Enacts the "fostering affordability and integrity through reasonable (FAIR) business practices act", to expand the attorney general's ability to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices.
Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.
Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.
Requires the superintendent of state police to develop, maintain and disseminate to all members of the division of state police a critical incident leave policy requiring critical incident paid leave for any members directly involved in a critical incident; prohibits such superintendent from taking any punitive administrative action against any member of the division of state police granted critical incident leave solely on the basis of the provision of such leave.
Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges elected by and from among the faculty and staff of the college.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires utility companies and contractors to provide detailed electronic records identifying pole attachments, including equipment owners, contractors, work dates, and safety compliance details. It creates an online public complaint system for reporting unsafe attachments, equipment hazards, or violations of safety standards like the National Electrical Safety Code. The commission must investigate complaints within two weeks and can issue fines up to $20,000 for first violations, $50,000 for second violations, or stop-work orders for third violations. The law directly affects utility providers, telecom companies, and contractors working on utility poles, aiming to improve public safety and accountability through standardized reporting and enforcement.
Relates to rechargeable battery recycling; adds a battery used as the principal electric power source for an electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist to the definition of "rechargeable battery"; provides that a battery manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute rechargeable batteries in the state unless the battery manufacturer is implementing or participating under an approved plan; allows a city with a population of one million or more to enforce through its own agencies.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's social services law to ensure school-based health center services remain outside managed care programs for medical assistance recipients (e.g., Medicaid beneficiaries). It specifically prohibits these services from being provided through managed care plans, requiring them to continue being delivered directly outside such programs. The policy change directly affects students receiving medical assistance who use school health centers for care, maintaining their access to these services without managed care restrictions. The bill takes effect April 1, 2025, and amends existing law without creating new programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Responsible AI Safety and Education Act" (RAISE Act), regulates large artificial intelligence (AI) developers who train or use "frontier models" - defined as models requiring over $100 million in computing costs or 10^26 computational operations. It directly affects commercial AI companies (excluding academic researchers) by requiring them to implement safety protocols, conduct risk testing, and report incidents like unauthorized model access or misuse. Key provisions mandate documented safety measures to prevent "critical harm" (defined as serious injury to 100+ people or $1 billion+ in property damage), with remedies for violations. The law also creates specific definitions for terms like "frontier model," "safety incident," and "knowledge distillation" (modified AI models), ensuring clarity for compliance.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Scajaquada heritage area as an official state heritage area under New York's parks and historic preservation law. It specifically defines the area as the cohesive geographic region in Buffalo surrounding Scajaquada Creek. The bill does not create new programs or funding but formally recognizes this local area for preservation and historic significance. It directly affects Buffalo's local historic identity and future planning within the designated geographic boundary. The measure is procedural, adding the area to the state's list of designated heritage areas without altering existing laws or policies.
