Asm. Jessica González-Rojas

Allocates the Amistad commission to work alongside the department of education and on behalf of students in the state; repeals certain provisions relating to the Amistad commission; requires schools in the state to provide curriculum relating to Black history, slavery, and race.

Provides that restaurants may provide single-use plastic straws to customers when explicitly requested by the customer; prohibits single-use plastic stirrers.

Provides that substituted consent by a guardian, health care proxy, or other third party shall not authorize a procedure resulting in sterilization in the absence of the informed consent of the person being sterilized.

Defines the term "construction projects" to mean the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of any school building where a district receives any apportionment for debt service or building aid and the school building is sited within the Long Island region; provides that each contract involving the award of a construction project shall require the use of a project labor agreement for all contractors and subcontractors on such project.

Directs the department of health to develop state food guidelines for foods purchased, served, and sold by state agencies, programs, and institutions and on state property.

Includes correctional facilities and local correctional facilities as publicly-assisted housing accommodations for purposes of the division of human rights; defines correctional facilities and local correctional facilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits prisons and jails from unjustly restricting in-person visits for incarcerated people. It requires facilities to allow at least two in-person visits per week and bans coercion to skip visits, while still permitting video calls as an extra option (not a replacement). Exceptions are allowed for safety reasons like misconduct or emergencies, as determined by corrections officials. The law directly affects incarcerated individuals and their families by protecting their right to regular face-to-face contact.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a $1.2 billion permanent fund to improve wages and benefits for New York's childcare workforce. It directly affects licensed childcare providers that accept families using the state's Child Care Assistance Program, requiring them to use at least 75% of funds for direct caregivers (like teachers), 10% for administrators, and the rest for program quality or expansion. The fund mandates that providers meet a new minimum compensation scale (developed with worker input) aiming to align childcare wages with public school educators. The Office of Children and Family Services will distribute funds based on factors like serving high-need children, underserved communities, and enrollment, with annual reporting requirements.

Requires motorists to exercise care to avoid colliding with any domestic or companion animal; increases fines and penalties for causing such injury and for leaving the scene of injury to certain animals without reporting.

Decreases the frequency of lock-down drills in schools; directs that such drills shall be implemented with a trauma-informed approach; permits parents to opt their children out of such drills.