Asm. Scott Bendett

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a $750 annual income tax credit for retired disabled police officers who were state police officers and are state residents. It applies to taxable years beginning January 1, 2026, and directly affects eligible retired officers by reducing their state income tax liability. If the credit exceeds the taxpayer's tax for the year, the excess is treated as an overpayment and refunded without interest. The credit is available automatically to qualifying retired officers meeting the disability and service criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state, county, and local transportation agencies to design all publicly funded road projects - including construction, reconstruction, and major maintenance - to safely accommodate all users (drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders) through "complete street" principles. It applies to projects receiving both federal and state funding under transportation department oversight, excluding routine resurfacing but including projects with a 10+ year lifespan. The law mandates agencies consider factors like traffic volume, population density, and community input when planning, rather than automatically prioritizing vehicles. It does not change existing project approvals but sets new standards for how projects must be designed.

Relates to safe staffing levels at nursing homes; requires the department of health to give significant weight to labor supply shortages in particular regions during any declared statewide disaster emergency.

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 a temporary extension for payment of real property taxes owed by a person who has been a furloughed or designated non-pay federal employee due to a period of lapse in discretionary appropriations by the federal government, or by the spouse or domestic partner of such person; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

Increases personal needs allowance amounts for individuals who are deemed eligible; requires that payments be subject to an annual adjustment reflecting the latest consumer price index, all items-U.S. city average.

Enacts the student journalist education act to protect student speech at educational institutions unless such speech is libelous, an invasion of privacy, or incites students to commit an unlawful act, violate school policies, or to materially and substantially disrupt the orderly operation of the school.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 999) updates New York's definition of developmental disability in the mental hygiene law to explicitly include fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), covering conditions like fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial FAS, and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). It directly affects individuals with FASD who meet specific criteria: being over age 7, having a diagnosed FASD by a qualified provider, having the condition start before age 22, showing it will likely continue indefinitely, and experiencing significant impact on daily living activities. The key mechanism is adding these FASD conditions to the list of qualifying disabilities, aligning them with existing conditions like autism or cerebral palsy for eligibility purposes. This change ensures FASD is formally recognized under the state's developmental disability framework, affecting how individuals access related services and support.

Maddy summaryBill A 7914 establishes a 25-member commission to investigate foreign influence on New York State government employees and elections. The commission will examine weaknesses in laws related to lobbying, public corruption, foreign entity influence on officials, and election integrity, then make reform recommendations. It has authority to request documents or testimony, hold public hearings, and refer evidence of violations to prosecutors. The commission must issue a preliminary report by May 1, 2026, and a final report by May 1, 2027, after which it expires. This bill directly affects state government operations and election processes by creating a structured review mechanism.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 2177) removes the cost of emergency medical services (EMS) from the property tax levy limit that local governments (like cities and towns) must follow. It directly affects municipalities that fund EMS services, allowing them to cover these costs without triggering the tax cap. The key change adds a specific exemption in law, so EMS expenditures no longer count toward the maximum tax levy allowed under current rules. This provides local governments with more budget flexibility for essential emergency response services.