Asm. Crystal Peoples-Stokes

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the city of Buffalo to impose a 3% tax on short-term hotel and motel stays (including bed-and-breakfasts and tourist facilities), excluding guests staying 90+ consecutive days. The tax revenue must be allocated: 25% to downtown public safety, parks, and parking facilities, and 75% to capital improvements for cultural venues, public spaces, and sports facilities citywide. The city would collect the tax through its finance department, with specific rules for exemptions (e.g., government entities) and refund procedures. This policy directly affects hotels/motels and short-term visitors in Buffalo, not permanent residents or exempt organizations.

Creates the health insurance guaranty fund to protect covered individuals against the failure or inability of a health insurer to perform its contractual obligations due to financial impairment or insolvency.

Prohibits off-track betting corporation vehicles from being used as take-home vehicles by board members, officers, employees, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, or agents of such corporation or by certain family members of such individuals; provides an exception therefor.

Prohibits police officers from using bias-based profiling; requires that a procedure be established for the taking and review of complaints against police officers for bias-based profiling; allows an action for injunctive relief and/or damages to be brought against a law enforcement agency, any agent of a law enforcement agency and the supervisor of an agent.

Authorizes the application of topical fluoride varnish to a child's teeth by a parent or legal guardian provided that such application is done under the direction and supervision of a licensed practitioner.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends how money from asset forfeiture cases is distributed. It increases the portion going to the Chemical Dependence Service Fund from 15% to 40% of remaining forfeiture funds after other costs are covered. It also raises the share for law enforcement agencies to cover their costs from 5% to 15% of remaining funds. These changes affect law enforcement agencies handling forfeiture cases and the state's chemical dependence treatment programs.

Prohibits insurance companies from discriminating based on genetic predisposition including refusing to issue or renew, charging any increased rate, or restricting any length of coverage; prohibits insurers from requiring genetic testing.

Enacts provisions relating to collective negotiations by health care providers with certain health care plans in certain counties; applies to health benefit plans that provide benefits for medical or surgical expenses incurred as a result of a health condition, accident or sickness, including an individual, group, blanket or franchise insurance policy or insurance agreement offered by certain enumerated entities.

Establishes the New York Health program, a comprehensive system of access to health insurance for New York state residents; provides for administrative structure of the plan; provides for powers and duties of the board of trustees, the scope of benefits, payment methodologies and care coordination; establishes the New York Health Trust Fund which would hold monies from a variety of sources to be used solely to finance the plan; enacts provisions relating to financing of New York Health, including a payroll assessment, similar to the Medicare tax; establishes a temporary commission on implementation of the plan; provides for collective negotiations by health care providers with New York Health.

Relates to the use of injurious physical force by public servants; directs the commissioner of criminal justice services and the commissioner of health to prescribe standards for the use of physical force and for devices and substances used in the exercise of physical force.