Asm. Andrew Hevesi

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York's Office of Children and Family Services to collect and report specific data about "alternative living arrangements" for children at risk of maltreatment. It defines these arrangements as out-of-home placements developed during child protection investigations, voluntary foster care, respite requests, or other related processes. The law mandates annual reports tracking details like the number of children in such arrangements, placement types (e.g., with relatives or respite care), duration, and outcomes (e.g., return home or court involvement), with data disaggregated by age, race, and zip code where feasible. These reports must be published online and submitted to state officials annually, starting by September 2026. The policy directly affects local social services districts, child protection agencies, and children in these care arrangements.

Removes certain requirements on what the office of children and family services can determine to be an appropriate staff/child ratios for family day care homes, group family day care homes, school age day care programs and day care centers.

Extends paid family leave benefits to employees who perform construction, demolition, reconstruction, excavation, rehabilitation, repairs, renovations, alterations, or improvements for multiple employers pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement who shall be eligible for family leave benefits if they were employed for at least twenty-six of the last thirty-nine weeks by any covered employer which is signatory to a collective bargaining agreement.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 565) prohibits the establishment of new for-profit hospices and bans capacity increases for existing for-profit hospices. It applies to all approvals after the law takes effect, directly affecting for-profit hospice providers and their expansion plans. The law requires new hospice facilities to operate as non-profits and prevents existing for-profit hospices from growing their services. This represents a concrete change in healthcare regulation, restricting for-profit models in hospice care.

Enacts the consumer litigation funding act to promote consumer protections related to consumer litigation funding transactions; provides for contract requirements, including that the contract contain a no penalty provision for the prepayment of the funded amount prior to the settlement of their case; makes related provisions.

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.

Includes entities that provide employment or services to formerly incarcerated persons in the preferred source exemption for purposes of state purchasing.

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.

Authorizes the department of transportation to establish and implement a state memorial sign program to memorialize persons who died due to injuries sustained in a fatal motor vehicle crash on state highways.

Requires hospitals to establish a violence prevention program which includes a workplace safety and security assessment and develop a safety and security plan that addresses identified workplace violence threats or hazards.