Asm. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York state departments to publicly post on their websites the names of individuals authorized to sign state contracts. It also voids specific unfair contract terms, including those forcing the state to pay for damages, allowing contractors to change contracts unilaterally, limiting contractor liability for negligence, or using non-New York law (except for agreements with other states or the federal government). The law directly affects state departments managing contracts and their contractors by increasing transparency and preventing one-sided terms. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates New York's charter school regulations to strengthen oversight and student protections. It requires charter schools to follow clearer discipline procedures (including due process for suspensions exceeding five days), maintain enrollment/suspension rates comparable to district schools, and meet specific student achievement goals to renew their charter. The bill also mandates annual audits, detailed facility reporting, and ensures students can transfer to public schools without pressure. These changes directly affect all New York charter schools and their enrolled students, particularly regarding student discipline, accountability, and operational transparency.

Establishes the civil right to counsel in eviction proceedings in New York state; creates the New York state office of civil representation; requires that covered individuals be given notice of such right to counsel.

Enacts the "disadvantaged communities commitment act"; requires investor-owned energy utilities to collect and publish data on disadvantaged communities in certain service areas and file such statistics with the public service commission.

Permits an exception from registration for nonresident pharmacies in cases of a specific patient need or a declared public health emergency under certain conditions.

Allows access to sealed records and certain confidential records by the New York city civilian complaint review board in furtherance of the board's duties and functions.

Requires the board of elections in cities with a population of one million or more to provide at least one interpreter for all languages that are designated city-wide languages at poll sites that contain an election district with at least fifty voting age residents whose limited English proficiency language is a designated city-wide language.

Relates to preserving access to affordable drugs; provides that an agreement resolving or settling, on a final or interim basis, a patent infringement claim, in connection with the sale of a pharmaceutical product, shall be presumed to have anticompetitive effects if a nonreference drug filer receives anything of value from another company asserting patent infringement and if the nonreference drug filer agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the nonreference drug filer's product for any period of time.

Enacts the "New York state agency BIPOC asset management and financial institution strategy act" to ensure the promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the state pension system and the New York city pension system's investments by mandating a minimum allocation of assets to BIPOC asset managers, BIPOC financial institutions, and BIPOC financial or professional service firms; addresses disparities in investment opportunities and fosters economic growth within BIPOC communities, aligning with best practices in investment management and bolstering the financial well-being of New York City and state and residents thereof (Part A); relates to fair investment practices by investment advisers within the state of New York (Part B).

Establishes the New York State social housing development authority as a public benefit corporation to increase the supply of permanently affordable housing in the state through the acquisition of land and renovation or rehabilitation of existing real property, and through the construction of new, permanently affordable housing.