Asm. Donna Lupardo

Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations; provides that an employer shall pay an employee for at least 4 hours at the basic minimum hourly wage for each day an employee reports for work as instructed but is given less than four hours of work.

Exempts services provided to board an animal when rendered by a veterinarian licensed and registered as required by the education law or by a commercial horse boarding operation from sales and use taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax exemption for sales and installation of geothermal heat pump systems in both residential and commercial buildings. It exempts from sales tax the equipment and installation services for systems that use ground or groundwater for heating, cooling, and hot water - excluding recreational facilities. The exemption applies to residential systems (defined in new paragraph 47) and commercial systems (defined in new subdivision mm) under New York's tax law. Local governments may choose whether to apply these exemptions, as the bill modifies existing tax code provisions to include them.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new licensing requirement for organizations that manage payments for personal care services (fiscal intermediaries), effective April 1, 2027. It requires these entities to apply for a license, submit annual reports on costs and service details, and register personal assistants in a confidential state registry. The law directly affects fiscal intermediaries currently contracting with social services departments or health plans, mandating they meet specific standards for compliance, cultural competency, and financial reporting. It repeals outdated provisions while establishing new oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency in how funds for personal care services are managed.

Prohibits the keeping of inventory, storage, warehouse, processing, packaging, shipping or distributing of flavored vapor products near where vapor or tobacco products are sold at retail or wholesale.

Relates to utility intervenor reimbursement to a participant for its reasonable costs of participation in any proceeding before the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Prohibits local, state and federal law enforcement officers from wearing any mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of their duties; excludes certain protective masks.

Directs the secretary of state to publish a comprehensive list of all state sponsored novel virus related programs and resources available to consumers, student loan debtors, senior citizens, small businesses, renters and homeowners on the department of state website.

Authorizes certain persons confined in institutions operated by the department of corrections and community supervision to apply for a sentence reduction.

Enacts the consumer litigation funding act to promote consumer protections related to consumer litigation funding transactions; provides for contract requirements, including that the contract contain a no penalty provision for the prepayment of the funded amount prior to the settlement of their case; makes related provisions.