Asm. William Colton

Maddy summaryThis bill requires life insurance applicants to provide medical history at application through a physician's statement or medical records. If insurers accept the application based on this disclosure, they cannot later cancel the policy or reject the application due to the disclosed medical conditions. It directly protects applicants with pre-existing health conditions who voluntarily share their medical history upfront. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Prohibits the operation of establishments where animals and/or fowls are slaughtered or butchered for food; establishes a task force on public health risks and animal welfare concerns of slaughterhouses.

Requires inspections of child day care homes, programs and facilities include the full premises; requires providers of a family day care home or group family day care home to disclose to the office of children and family services all persons who reside in the home where child day care is being provided; requires all providers of child day care to receive training for, provide and maintain onsite opioid antagonists for use during emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public secondary schools in the state to include humane education about animal treatment, protection, and ecological roles in their curriculum. It specifically mandates instruction on kindness toward animals, respect for animal welfare laws, and managing animal overpopulation. Schools must verify compliance with these requirements, and the state education commissioner will maintain public records of this verification. Schools failing to provide this instruction risk losing public funding for those grades.

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.

Relates to the proper venue for an impounding organization to file a petition for a security to be paid by the owner of a seized animal currently in the care of such organization.

Requires courts, prior to accepting a plea, to provide notice to the defendant that such plea and the acceptance thereof could result in deportation, removal from the United States, exclusion from the United States or denial of citizenship, if the defendant is not a citizen of the United States.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for businesses that recycle bivalve mollusk shells (like oyster and clam shells). Taxpayers can claim a credit of up to $1,000 or 10 cents per pound of certified shells donated to DEC-permitted organizations for oyster reef restoration. The credit applies to taxable years starting January 1, 2025, and cannot reduce taxes below the minimum required amount. It directly affects businesses recycling shells who partner with DEC-approved groups restoring coastal habitats.

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.

Expands the solar energy system equipment tax credit to cover solar energy system equipment installed in a community solar array; defines "community solar array" to mean a location other than a person's principal residence where solar energy system equipment is owned and installed for use in such person's principal residence.