Asm. William Colton

Relates to the availability of technical assistance grants in brownfield site remedial programs; provides that the commissioner of environmental conservation shall provide grants to the New York city community board with jurisdiction over the site or to any not-for-profit corporation exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code at any site which may be affected by a brownfield site remedial program.

Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges elected by and from among the faculty and staff of the college.

Prohibits the sale of kratom to individuals under the age of twenty-one; imposes a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for the sale or provision of kratom to any person under the age of twenty-one.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New York courts to interpret the state's labor law "liberally" in favor of workers to achieve its protective goals, such as securing fair wages, preventing retaliation, ensuring equal pay, and protecting unemployment benefits. It specifically requires courts to apply labor law provisions broadly and interpret any exemptions or exceptions narrowly to maximize deterrence of employer violations. The law affects all workers and employers covered by New York's labor regulations by changing how courts evaluate disputes under existing labor statutes. This is a procedural directive for judicial interpretation, not a new law creating additional worker protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires utility companies and contractors to provide detailed electronic records identifying pole attachments, including equipment owners, contractors, work dates, and safety compliance details. It creates an online public complaint system for reporting unsafe attachments, equipment hazards, or violations of safety standards like the National Electrical Safety Code. The commission must investigate complaints within two weeks and can issue fines up to $20,000 for first violations, $50,000 for second violations, or stop-work orders for third violations. The law directly affects utility providers, telecom companies, and contractors working on utility poles, aiming to improve public safety and accountability through standardized reporting and enforcement.

Relates to rechargeable battery recycling; adds a battery used as the principal electric power source for an electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist to the definition of "rechargeable battery"; provides that a battery manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute rechargeable batteries in the state unless the battery manufacturer is implementing or participating under an approved plan; allows a city with a population of one million or more to enforce through its own agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Responsible AI Safety and Education Act" (RAISE Act), regulates large artificial intelligence (AI) developers who train or use "frontier models" - defined as models requiring over $100 million in computing costs or 10^26 computational operations. It directly affects commercial AI companies (excluding academic researchers) by requiring them to implement safety protocols, conduct risk testing, and report incidents like unauthorized model access or misuse. Key provisions mandate documented safety measures to prevent "critical harm" (defined as serious injury to 100+ people or $1 billion+ in property damage), with remedies for violations. The law also creates specific definitions for terms like "frontier model," "safety incident," and "knowledge distillation" (modified AI models), ensuring clarity for compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits leasing state-owned forests, reforestation areas, wildlife management areas, and unique natural areas for gas or oil exploration, development, or production. It amends New York's environmental conservation law to explicitly exclude these specific public lands from being leased for fossil fuel activities. The policy change directly affects state land management decisions, preventing future leases for oil and gas operations on these protected areas. The law applies to lands including state forests, wildlife areas, and designated unique natural sites, with no exceptions for gas or oil projects. This represents a concrete policy shift in how certain state lands may be used for energy development.

Authorizes the commissioner of education to conduct a survey regarding instruction on Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history within the state; establishes an Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history advisory committee; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Protects certain employees from a reduction of wages due to their involvement in the investigation of a violation of a workplace violence protection program.