Asm. Andrew Hevesi

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local social services districts to set shelter allowances at up to 100% of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) fair market rent (FMR) for a recipient's unit size in their district. It directly affects low-income housing recipients who receive shelter assistance through local social services districts. The key provision mandates that allowances cover the recipient's actual rent obligation, capped at HUD's current FMR for their specific area and unit size. This change ensures assistance aligns with local rental market rates rather than fixed or lower rates. The bill takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Prohibits the search, with or without a warrant, of geolocation and keyword data of a group of people who are under no individual suspicion of having committed a crime, but rather are defined by having been at a given location at a given time or searched particular words, phrases, character strings, or websites.

Establishes the civil right to counsel in eviction proceedings in New York state; creates the New York state office of civil representation; requires that covered individuals be given notice of such right to counsel.

Establishes the COVID-19 pandemic response study commission to conduct a study of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic; provides for the repeal of such commission upon the completion of the commission's final report.

Permits an exception from registration for nonresident pharmacies in cases of a specific patient need or a declared public health emergency under certain conditions.

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.

Relates to establishing an early intervention loan repayment program; provides funding is to be awarded regionally with 50% percent awarded to providers with a principal residence within NYC and the remaining fifty percent awarded to providers outside of NYC; provides that awards shall be given to providers who work in underserved areas for 3 consecutive years; provides loans shall be paid over a 3 year period; provides that a working group shall be established within 90 days to develop plans for the streamlined loan repayment program application process.

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.

Relates to preserving access to affordable drugs; provides that an agreement resolving or settling, on a final or interim basis, a patent infringement claim, in connection with the sale of a pharmaceutical product, shall be presumed to have anticompetitive effects if a nonreference drug filer receives anything of value from another company asserting patent infringement and if the nonreference drug filer agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the nonreference drug filer's product for any period of time.

Ensures that library staff of free association, public, and hospital libraries, and with certain advice, Indian libraries, are able to develop collections, services, and programming that reflect the values and protections established under the human rights law and the equal rights amendment to the state constitution.