Asm. Rebecca Kassay

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state employees in New York to provide written acknowledgment when changing job titles or responsibilities that affect their retirement membership eligibility or service credit accrual. Both the employee and employer must sign a statement confirming the change and its effective date, then submit it to the retirement board or comptroller within 30 days. It directly affects public employees whose roles transition between retirement-eligible and non-eligible positions, ensuring formal documentation of eligibility changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York school districts to develop and implement age-appropriate hate crime awareness curriculum. It mandates that the state education commissioner, working with the Division of Human Rights, create content covering discrimination, religious intolerance (including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia), and positive actions to promote inclusion. School districts may integrate this curriculum into existing social studies programs or other suitable formats. The law applies directly to all public school districts and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates Diwali (the 15th day of Kartika in the Hindu calendar) as a mandatory statewide school holiday, requiring all public schools to close on this date each year. It directly affects public schools across New York State by adding Diwali to the list of required non-scholastic days, alongside existing holidays like Asian Lunar New Year and legal holidays. The bill amends education law to specify that schools "shall not be in session" on Diwali, aligning with the current structure for other recognized cultural holidays. This change applies statewide, though Section 2 specifically references New York City public schools. The policy creates a consistent calendar requirement for all public school districts without altering existing transportation or instructional day rules.

Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.

Maddy summaryBill A 236 updates the educational licensing requirements for new respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians in New York State. New respiratory therapists will need an associate degree for initial licensure but must attain a baccalaureate degree in respiratory therapy or an equivalent within six years to maintain their registration. New respiratory therapy technicians will receive a three-year initial license, after which they must meet the new baccalaureate degree requirements for respiratory therapists to continue practicing. These updated educational standards do not apply to individuals already licensed as of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New York state veteran student loan forgiveness program, designed to help eligible New York resident veterans reduce their student loan debt. The program offers competitive awards of up to $10,000 annually for a maximum of five years, not exceeding $50,000 total or the applicant's outstanding debt. To qualify, veterans must have graduated from an approved New York state college, be employed full-time in New York, agree to reside in the state for five years, and not have received federal loan forgiveness. Priority for awards will be given to prior recipients, and then to economically disadvantaged applicants or those with a service-connected disability of 40% or higher.

Allows victim impact statements in New York state be video recorded; requires that the members of the parole board and all presiding commissioners for such hearing review all relevant victim impact statements prior to the conduct of a parole hearing and to sign a written attestation confirming that they have done so.

Requires fashion sellers to carry out environmental due diligence for the portions of their business related to wearing apparel, footwear or fashion bags, including wearing apparel, footwear or fashion bags produced as a private label; establishes a fashion remediation fund.

Relates to the use of electronic monitoring devices to monitor residents in assisted living residences and patients in nursing homes; requires consent from roommates to such electronic monitoring.

Expands the definition of mental health care provider to include licensed psychoanalysts, creative arts therapists and behavior analysts for purposes of certain sex offenses committed during a treatment session, consultation, interview, or examination.