Maddy summaryThis bill expands the State Commission of Correction from three to nine members to include a broader range of perspectives in overseeing the state's correctional system. The new commission will consist of appointees from the governor, the Assembly speaker, the Senate temporary president, and the correctional association, with specific requirements that at least one member be a formerly incarcerated individual, a public health professional, a behavioral health expert, or an attorney specializing in prisoner rights. To ensure stability and balance, members will serve staggered five-year terms with a limit of ten years total, and the appointing authority for each member will have the power to remove them for cause.
Sponsored bills
Prohibits utility corporations from imposing late fees, interest, or penalties during an investigation by the commission; allows retroactive late fees, interest, or penalties if a determination is made in favor of such utility corporation; prohibits utility services from being terminated during an investigation by the commission; requires utility corporations to notify customers of investigations; requires notice to the general public.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state-operated hospitals, university health facilities, and cancer institutes from suing patients to collect medical debt. It defines medical debt as any amount owed for health care services, products, devices, or ambulance care provided by licensed providers. The law applies specifically to these public institutions and bars them from filing civil or supreme court lawsuits against individuals for such debts. The provision takes effect immediately upon passage.
Requires public notice and public engagement when a general hospital seeks to close entirely or a unit that provides maternity, mental health or substance use care.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, requires large fashion retailers to conduct standardized environmental due diligence on their supply chains and creates a remediation fund to address harms. It applies to businesses selling new clothing, shoes, or bags with over $100 million in annual revenue, excluding used clothing sellers and most multi-brand retailers. Companies must map their suppliers across four tiers, from raw material providers to finished goods manufacturers, and report on their efforts to prevent or mitigate environmental damage. The legislation mandates that these reports be independently verified and published using open data principles, while defining a "living wage" as a key standard for worker compensation.
Relates to rechargeable battery recycling; adds a battery used as the principal electric power source for an electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist to the definition of "rechargeable battery"; provides that a battery manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute rechargeable batteries in the state unless the battery manufacturer is implementing or participating under an approved plan; allows a city with a population of one million or more to enforce through its own agencies.
Enacts the "packaging reduction and recycling infrastructure act" to require companies selling, offering for sale, or distributing packaging materials and products to register with a packaging reduction organization to develop a packaging reduction and recycling plan.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changing the state constitution to allow the legislature to adjust the number of Supreme Court justices in each judicial district based on population. Under the new rules, the number of justices could be increased if a district's population grows, with a limit of one justice for every fifty thousand people, or decreased if the population shrinks, provided the total does not fall below the current authorized number. The amendment also clarifies that judges from specific county courts in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island would serve as Supreme Court justices within their respective districts. Because this change requires a constitutional amendment, the bill must be published for three months before the next general election and approved by voters.
Authorizes courts to hold evidentiary hearings for a temporary order of protection in certain circumstances; grants superior court judges the authority to issue a temporary order of protection when an action is pending in a local criminal court in certain circumstances.
Requires child protective services to orally and in writing disclose certain information to parents and caretakers who are the subject of a child protective services investigation; requires such oral and written disclosure to contain certain information regarding the rights of the person under investigation.