Asm. Charles Lavine

Requires instruction in arts and music education to be incorporated into curriculums for all public school students; requires school districts to ensure that appropriately certified teachers are providing such education; authorizes rules and regulations consistent with such provisions.

Requires disclosure, in such form as the superintendent shall require, of non-confidential information regarding step therapy override requests and determinations on a website that is readily accessible to the public.

Defines the term "construction projects" to mean the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of any school building where a district receives any apportionment for debt service or building aid and the school building is sited within the Long Island region; provides that each contract involving the award of a construction project shall require the use of a project labor agreement for all contractors and subcontractors on such project.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $1,500 annual tax credit for children under 18 who are the children of U.S. military members who died while serving in combat during wartime. The credit directly benefits eligible Gold Star children by reducing their family's income tax liability, with any unused portion carried forward to future tax years. It applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2027, and the credit cannot exceed the taxpayer's total tax for the year. The policy specifically targets financial support for children of fallen service members, with no additional eligibility requirements beyond the parent's wartime death and the child's age.

Relates to compensation paid to persons employed in positions requiring foreign language skills; establishes career ladders for persons holding such positions; establishes supervisory positions for persons required to have foreign language skills.

Relates to authorizing the payment of costs, up to eighty dollars, of diapers for an eligible child two years of age or younger for children receiving safety net assistance.

Relates to certain prostitution offenses and fines relating thereto; relates to motions to vacate judgment and motions for new sentencing; relates to investigation into acts alleged to be the unauthorized practice of massage therapy by potential victims of human trafficking; prohibits the possession of reproductive or sexual health devices from being permitted in specified criminal or civil proceedings as evidence of prostitution; relates to services for exploited individuals, services for victims of human trafficking and the interagency task force on human trafficking; establishes the victims of sexual exploitation fund; makes conforming changes; repeals provisions relating to prostitution, prostitution in a school zone, defense against patronizing a person for prostitution and a motion to dismiss information, simplified information, prosecutor's information or misdemeanor complaint.

Provides that the "Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Flag" shall be the official state flag for the raising of awareness of veteran suicide; directs the commissioner of general services to establish a protocol for the flying of such flag.

Relates to procedures relating to driving while ability impaired by drugs; defines impairment and intoxication; updates procedures for field testing of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs to include the use of oral/bodily fluid tests; provides that refusal to submit to such field tests is specified to be a traffic infraction; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3589, "Protects library access to electronic literary materials") bans restrictive clauses in contracts between publishers and libraries for electronic literary materials (e-books and digital audiobooks). It specifically prohibits terms that limit libraries' core functions, such as restricting loans, limiting preservation copies, or controlling loan periods. The law applies to licensing agreements for literary monographs (single-volume works) and declares such prohibited terms unenforceable, with libraries able to seek remedies under state law. It does not apply to contracts between libraries and aggregators (companies licensing multiple publishers' collections).