Asm. Steve Stern

Maddy summaryThis bill allows school districts to provide property tax exemptions for volunteer firefighters' primary residences within their district. To qualify, firefighters must be certified members of a local fire company for at least five years, reside in the district, and live in the property as their main home. The exemption covers up to $12,000 in tax value (adjusted by state rates) and requires school districts to adopt local rules through public hearings. Firefighters with 20+ years of service may qualify for a lifetime exemption if their residence remains in the district.

Relates to decreasing the length of the suspension period applicable to certain individuals who lose their jobs due to a labor dispute, such as a strike, and who seek to obtain unemployment insurance benefits; decreases the suspension period from two consecutive weeks to one week; provides that the waiting period and suspension period shall be served concurrently.

Provides that, for purposes of veterans seeking to qualify for public housing, "probable aggregate annual income" shall not include disability benefits paid by federal government to veterans for service-connected disabilities; provides that such disability benefits shall not be included in computing any surcharge against such veterans.

Enacts the Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling crimes against public protection professionals act; designates certain crimes against public protection professionals; enhances penalties.

Extends the date by which school districts must purchase and solely operate and maintain zero-emission school buses; authorizes certain school districts to apply for and be granted an annual one-year extension for compliance with zero-emission school bus requirements until 2045.

Relates to creating the health emergency response data system, which collects information and statistical data relating to public health emergencies in order to assist the department of health, other government entities, health care providers, and the public in understanding and responding to public health emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's bail laws to include drug offenses, domestic violence crimes, and offenses causing death or serious physical injury as "qualifying offenses" that may trigger stricter bail conditions. It directly affects defendants charged with these specific crimes, requiring courts to consider them when deciding whether to release someone on their own recognizance, set bail, or impose custody. Key provisions add new categories to existing bail rules, including "aggravated family offenses" (covering domestic violence) and class B-D felonies under Article 220 of the Penal Law. The law maintains existing exceptions, such as releasing defendants for negligible property theft not linked to broader criminal activity.

Enacts the "no child left out inclusive playgrounds act"; requires newly built and renovated playgrounds to be accessible for children with disabilities.

Provides that anyone who directs, hires, requests, encourages, orchestrates or invites another individual to cause a collision involving a motor vehicle shall be guilty of staging a motor vehicle accident in the second degree.

Relates to preserving access to affordable drugs; provides that an agreement resolving or settling, on a final or interim basis, a patent infringement claim, in connection with the sale of a pharmaceutical product, shall be presumed to have anticompetitive effects if a nonreference drug filer receives anything of value from another company asserting patent infringement and if the nonreference drug filer agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the nonreference drug filer's product for any period of time.