dept does enough to control officers with history of brutality complaints; Reid photo (M)