Asm. Sarahana Shrestha

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York's Energy Research and Development Authority to develop recommendations for establishing microgrids - local power networks that can operate independently during outages - at critical facilities like hospitals, fire stations, schools, water plants, and emergency shelters. It mandates the Authority to evaluate which facilities should prioritize microgrids, identify geographic areas needing them (based on past storm damage and disadvantaged communities), and propose funding solutions. The Authority must submit these recommendations to state leaders within one year of the bill's effective date. The bill focuses on enhancing grid resilience for essential services without specifying funding sources or implementation timelines.

Relates to voting rights and access for incarcerated individuals; authorizes polling places to be available at correctional facilities and local facilities; requires such facilities to provide persons detained or confined in such facilities access to register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot; requires voting information to be included in the inmate handbook.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of polystyrene foam docks, buoys, and floating structures in the state starting January 1, 2027. It directly affects businesses that manufacture, sell, or distribute these products, including manufacturers of foam docks and retailers. The law bans items made with expanded polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, or rigid polystyrene, covering structures like boat docks, navigation markers, and recreational platforms. The prohibition applies to all sales and distribution within the state, with no exceptions specified. The bill defines key terms like "dock" and "floating structure" to clarify its scope.

Enacts the "cannabis supply chain integrity and anti-inversion act"; prohibits any act or omission involving illicit cannabis; provides penalties for such cannabis inversion.

Requires that companies contracting with the state do not contribute to tropical forest degradation or deforestation directly or through their supply chains.

Extends the time period from eighteen years to twenty-five years that a school shall be guaranteed recovery of energy performance contract costs from energy savings incurred by school districts over that time period.

Enacts the college student suicide prevention act to provide for policies, procedures and guidelines on suicide prevention, intervention and postvention for every higher education institution.

Provides that immediate injunctive relief, restraining orders, or cease and desist orders may be sought in certain cases involving voter intimidation, deception or obstruction that affects the right of voters to access the elective franchise.

Enacts the "NYS ratepayer protection nuclear moratorium act" under which certain state funds and subsidies are prohibited from being expended for new, reopened or rebuilt closed nuclear power facilities and related entities; creates a nuclear assessment task force.

Establishes the New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act; establishes the virtual power plant program to help reduce energy costs and grid reliability risks; provides incentives to participants for supporting the grid by investing in distributed energy resources and reducing net energy costs.