Asm. Ken Blankenbush

Enacts the "cobalt and lithium mining and production divestment act" to prevent monies or assets of the common retirement fund from being invested in the stocks, securities or other obligations of any institution or company engaging in cobalt and lithium mining or production for the manufacture of batteries used in large-scale battery storage power stations and the primary propulsion systems for electric vehicles, if such company cannot establish through approved independent monitoring that their mining operation does not use child labor and that adult miners and other workers are employed under conditions that meet accepted criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state to reimburse counties for the full cost of document management software specifically designed for child welfare services (e.g., cases involving child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment). It directly affects counties operating child welfare programs that purchase or plan to purchase such software to create paperless systems for managing case documentation. The state will fund reimbursements from the general budget, requiring counties to provide proof of purchase (like receipts) for eligible software that uses advanced capture, storage, and retrieval technology. The reimbursement applies to both past purchases and future planned purchases made by counties serving child welfare cases.

Creates a tax credit for small businesses that sell a certain percentage of products produced in New York state; provides such small businesses include independently or privately-owned cafes, restaurants, eateries, bars, pubs, breweries, distilleries, orchards, food trucks, retail stores, farm stands, hotels, or motels.

Provides for insurance coverage of comprehensive annual medical examinations for firefighters due to their increased risk for cancer and cancer-related diseases.

Establishes the rural equity assistance program to promote and facilitate community and economic development in the small towns and rural areas of the state.

Eliminates state sales and compensating use taxes on motor fuels and diesel motor fuels; authorizes localities to eliminate such taxes at the local level; establishes various exemptions from New York's sales and use tax; provides for a sales tax exemption for housekeeping supplies and for ready-to-eat foods.

Requires certain entities to stock opioid antagonists and to store naloxone nasal sprays with or adjacent to automated external defibrillator cabinets.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals New York City's estate tax, which was levied on property inherited after someone's death. It directly affects individuals who receive inherited assets, as the tax would no longer apply to those estates. The bill removes Article 26 of the city's tax law and amends related administrative code provisions to eliminate references to the repealed tax. The repeal takes immediate effect upon enactment. This is a straightforward policy change that eliminates an existing tax obligation.

Relates to the amount of St. Lawrence county economic development power that may be used by the New York Power Authority to generate net earnings and authority-TMED contracts.

Relates to pistol permit applications for military personnel; requires the licensing officer to act on an application for any member of the active or reserve component of the armed forces within 90 days of presentment.