Asm. Karen McMahon

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 It repeals outdated provisions while establishing new oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency in how funds for personal care services are managed.

Relates to authorizing grants for the implementation of the seal of civic readiness program; authorizes grants of $50,000 to no more than 20 applicant school districts for public schools that have successfully completed both the seal of civic readiness application and commissioner created grant application.

Prohibits hospital interference with patient care where the practitioner is acting in good faith and within the scope of their practice; defines emergency medical conditions; requires appropriate medical screening and stabilizing treatment of persons in an emergency department, including pregnant persons, or appropriate transfer.

Requires general hospitals and nursing homes to offer free notarial services to patients; requires an employee of such general hospital or nursing home who is a notary public to be present from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on business days.

Amends the definitions of diagnostic pharmaceuticals, topical therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension as they relate to the certification to use therapeutic drugs in the practice of optometry.

Provides that state-funded SUNY programs shall be reimbursed at no less than 26% of the direct costs; allows state agencies to fund SUNY programs where such state agencies determine that such program would produce administrative efficiencies or cost savings.

Enacts the "construction insurance transparency act" to require insurers providing coverage for liability under the scaffold law to report, on an annual basis, to the superintendent of financial services relating to its finances and claims paid thereunder.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires transit authorities and their subsidiaries to ensure accessible buses (wheelchair-friendly) are available within a three-mile service area of any bus line. It mandates that 65% of all regularly operated buses must be accessible, achieved by requiring all newly purchased, leased, or brought-into-service buses (except those for temporary shortages) to be accessible until the 65% threshold is met. The law directly affects public transit agencies like the MTA, ensuring better access for transportation-disabled riders, including wheelchair users, on fixed-route bus services. Key provisions include the 65% accessibility target and the 3-mile service area requirement for accessible buses.

Establishes a tax credit for individuals who serve or are employed as a direct support professional, or direct care worker, up to five thousand dollars for taxpayers who make less than fifty thousand dollars and phased out for individuals who make over one hundred thousand dollars.

Requires insurance coverage of sonograms and other diagnostic procedures used to detect breast cancer for covered persons with a prior history of breast cancer or who have a first degree relative with a prior history of breast cancer.