This bill raises the income limit for the Excelsior scholarship in New York State from $125,000 to $150,000 for academic years starting in 2026-2027 and continuing forward. The scholarship provides financial assistance to students pursuing undergraduate degrees at public New York colleges and universities who meet specific enrollment and credit completion requirements. By increasing the income cap, the bill allows more middle-income families to qualify for the award, which is calculated based on the combined adjusted gross income of the student and their parents or spouse. The change applies to all future applicants without altering other eligibility criteria such as credit requirements or enrollment standards.
Authorizes the Medford fire district, located in Suffolk county, to deposit into the insurance reserve fund an amount of $400,000 in each of the years 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Authorizes the use of funds from Peconic Bay region community preservation funds for the acquisition of waterfront conservation easements to maintain and enhance maritime industries and heritage, including for working waterfront, aquaculture, commercial fisheries, recreational fishing and boating businesses.
This bill allows Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to create a workers' compensation reserve fund, joining other entities like school districts and fire districts that already have this option. The fund would be used to pay workers' compensation benefits and medical expenses for employees who are self-insured, with money coming from budget appropriations and other legal sources. Any excess funds at the end of a fiscal year could be transferred to other authorized funds or applied to the next year's budget, and the money must be kept separate from other financial accounts. The changes take effect immediately upon passage.
Establishes the New York smart work week pilot program to promote, incentivize and support the use of a four-day work week by qualifying employers and to study the benefits and impacts of such work arrangements; defines terms; establishes a tax credit for participating qualifying employers and employees.
This bill directs the County of Herkimer to deposit additional sales and compensating use tax revenue into its general fund rather than a special construction fund. The legislation modifies existing tax law to allow the county to use these tax collections for general purposes after paying expenses related to building correctional facilities. It applies to the period from December 1, 2027, through November 30, 2027, and affects only the Herkimer County government. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
Establishes a real property tax exemption of up to fifty percent of the assessed valuation of such real property for surviving spouses of state and county correction officers who died in the line of duty and such property constitutes the primary resident of such surviving spouse.
Enacts the "End the Toll Trap: Real Relief for Drivers Act" to address excess administrative costs incurred by public authorities for the collection of toll payments and to ensure repeat toll evaders pay such costs; creates the New York and New Jersey toll and fees reduction task force to examine and evaluate the efficacy of current payment processing procedures and systems, and to provide recommendations to increase efficacy and reduce tolls and administrative fees.
Creates the middle class circuit breaker tax credit allowing a credit against personal income tax, equal to seventy percent of the amount by which the taxpayer's net real property tax or the taxpayer's real property tax equivalent exceeds the taxpayer's maximum real property tax; establishes a tax reform study commission.
Increases the tax exemption to twenty percent on real property owned by members of volunteer fire companies or voluntary ambulance services in certain counties.
