Asm. Karen McMahon

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, requires large fashion retailers to conduct standardized environmental due diligence on their supply chains and creates a remediation fund to address harms. It applies to businesses selling new clothing, shoes, or bags with over $100 million in annual revenue, excluding used clothing sellers and most multi-brand retailers. Companies must map their suppliers across four tiers, from raw material providers to finished goods manufacturers, and report on their efforts to prevent or mitigate environmental damage. The legislation mandates that these reports be independently verified and published using open data principles, while defining a "living wage" as a key standard for worker compensation.

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.

Enacts the "packaging reduction and recycling infrastructure act" to require companies selling, offering for sale, or distributing packaging materials and products to register with a packaging reduction organization to develop a packaging reduction and recycling plan.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows towns and villages to set a new rule requiring their local justices to be licensed attorneys. Under the proposed change, a local government would need to vote by a majority to adopt this requirement, which would apply to anyone serving as a justice after the next election following the law's passage. The bill does not force every community to adopt this rule but gives them the option to raise the educational and professional standards for their judicial officers. It takes effect on January 1st of the year after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits hospitals from restricting licensed medical professionals from sharing accurate health information or providing necessary care related to pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage management or ectopic pregnancies, when doing so is medically appropriate. It specifically bars hospitals from limiting a doctor's ability to explain diagnoses, treatment options, and risks, or from stopping care in emergency situations where delaying treatment could endanger a patient's life or cause permanent harm. The law also protects healthcare workers from being fired, disciplined, or discriminated against if they provide services consistent with these protections, while allowing hospitals to limit care only when it is required to ensure patient safety. Additionally, the state health department must create and publish online guides to help medical staff understand these new rules.

Prohibits the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes where the victim is under the influence of any drug, intoxicant, or other substance to a degree which rendered the victim temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling such person's conduct and such condition was known or reasonably should have been known to a person in the actor's situation.

Prohibits the sale of certain products that contain regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; requires manufacturers of products containing PFAS to provide notice of such fact to persons that offer the products for sale or distribution; provides penalties for violations.

Requires all agencies to submit to the committee on open government a log of all freedom of information law requests for each year in which they received or have pending a request for records; requires the committee on open government to publish, on one webpage, all freedom of information law request logs it receives.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes specific limits on interest rates charged on overdue property taxes for residential real estate. Starting in the 2025 fiscal year, the interest rate for these payments cannot be higher than the prime interest rate set by the commissioner, nor can it fall below 2% or rise above 16%. These caps apply to condominiums and cooperatives, while vacant and abandoned properties listed on a state registry remain exempt from these restrictions. The law overrides any local rules that previously set interest rates above the new 16% maximum.

Relates to prevailing wage requirements applicable to brownfield remediation work performed under private contract as it relates to certain remediation activities, for sites that are seeking or have received a determination that the site is eligible for the tangible property credit component of the brownfield redevelopment tax credit, and the work is paid for in whole or in part by public funds.