Asm. Paula Kay

Maddy summaryThis bill increases weekly financial benefits for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers injured in the line of duty. It raises permanent total disability payments from $600 to $1,200 per week and updates temporary total disability rates, with the current rate at $800 per week for injuries occurring after July 2025. Permanent partial disability payments also increase, with rates rising from $95 to higher amounts depending on the injury date. The changes apply directly to volunteers who suffer work-related injuries affecting their ability to work. The bill amends Sections 8, 9, and 10 of the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law.

Requires that curricula and educational programs provide incarcerated individuals the opportunity to earn educational or vocational credits which shall be transferable to an educational institution upon the release of the incarcerated individual.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 7339) requires most health insurance plans in New York to cover fertility preservation services when a medical treatment (like cancer therapy) may cause infertility. It directly affects insured individuals undergoing treatments that risk reproductive health, such as chemotherapy or surgery. Key provisions mandate coverage for standard fertility preservation (e.g., egg or sperm freezing) with possible deductibles, while prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on health conditions like anticipated infertility or personal characteristics (age, gender identity, sexual orientation). The law applies to comprehensive medical insurance policies and takes effect immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts in counties not fully within a city to conduct electronic court appearances (arraignments) instead of requiring defendants to attend in person. It requires defendants to provide written consent, ensures personal attendance wouldn't cause unreasonable delay, and mandates approval from the chief administrator of courts. Electronic arraignments cannot be used for guilty pleas, recordings are restricted, and stenographic records must be kept. It directly affects defendants in rural or non-city counties who would otherwise need to travel for their court appearance.

Imposes fines for failure to exercise due care and move over when approaching parked, stopped or standing motor vehicles on the shoulder of a highway.

Directs the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports to promulgate rules and regulations for providers operating in rural locations while taking into account the extra challenges encountered by such providers, including but not limited to, increased and additional expenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores a 20-year service requirement for normal retirement benefits for New York City police officers, reversing a 2012 change that raised the requirement to 22 years. It directly affects NYPD police/fire members under the New York City Police Pension Fund, allowing them to qualify for normal retirement benefits after 20 years of service instead of 22. The key mechanism amends three sections of the Retirement and Social Security Law to specify that NYPD officers meet the service threshold at 20 years (for normal retirement), while other groups like correction/sanitation officers remain at 22 years. The bill makes this change effective immediately without altering age requirements or early retirement rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires utility companies to annually report all utility poles in public rights-of-way, clearly identifying which are actively used versus unused. Companies must create a removal plan for unused poles and remove them within one year, facing fines up to $10,000 per pole per year for failure to comply. The report must be submitted to regulators, the governor, and key legislative committees by December 1 each year. This directly affects regulated utility companies operating in public spaces, focusing on improving public safety and space management by eliminating obsolete infrastructure.

Maddy summaryBill A 8499 establishes new eligibility criteria for performance of duty disability retirement for certain New York City Transit Authority employees. It specifically applies to members of the New York City Employees' Retirement System who participated in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. If these members become physically or mentally incapacitated due to an injury from their World Trade Center duties, they would receive a disability retirement allowance equal to three-quarters of their final average salary. The bill also allows these members to use a specific medical review procedure for their pension applications.

Exempts services provided to board an animal when rendered by a veterinarian licensed and registered as required by the education law or by a commercial horse boarding operation from sales and use taxes.