Asm. William Colton

Relates to establishing the housing access voucher program; provides that the commissioner of the division of housing and community renewal shall implement a program of rental assistance in the form of housing vouchers for eligible individuals and families who are homeless or who face an imminent loss of housing; provides that the commissioner shall designate housing access voucher local administrators in the state to administer the program.

Requires health insurance policies include coverage for anesthesia for the entire duration of a procedure for which a licensed medical practitioner has issued an order for such anesthesia.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that batteries used in electric-assist bicycles and electric scooters must be tested and approved by specific accredited laboratories, such as Underwriters Laboratories or labs meeting international ISO/IEC standards. It mandates that these batteries display a certification seal from an approved lab, including those accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 or participating in the OSHA NRTL program. The law directly affects battery manufacturers and sellers of e-bikes and e-scooters, who must ensure compliance before selling or using these devices. The requirement takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how New York State funds pre-kindergarten programs outside New York City. It repeals the previous requirement for competitive selection of programs and instead guarantees funding sufficient to cover all qualifying programs in non-NYC regions. The key change ensures that every eligible pre-K program in these areas receives full funding based on need, rather than competing for limited slots. The bill also maintains the $300 million annual allocation specifically for New York City programs.

Requires applicants to the department of environmental conservation for permits to disclose information concerning other permits held and/or revoked, enforcement actions, criminal convictions, fees or fines owed, and other information relating to compliance by the applicant or any corporation of which they are an officer, director, or large stockholder with state, federal, or foreign environmental laws or regulations and certain other laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts to order fingerprint comparisons against statewide and national databases for defendants in criminal cases. It requires courts to determine first that the fingerprints meet federal or state standards, and second that a different outcome was likely if the comparison had been done earlier (e.g., a more favorable verdict or no conviction). The law directly affects defendants seeking to challenge prior convictions based on new fingerprint evidence. It creates a specific legal pathway for courts to review such evidence without changing how fingerprints are collected during investigations. The bill focuses on post-conviction relief, not new investigations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 7450) requires election boards to copy electronic ballot images and cast vote records from voting machines within one week after an election and make them public records available upon request. It directly affects voters, election observers, and transparency advocates who can now access these records to verify election results. The key provision mandates that election boards preserve and release the electronic images of each ballot and the data showing how each was interpreted by the scanner. This change makes previously internal election data accessible to the public without court orders or committee investigations, as specified in the amended election law.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits annual increases for homeowners' insurance rates to 25% or less unless the policyholder specifically agrees to a higher increase in writing before the policy is issued or renewed. It directly affects homeowners with standard residential insurance policies by restricting how much insurers can raise their premiums each year. The key provision requires insurers to obtain explicit prior agreement from policyholders to exceed the 25% annual rate hike limit. The law applies to all policies issued, renewed, modified, or amended on or after its effective date, which is 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3538) requires health insurers and health maintenance organizations in New York to provide newly diagnosed Alzheimer's patients with written informational resources within 60 days of learning about the diagnosis. It directly affects insureds and enrollees recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, mandating that insurers send evidence-based materials about the disease and contact information for specialized support organizations like the Alzheimer's Association. The resources must be culturally and linguistically appropriate, developed by medical and disability experts, and delivered via mail (or electronically if consented to). The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Requires that public schools provide instruction on climate change, including but not limited to identifying the causes and impacts of climate change on individuals, environments and communities, and learning to evaluate solutions.