Asm. John McDonald

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.

Requires the department of civil service to allow municipalities to post municipal employment positions on the department of civil service's state jobs website; requires such municipal employment opportunities to be posted in a format searchable by municipality and employment position type.

Includes entities that provide employment or services to formerly incarcerated persons in the preferred source exemption for purposes of state purchasing.

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" which establishes a law enforcement peer support program to provide confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling; defines terms; provides exceptions for when a peer support communication may be disclosed.

Authorizes the department of transportation to establish and implement a state memorial sign program to memorialize persons who died due to injuries sustained in a fatal motor vehicle crash on state highways.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state agencies to redact exempt portions of documents before releasing them under freedom of information law. It applies to any record containing both disclosable information and information that may be legally withheld (like personal privacy details or security data). Agencies must remove only the exempt sections while disclosing the remaining content, and cannot deny access solely based on the document's category - any denial must include a specific justification. The law aims to improve transparency by ensuring the public receives as much releasable information as possible.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York state agencies to donate surplus personal property (excluding vehicles) to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that are current on annual filings. State agencies may donate property with a fair market value below a threshold set by the commissioner, provided the nonprofit meets filing requirements. Agencies must document all donations for audit and cannot donate property purchased from special funds without reimbursing that fund. The policy aims to redirect unused state assets to eligible nonprofits instead of selling or discarding them, reducing waste while ensuring proper oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows criminal cases in counties outside cities with over one million residents to be transferred to specialized mental health courts in neighboring counties. It requires the defendant's motion, consent from both district attorneys, and excludes family violence cases where the accused and victim are family members. The transfer cannot take effect for five days unless the receiving court agrees to accept the case earlier. This creates a formal process for connecting defendants with treatment-focused courts in adjacent jurisdictions.

Requires the empire state plaza art commission to examine the historical significance of major rivers in the state of New York in connection with renaming the agency buildings located at the empire state plaza; requires the governor to choose the new agency building names within 60 days after the commission's recommendation.

Requires that following the acquittal after trial or the sentencing of any defendant for a felony, the district attorney, or their designee, shall mail a written summary of the disposition of such felony to any victim who was not present at the time that the defendant was sentenced or acquitted after trial.