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.
Enacts the monarch preservation plan requiring the department of environmental conservation to take feasible actions to conserve monarch butterflies and the unique habitats they depend upon for successful migration.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A 7235) requires New York state agencies with over $10 million in annual construction/service contracts to establish voluntary mentorship programs connecting minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) with established contractors. It mandates that these programs focus on practical business development to help MWBEs compete for state contracts and subcontracts, particularly when there's an existing contractual relationship ("privity of contract") between the MWBE and a contractor on a state project. The bill updates existing laws to ensure mentorship opportunities are structured around commercially useful connections and provides technical assistance for MWBEs to secure necessary bonds. It directly affects MWBEs seeking state contracting opportunities and state agencies managing public works contracts.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows attendees at professional or collegiate sporting events to bring specific reusable beverage containers into sports venues. It defines "reusable containers" as aluminum or stainless steel bottles/cups designed for multiple uses and prohibits venues from banning them, while permitting three limited restrictions: containers must be empty upon entry, cannot have caps, and must hold 24 ounces or less. Venues violating the law face civil penalties of up to $500 for the first offense and $750 for repeat violations. The law directly affects sports venues and event attendees by changing beverage container policies at games and events.
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.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 16-member task force within New York's Department of Labor to address unemployment among people with disabilities. The task force, including representatives from state agencies, disability organizations, labor, business, and people with disabilities themselves, will study employment barriers and review successful programs. Its key duties include developing strategies to increase competitive integrated employment (meaningful jobs in regular workplaces), ensuring state agencies model inclusive hiring, and making recommendations within two years. The task force must report annually to the governor and legislature, with findings made publicly available online. This directly affects state agencies, employers, and people with disabilities seeking meaningful work opportunities.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends multiple New York State laws to replace the terms "addict" or "addicts" with "person with substance use disorder" or a similar phrase throughout legal texts. It specifically updates references in the judiciary law (affecting court proceedings), mental hygiene law (governing treatment programs), and public health law (regarding controlled substance dispensing). The change applies to all relevant legal documents, including those describing mental health hearings, treatment eligibility, and medication administration protocols. This terminology shift aims to reduce stigma by using person-centered language consistent with modern healthcare and legal standards. The bill was signed into law as Chapter 511 on November 21, 2025.
Defines therapeutic agriculture for the purposes of community gardens as the use of agricultural activities as a means of promoting physical, mental and emotional well-being, rehabilitation and therapy for certain individuals.
Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new option for New York residents to register for the Donate Life Registry (which facilitates organ, eye, and tissue donations) through mandatory electronic personal income tax filings. It requires the state to include a clear checkbox on tax forms asking, "Would you like to be added to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this question'." This expands existing registration methods - which include driver's license applications, health insurance enrollment, and college financial aid forms - to include tax filings for those required to file electronically. The change applies to all taxpayers submitting income tax documents via electronic means, making organ donation registration more accessible during routine state interactions.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes a New York state law that previously prohibited transplant patients from being listed on waiting lists at multiple organ procurement organizations. It directly affects patients awaiting organ transplants who may now be eligible for placement on waiting lists at different facilities within New York. The key change eliminates the specific ban (previously in Public Health Law §4363) that prevented patients from having multiple listings simultaneously. This amendment updates organ allocation rules to allow patients to potentially access multiple transplant programs without violating state policy. The law took effect immediately upon signing on October 16, 2025.
