Asm. Steven Raga

Directs the office of children and family services to establish a center for fatherhood initiatives to issue grants to initiatives regarding the promotion and advancement of fatherhood, including but not limited to all underserved fatherhood groups to help expand opportunities to improve parenting knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy.

Establishes a standardized statewide system for collecting, recording, and monitoring winter road maintenance operational data in order to improve efficiency, enhance transparency, and support the protection of water resources in the state of New York; requires calibration of all deicing material application equipment used for winter highway maintenance on public roads.

Waives the ability of government agencies in New York to claim copyright protection except where the record reflects artistic, creative or scholarly works of authorship, academic course materials, or scientific or academic research, or if the copyright owner intends to distribute the record of derivative work based on it to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership.

Relates to false or misleading advertisements of food and food products; provides factors to determine whether an advertisement is false or misleading; provides for enforcement and a private right of action.

Prohibits the sale and distribution of anti-fogging sprays or wipes containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; provides penalties for violations.

Relates to motions to vacate judgment; authorizes filing motions to vacate judgment for a conviction that was subsequently decriminalized; authorizes motions to vacate judgment to be filed at any time after entry of a judgment obtained at trial or by plea; repeals certain provisions relating thereto.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a resolution that honors the Burmese American community in New York by officially recognizing their celebration of Thingyan, the Burmese New Year Water Festival. The measure pauses legislative proceedings on April 13-16, 2026, to acknowledge the cultural significance of the event, which includes water fights and various traditional activities. It highlights the festival's history, its recent addition to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and the contributions of Burmese Americans to the state. Copies of the resolution are sent to community leaders to formally mark the occasion.

Maddy summaryAssembly Resolution 1162 directs the New York State Legislature to pause its proceedings on April 13-15, 2026, to honor the Asian American community's celebration of Songkran. This ceremonial resolution acknowledges the significance of the Thai New Year festival, which involves traditions such as water splashing, family gatherings, and merit-making activities. The bill does not change any laws or policies but serves as a formal recognition of the cultural contributions of Asian Americans in New York.

Enacts the "food safety and chemical disclosure act"; prohibits certain food additives and food color additives; provides that in an action to enforce compliance, the recognition by the federal food and drug administration of any of these substances as safe may not be alleged as a defense; establishes requirements for the reporting of GRAS (generally recognized as safe) substances.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for household pet owners, allowing a deduction for medical/veterinary costs and everyday expenses like food or grooming for up to two companion pets. It caps the credit at $150 annually for daily costs and $300 for medical expenses per pet, totaling a maximum $900 per household yearly. The credit applies to tax returns filed for 2026 and later, covering expenses for dogs or cats kept primarily for companionship (excluding service animals, research animals, or breeding operations). Proof of pet ownership and expenses will be required to claim the credit.