Asm. William Colton

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 9356) would require the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to create a free bus fare program for all full-time undergraduate students enrolled in associate or bachelor's degree programs at accredited colleges. It directly affects eligible students at participating institutions by eliminating their bus fare costs during all hours the MTA operates bus services, not just limited to off-peak times. The MTA must implement this program without restricting its operation to specific hours, and the chairman would establish necessary rules. The bill is currently pending in committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to create a free bus fare program for all high school students attending accredited public or non-public schools in New York City. It mandates that the program operate daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. during regular bus service hours, without limiting it to off-peak times. The MTA chair must establish rules to implement the program, which would take effect January 1st after enactment. The bill directly affects NYC high school students by eliminating bus fare costs during specified hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits housing discrimination based on dog breed, size, or weight. It prevents public housing authorities and landlords from denying occupancy, evicting tenants, or restricting leases solely because a tenant owns a specific dog breed. The law allows reasonable safety rules for all dogs (including dangerous dogs under existing law) but bans blanket breed restrictions. It applies to public housing projects and private rental properties, taking effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the definitions and requirements for organizations that provide fiscal intermediary services within the consumer directed personal assistance program. It establishes a new category of "Fiscal intermediary" alongside the existing "Statewide fiscal intermediary," allowing certain entities, like those with Department of Health contracts or independent living centers, to operate in this role. These new fiscal intermediaries will have the same status as the Statewide fiscal intermediary and can directly contract with managed care plans and other programs. The bill also removes the procurement process requirement for the Statewide fiscal intermediary and streamlines registration rules for these service providers.

Pertains to confinement of animals for food producing purposes; prohibits any person to tether or confine any pig during pregnancy, calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen who is kept on a farm for all or the majority of any day in a manner that prevents such animal from lying down, standing up and fully extending its limbs and turning around freely; establishes that commission of such crime shall constitute a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed one year and/or fine not to exceed $1,000.

Requires the department of labor to study the long-term impact of artificial intelligence on the state workforce including but not limited to job performance, productivity, training, education requirements, privacy and security; prohibits any state entity from using artificial intelligence in any way that would result in the displacement of any currently employed worker or loss of position, including partial displacement such as a reduction in the hours of non-overtime work, wages or employment benefits, or results in the impairment of existing collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 6096) requires homeless shelters in New York State to undergo quarterly unannounced inspections. It directs the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to create rules mandating at least four annual inspections per shelter, with one inspection each quarter. The inspections will be conducted by the state department or local social services districts. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Establishes a career and technical education (CTE) diploma; establishes a CTE pathway to a diploma shall be based on a curriculum designed to provide students with technical skills and shall demonstrate that the student is ready for a career as determined by regulations of the commissioner.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 5001) requires New York state agencies to conduct cost comparisons before signing consultant contracts exceeding $1 million annually. It mandates agencies to evaluate whether state employees could provide the same services at equal or lower cost, excluding legal services and construction contracts. If savings exceed 10%, agencies must develop a business plan analyzing options, performance risks, and quality standards, and notify affected employees if layoffs may occur. The plan must then be reviewed by the state comptroller, who has 90 days to approve or disapprove it.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires developers seeking permits for major projects near low-income or minority neighborhoods to submit a detailed public engagement plan. The plan must include maps of the community, locations of sensitive sites like schools, a schedule for at least three public meetings, and materials in plain language translated into common community languages. Applicants must also provide quarterly progress reports and ensure community input influences project design. This applies to projects within one mile of designated disadvantaged communities, aiming to improve transparency and community involvement in environmental permitting.