Asm. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn

Relates to returnable bottles; adds noncarbonated soft drinks, certain noncarbonated fruit or vegetable juices, coffee and tea beverages, carbonated fruit beverages and cider to the definition of "beverage"; provides that beginning April 1, 2027, the handling fee will be six cents for each beverage container accepted by a deposit initiator from a dealer or operator of a redemption center; directs the multi-agency bottle bill fraud investigation team to submit a report on findings of pervasive bottle redemption fraud in New York state.

Requires all insurance policies and health maintenance organization contracts to provide coverage for maternity patients and their newborns for hospital stays of at least 48 hours following childbirth by natural delivery and 96 hours following childbirth by caesarean section; provides such coverage for patients who are recipients of medicaid.

Allows an applicant with four or more unsuccessful attempts on the New York bar examination to file an application for re-examination for the February or July administration of the bar examination, provided such applicant successfully graduated from a law school located in and accredited by the state of New York.

Provides for a working families tax credit; directs quarterly prepayment of the credit; provides for a sliding reduction in the credit for incomes which exceed a certain threshold.

Directs the commissioner of health and commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities to jointly promulgate rules and regulations requiring pediatric health care providers to screen children beginning at the age of 12 months for autism spectrum disorders during each wellness and preventative care examination and to conduct such screening annually until such child reaches age six, and thereafter at eleven and fourteen years of age.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates special "epilepsy awareness" license plates for New York residents who choose to purchase them. Owners pay a $25 annual fee on top of regular registration, with all fees deposited into a new "epilepsy awareness fund." The fund finances research and education programs about epilepsy, including scientific studies and public awareness initiatives on seizure prevention and first aid. These programs are managed by the state health department under established public health law.

Establishes the New York Health program, a comprehensive system of access to health insurance for New York state residents; provides for administrative structure of the plan; provides for powers and duties of the board of trustees, the scope of benefits, payment methodologies and care coordination; establishes the New York Health Trust Fund which would hold monies from a variety of sources to be used solely to finance the plan; enacts provisions relating to financing of New York Health, including a payroll assessment, similar to the Medicare tax; establishes a temporary commission on implementation of the plan; provides for collective negotiations by health care providers with New York Health.

Requires the board of elections to provide Russian interpreters at certain polling locations in cities having a population in excess of one million people.

Maddy summaryThis bill significantly expands eligibility for judicial diversion programs, allowing individuals charged with a broader range of offenses to participate if they have a "qualifying diagnosis." This diagnosis includes serious mental disorders, other mental health disorders causing severe functional impairment, or substance use disorders. While most Class A felonies and Class B sexual offenses are generally excluded, the bill establishes a new "diversion part" in each county. It also redefines "treatment" within these programs to include evidence-based interventions outside of carceral settings.

Authorizes the transfer of pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals to residential treatment facilities; requires annual reporting on the number of such incarcerated individuals transferred.