Asm. Jessica González-Rojas

Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and/or protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.

Maddy summaryThe Make Transit Affordable Act establishes a one-year, fare-free bus pilot program in New York City, funded by $45 million in state funds to expand to at least 15 new routes (with at least three in each borough). It requires the MTA to select routes based on equity, ridership, and safety factors, implement all-door boarding, and report on performance metrics like ridership and safety. The bill also allocates $160 million annually to prevent a planned 4% fare increase on subways and buses, maintaining current fare levels. This program directly benefits NYC bus riders, particularly low-income and economically disadvantaged communities, by providing free service on selected routes while ensuring no fare hikes for subway and bus users.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits landlords, lessors, sub-lessors, and grantors from requiring tenants to pay broker fees. It directly affects residential tenants by preventing landlords from charging them for brokerage services related to lease applications or tenancy. The law allows landlords to still charge for background and credit checks, but bans all other upfront fees like broker commissions. Exceptions apply to certain senior living communities and cooperative housing corporations under specific conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state constitution to allow lawmakers to change or remove tax exemptions for private colleges and universities. Currently, exemptions for properties used by educational institutions are protected, but this bill specifically removes that protection for private higher education. The key provision changes constitutional language to state that exemptions for private college real estate "may be altered or repealed." This would directly affect private colleges and universities that currently receive property tax breaks on their buildings and land. The bill is a constitutional amendment requiring Senate approval and a future legislative session before taking effect.

Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians, including requiring certain trainings during work hours without a loss of pay; requires certain reporting by bidders for telecommunication contracts.

Codifies the disparate impact standard in the human rights law; provides that in cases of alleged housing discrimination, an unlawful discriminatory practice may be established by a practice's discriminatory effect.

Enacts the "keep police radio public act"; ensures that, except for sensitive information, all radio communications are accessible to emergency services organizations and professional journalists.

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.

Requires the department of civil service to allow municipalities to post municipal employment positions on the department of civil service's state jobs website; requires such municipal employment opportunities to be posted in a format searchable by municipality and employment position type.