Relates to the salaries of certain teachers and aides employed by boards of cooperative educational services; puts limits on certain administrative and clerical expenses.
Makes the commission of rape, a criminal sexual act, aggravated sexual abuse or course of sexual conduct against a child less than 12 years of age or against a child less than 14 years of age by a person 21 years old or more a class A-I felony; eliminates references to such offenses in less severe crimes; includes such offenses within murder in the second degree for purposes of sentencing to life imprisonment without parole for murder committed in the course of committing such sex offenses against a child; designates such sex offenses against a child as sexually violent offenses for the purposes of sex offender registration; requires every sex offender convicted of such an offense to be subject to lifetime electronic monitoring by the division of criminal justice services upon release from prison.
Maddy summaryThis bill provides a tax credit for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to cover the cost of fishing and hunting licenses. Eligible residents must have served as active volunteers for 12 consecutive months and paid fees for licenses, tags, or permits under environmental conservation law. The credit reduces their state income tax, with any excess carried forward to future tax years. It applies to taxable years beginning January 1, 2026, and directly affects volunteer emergency responders who purchase these licenses.
Relates to the burden of proof for appeal procedures for children with handicapping conditions; shifts the burden to the parent or person in parental relationship.
Requires contracts with home care service providers to provide sufficient resources to ensure compensation to a qualified workforce providing high quality care; authorizes the commissioner of health to establish a program to provide loans, through the dormitory authority, to home care facilities to finance health care reform efforts.
Establishes a civil remedy for the protection of animals denied proper care by creating a special proceeding in the supreme court that will hold owners and caretakers liable if such animals under their care are mistreated.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York school districts to create policies enabling home-schooled students to try out for and join district interscholastic sports teams. It requires these students to meet the same academic, health, and behavioral standards as enrolled public school students, including annual academic verification and age/eligibility rules. Home-schooled students would only be eligible to participate with their district of residence and must arrange their own transportation. The policy is optional for school districts and does not mandate participation.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the "optometry freedom act," prohibits insurance carriers and vision plans from restricting optometrists' choices for sourcing eye care products and services. It directly affects optometrists and vision care plans by banning contractual clauses that force optometrists to use specific labs or suppliers for covered materials (like glasses, contacts, and frames) or covered services. The key provision removes restrictions on optometrists' ability to select their own suppliers for reimbursement-eligible items, such as lenses, frames, and contact lenses, without violating plan contracts. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Allows police officers to request, and police departments to be reimbursed for, ballistic armor vests classified as level III or higher; prohibits the commissioner from denying an application for reimbursement because a vest classified as level III or higher was requested by a police officer.
Expands health care services provided by telehealth to include services delivered through a facility licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law that is eligible to be designated or has received a designation as a federally qualified health center, including those facilities that are also licensed under article thirty-one or article thirty-two of the mental hygiene law.
