Asm. Sarahana Shrestha

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits insurance companies from refusing to issue or renew homeowners' or renters' insurance policies, canceling policies, charging higher premiums, or limiting coverage solely because a policyholder owns a specific dog breed or mix of breeds. It directly affects homeowners and renters who might have faced discrimination based on their dog's breed. The key provision requires insurers to base coverage decisions on standard risk factors, not breed alone, for policies defined under New York's insurance law. The law applies to all policies issued or renewed after its effective date.

Requires public notice and public engagement when a general hospital seeks to close entirely or a unit that provides maternity, mental health or substance use care.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies the types of damages that can be recovered in wrongful death lawsuits in New York. It specifically allows survivors to seek compensation for funeral expenses, medical costs related to the injury causing death, grief, loss of financial support/services, and loss of nurture/education. The bill also defines who qualifies as "beneficiaries" (including spouses, domestic partners, and those acting as parents) and specifies how damages must be distributed based on each person's financial losses. These changes update existing law to provide clearer standards for compensation without creating new legal rights.

Enacts the "rate hike notice act" which requires utilities in the state of New York to provide notice of a proposed rate hike to a customer via text, email and via such customer's monthly billing statement.

Protects individuals who provide or receive legally protected health activity, including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, from criminal or civil liability or professional sanctions imposed by jurisdictions outside the state.

Permits the rendering of an estimated bill from a utility corporation or municipality under certain circumstances; requires each utility corporation and municipality within six months to submit to the commission a model for the calculation of and procedures for estimated bills that incorporates best practices and technology and accounts for any barriers to the use of actual meter readings.

Permits the state board of elections to join certain multistate voter list maintenance organizations and provide such organizations with certain voter information; requires the state to join a multistate voter list maintenance organization on or before July 31, 2026.

Maddy summaryBill A 6326 requires gas and electric utility companies to provide their customers with at least 45 days' written notice before any service rate or charge increase takes effect. This bill directly affects gas and electric corporations by mandating this notification period and impacts their customers by ensuring they are informed in advance of changes to their utility costs. It amends the public service law to add this new requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts certain harmful chemicals in menstrual products sold in New York State. It prohibits manufacturers from intentionally adding specific substances like lead, mercury, formaldehyde, phthalates, and PFAS (a class of chemicals including Teflon-like compounds) to products such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups. Starting immediately upon the bill's effective date (12 months after enactment), these chemicals cannot be added as intentional ingredients, with future safety thresholds for remaining traces to be set by health and environmental agencies by 2029. The law applies to all distributors and sellers of menstrual products within New York.