Asm. Nily Rozic

Directs the commissioner of health to contract with an independent entity to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing methodology used to determine payment for early intervention screenings, evaluations, services and service coordination; directs recommendations on reimbursement methodology as well as needs under the program.

Enacts the student journalist education act to protect student speech at educational institutions unless such speech is libelous, an invasion of privacy, or incites students to commit an unlawful act, violate school policies, or to materially and substantially disrupt the orderly operation of the school.

Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.

Authorizes the secretary of state to appoint a person from the utility intervention unit within the consumer protection division to serve on the state energy planning board.

Authorizes a thirty year retirement benefit for certain members in Nassau county; provides a retirement allowance equal to 60 percent of a member's final average salary.

Provides for certain death benefits to correction officers, correction officer-sergeants, correction officer-captains, assistant wardens, associate wardens or wardens employed by Orange county.

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" which establishes a law enforcement peer support program to provide confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling; defines terms; provides exceptions for when a peer support communication may be disclosed.

Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services; requires general hospitals to develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all patients who require language assistance.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes cities with populations over one million (like New York City) to establish a minimum five-mile-per-hour speed limit on designated "open streets." Open streets are defined as segments with physical barriers, signage, or traffic calming measures that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and non-motorized users over vehicles. The bill amends traffic laws to ensure such speed limits comply with existing regulations but does not affect school zone speed limits or simple traffic control signs. It directly impacts urban transportation planning in large cities by mandating the lowest possible speed for these pedestrian-focused zones.

Authorizes the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and the office of mental health to conduct a study pertaining to a proposed expansion of the Long Island Motor Parkway trail.