Asm. John McDonald

Enacts the lift our communities advertise locally (LOCAL) program which provides a tax credit on advertising for locally owned minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, certified service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises or a small business.

Relates to electronic financial disclosures of members and candidates of the legislature; requires creation of electronic version of disclosure statement; directs the commission on ethics and lobbying in government shall make available an editable, electronic, readable and searchable version of the annual statement of financial disclosure by January 1, 2026.

Enacts the interstate medical licensure compact; provides a streamlined pathway for medical professionals who are licensed in multiple states to obtain medical licensure in New York.

Repeals and reenacts statute of limitation provisions on wrongful death, personal injury and property damage actions against professional engineers, architects, landscape architects, land surveyors, geologists and construction contractors to provide for a limitations period of ten years after completion of improvement to real property; "completion", which constitutes the accrual date for the limitations period, is defined; provides for a one year extension for injuries to person or property or wrongful death which occur during the tenth year after completion.

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 allows students in New York State schools to earn physical education credits by completing state-approved lifeguard certification training courses. It requires the Board of Regents to create rules enabling these courses to count toward the mandatory physical education requirements. The policy directly affects high school students who complete approved lifeguard training programs, potentially reducing the need for separate physical education classes. The change applies only to courses meeting state standards for lifeguard certification, not general physical education instruction.

Updates provisions relating to dignity for all students including curriculum and teacher training requirements designed to prevent student suicide with a focus on LGBTQ students.

Relates to dental laboratories; defines terms; requires any dental laboratory operating, doing business, or intending to operate or do business in this state to register with the department of health; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryBill A 8172 establishes new timeframes and processes for insurers to pay claims submitted by hospitals. It requires insurers to pay hospital claims at the contracted rate as billed, regardless of their own medical necessity or administrative policies, before any review. After payment, insurers can request a post-payment review for a limited percentage of claims by a joint committee composed of medical professionals from both the insurer and the hospital. If this committee cannot agree on the medical necessity of the services, an independent third-party review agent will make a binding determination, and hospitals must refund payments for services found not medically necessary.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all elected or appointed coroners and coroner's deputies in New York to complete 30 hours of state-approved medical-legal investigation training every three years. It applies directly to these county officials, who must cover the training costs themselves (though counties may choose to reimburse them). The law includes a one-year exemption for newly elected or appointed officials and mandates that non-compliant individuals cannot practice until they meet requirements. The Department of Health will oversee certification, and the New York State Association of County Coroners will track compliance.