Asm. Jessica González-Rojas

Requires third-party food delivery services maintain insurance through a group policy that covers bodily injury or death arising out of or resulting from qualifying accidents involving a delivery person.

Includes middle Eastern and North African persons in the definition of "minority group member" for purposes of participation by minority group members and women with respect to state contracts.

Establishes through the department of health a drug checking services program to allow individuals to bring drugs or controlled substances and have them tested for contaminants, toxic substances, or hazardous compounds; requires the department to establish public health surveillance of the unregulated drug supply; provides exemptions for participants in the drug checking program from certain controlled substance offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill, A 1147, authorizes an 11% rate increase for in-person early intervention services provided by approved healthcare providers, effective July 1, 2026. It directly affects service providers (such as therapists and clinics) who deliver early intervention care to children with developmental delays or disabilities. The key provision mandates the commissioner of health to implement this specific rate adjustment for approved costs under public health law. The increase applies only to services rendered on or after the effective date, with no additional eligibility changes.

Relates to allowing for students in certain postsecondary education experience or transition programs to receive awards from the tuition assistance program.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds comprehensive neuropsychological exams for dyslexia to New York's Medicaid coverage. It directly affects Medicaid recipients who need these evaluations for dyslexia diagnosis, requiring a physician referral. The exam must be performed by a licensed health professional authorized under New York's education law, acting within their scope. The bill explicitly states this coverage does not replace or affect existing Medicaid coverage for medical screenings, diagnoses, or treatments.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state tax law to exclude unemployment compensation from taxable income for state income tax purposes. It directly affects taxpayers who receive unemployment benefits by ensuring those payments are not counted when calculating their state income tax liability. The key provision adds a new tax law section effective January 1, 2025, specifically excluding unemployment compensation from taxable income calculations. The change applies to all taxpayers receiving unemployment benefits during taxable years starting in 2025. This is a straightforward policy adjustment to the tax code, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Relates to establishing a commission for the educational advancement of multilingual learners in New York; provides such commission shall report on the best practices and legislative recommendations to close the achievement gap and high school graduation rates between multilingual learners and their English proficient peers from prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

Requires public officers and public bodies to make reasonable efforts to provide qualified interpreters at no charge for the hearing impaired at public meetings and hearings upon written request to the public officer responsible for the siting of such hearing; requires installation and use of assistive listening devices.

Provides for a priority call system for use in connection with emergency disconnections of utilities, service coverage and oversight of response time in connection with the emergency disconnection of utilities.