Asm. Fred Thiele

Relates to electronic financial disclosures of members and candidates of the legislature; requires creation of electronic version of disclosure statement; directs the commission on ethics and lobbying in government shall make available an editable, electronic, readable and searchable version of the annual statement of financial disclosure by January 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates election laws to guide local boards of elections in selecting specific locations for early voting and voter registration. It allows religious buildings to serve as polling places without requiring them to open on Saturdays if this conflicts with their beliefs, while mandating that public school buildings never be used for early voting. Additionally, the legislation requires that public buildings be used for voting whenever possible and outlines procedures for ensuring accessibility for disabled voters, including a process for building owners to request cancellation of a polling place designation if it would unreasonably interfere with their normal operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Small Business Environmental Fund to help small businesses afford pollution prevention and compliance measures. The fund operates by providing a loan loss reserve that allows financial institutions to guarantee up to ninety percent of loans, with a maximum loan amount of five hundred thousand dollars, for businesses that struggle to get traditional bank financing. The program prioritizes applications from companies in highly distressed areas, minority-owned enterprises, and women-owned businesses, while requiring applicants to demonstrate that they cannot secure conventional funding for environmental upgrades. Additionally, the bill mandates that state agencies actively market this fund to small business owners and simplify the application process to make it more accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that test reports for lead-based paint be disclosed during the sale of residential real estate in New York State. It applies to all properties built before 1978 and mandates that inspection results be shared with buyers to ensure they are aware of potential hazards before completing a transaction. By adding a new article to the Real Property Law, the legislation aims to create a statewide registry of these test results, making information about lead risks more accessible to future renters and purchasers. The act is designed to complement existing federal disclosure rules and local testing requirements, particularly in New York City, by ensuring consistent transparency across the entire state.

Includes permissible payment methods, advance consent for direct payments, and annually providing the updated rate schedule as required terms for certain insurance contracts.

Prohibits the participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; prohibits the department of environmental conservation from issuing permits or licenses allowing participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; excludes certain permanent performing institutions; imposes a civil penalty not to exceed $1000 for a violation.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a resolution that formally recognizes influential Black authors and community leaders during the Black Authors Festival in Sag Harbor on August 3, 2024. It specifically honors individuals such as Tamron Hall, Chef Marcus Samuelsson, and Darlene Williams for their contributions to literature, education, and the arts. The measure directs the legislature to pause its proceedings to pay tribute to these honorees and instructs officials to send copies of the resolution to the recipients and the festival board.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new supplemental retirement benefit for public employees who retired before May 31, 2016, and allows them to apply for this payment by December 31, 2024. The allowance is calculated based on the retiree's service credit and is capped at $1,500 per month, replacing any other military service credits they might have received. In addition to establishing this new benefit, the legislation updates several existing laws to ensure that future cost-of-living adjustments include this supplemental payment.

Enacts the Long Island power authority public power act to facilitate transition of the Long Island power authority into a full public power model through modifications of its authority to manage, operate and control utility operations in its service area as well as to modify its statutory, fiduciary, financial and related obligations.

Enacts the "public renewables transparency act"; relates to the New York power authority's conferral process; requires the conferral report be posted on the authority's website; provides that the authority shall provide an option for stakeholders to submit comments remotely as well, and incorporate feedback from such sessions and written comments into the final draft of the strategic plan; makes related provisions.