Asm. Joe DeStefano

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the mental hygiene law to add spina bifida to the list of conditions qualifying as a developmental disability. It directly affects individuals with spina bifida who may now qualify for services under existing developmental disability programs. The key change is simply adding "spina bifida" to the statutory list of qualifying conditions, which currently includes intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and others. No new programs or funding are created - this is a definitional update to align eligibility with current medical understanding. The bill passed committee referral and is now moving toward final legislative action.

Prohibits the siting and construction of battery energy storage systems and related facilities, systems, infrastructure, and substations of any scale and possessing any storage capacity in assembly district 63; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

Provides that schools, child day cares, day care centers, or community based organizations which support activities for children under the age of eighteen can not serve as a shelter for migrants.

Directs the department of labor and the office for people with developmental disabilities to study and report on the wages earned by those who help, assist, support, and/or work with the developmentally disabled.

Enacts the "cobalt and lithium mining and production divestment act" to prevent monies or assets of the common retirement fund from being invested in the stocks, securities or other obligations of any institution or company engaging in cobalt and lithium mining or production for the manufacture of batteries used in large-scale battery storage power stations and the primary propulsion systems for electric vehicles, if such company cannot establish through approved independent monitoring that their mining operation does not use child labor and that adult miners and other workers are employed under conditions that meet accepted criteria.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state to reimburse counties for the full cost of document management software specifically designed for child welfare services (e.g., cases involving child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment). It directly affects counties operating child welfare programs that purchase or plan to purchase such software to create paperless systems for managing case documentation. The state will fund reimbursements from the general budget, requiring counties to provide proof of purchase (like receipts) for eligible software that uses advanced capture, storage, and retrieval technology. The reimbursement applies to both past purchases and future planned purchases made by counties serving child welfare cases.

Provides a reimbursement to small businesses and residential consumers of certain utilities for failure to provide contracted services; requires the Long Island power authority to do the same.

Requires that where a health care professional or professionals require the completion of an allergy checklist or form by the patient, prior to receiving care by such professional or professionals, the checklist or form shall also inquire about the opioid history of such patient.

Provides that the state shall pay to the city or county operating a facility, including whenever a person confined during proceedings pursuant to article ten of the mental hygiene law has been placed in any county jail or penitentiary, or a city prison operated by a city having a population of one million or more inhabitants, the actual per day per capita cost as certified to the state commissioner of corrections and community supervision by the appropriate local official for the care of such person as approved by the director of the budget.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the MTA to create a half-fare program for eligible New York State veterans using public transportation. It applies specifically to veterans who are New York residents, honorably discharged from U.S. military service, and possess a valid New York veteran ID card. The MTA must establish the program but cannot fund it from its regular operating or capital budgets; instead, it can only implement it using state funds specifically allocated for this purpose. The bill defines "veteran" clearly and mandates that the program be implemented with state appropriations.