Asm. Al Stirpe

Enacts the "food retail establishment subsidization for healthy communities act" (FRESH Communities); provides loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies and grants to businesses, municipalities, not-for-profit corporations or local development corporations for the purpose of attracting, maintaining or permitting the expansion of food retail establishments in underserved areas.

Authorizes members or officers of the state police who were previously firefighters receive credit for such previous firefighter service for the purposes of retirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases short-term disability benefits for New York workers. It phases in higher weekly benefit rates (from 50% to 67% of average weekly wage) and extends maximum leave duration (from 8 to 12 weeks) over several years, starting in 2018. The changes apply to employees needing short-term disability leave due to illness or injury, directly affecting both workers and their employers who provide these benefits. The bill maintains a cap based on the state average weekly wage and allows the superintendent of financial services to delay increases if needed.

Creates the state office of the utility consumer advocate to represent interests of residential utility customers including a proposed change of rates, charges, terms and conditions of service, the adoption of rules, regulations, guidelines, orders, standards or final policy decisions.

Relates to the general powers and duties of the canal corporation; requires the canal corporation to cause the locks and lift bridges of the canal system to be operated May first through November fifteenth annually; requires the canal corporation to maintain and preserve the Erie Canal's historic resources; permits certain usage of the canal system's state drydocks, travel lifts, and other facilities for commercial boat companies.

Relates to the availability of opioid reversal agents; requires the department of health to make available any formulation and dosage of opioid reversal agent approved by the federal food and drug administration.

Prohibits unsolicited telemarketing sales calls during a declared state of emergency or disaster emergency where the declaration or proclamation of emergency includes a finding that unsolicited telemarketing sales calls would impair actions taken to limit, control, or mitigate the emergency; explains the basis of such finding; provides that such prohibition may not extend for a period of more than two weeks, subject to renewal for additional two-week periods by further findings of necessity made at the end of each two-week period.

Repeals managed long term care provisions for Medicaid recipients; establishes provisions for fully integrated plans for long term care including PACE and MAP plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the date of the state's presidential primary election to the first Tuesday in March (instead of the current June date). It directly affects how presidential delegates are selected for the national convention, as the primary will now occur earlier in the election cycle. The key provision amends election law to specify that the "spring primary" for delegate selection must be held on the first Tuesday in March, unless changed by future legislation. This is a procedural change to the election calendar with no other policy implications.

Limits the department of environmental conservation's ability to fix special open seasons for taking wild deer to ending no later than the 3rd Sunday of December of each year; allows the department to issue regulations for special seasons for particular counties or designated wildlife management units after consultation with local governments and stakeholders.