Requires training for teachers, administrators and instructors in the area of mental health response; requires office of mental health to assist in development of curriculum for training.
Designates the Montauk Point shoals as an important bird area; directs the commissioner of environmental conservation to designate such area as part of the New York state bird conservation area program.
Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens penalties for employers who intentionally lie to avoid paying unemployment benefits. It requires these employers to refund all overpaid money and pay a civil fine equal to the greater of $100 or 15% of the benefits they avoided paying. The law also clarifies that these financial penalties are separate from any criminal charges and cannot be deducted from future unemployment payments. Additionally, the bill outlines specific procedures for the state to recover these funds by filing a civil judgment against the employer, which can impact their credit and ability to access assets.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires correctional facilities to improve substance abuse programs for inmates who do not speak English as their first language. To achieve this, the commissioner of corrections must implement measures such as hiring bilingual counselors, translating program materials, and creating targeted initiatives for non-English speakers. The law gives the commissioner flexibility to choose specific strategies after consulting with addiction services experts. These changes are designed to ensure that language barriers do not prevent incarcerated individuals from accessing and completing necessary treatment.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows water utilities to access state funding for projects that repair or upgrade water quality infrastructure. It defines eligible recipients as municipalities, public utilities, and other organizations that build projects benefiting their customers with a clear public purpose. The legislation also clarifies how these funded improvements are treated for tax purposes, ensuring that any tax savings from the funding are used to lower water rates for customers.
Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road to give up their legal ability to claim immunity from lawsuits, making them subject to the same federal railroad laws that apply to other rail companies. It also extends these rules to any other commuter railroads owned by New York municipalities, covering areas like worker safety, retirement benefits, and discrimination. The changes apply immediately and cover any current lawsuits against these railroads.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends state laws to strengthen penalties for promoting animal fighting by clearly defining prohibited activities and equipment. It establishes three tiers of criminal offenses based on the severity of involvement, ranging from possessing fighting paraphernalia to training or breeding animals specifically for combat. The legislation creates new felony charges for large-scale operations involving multiple animals and allows courts to impose fines up to $35,000 for the most serious violations. By updating definitions and increasing punishments, the law aims to more effectively deter and punish individuals who organize or facilitate animal fights.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires sex offenders to list specific online information when registering with the state, including their internet accounts and the websites they use. It also mandates that offenders update their registration within ten days if they change their address, employment status, or any of their online identifiers. The law includes a $10 fee for submitting these updates, though failing to pay the fee does not prevent the state from accepting the new information. These changes aim to improve the accuracy of public records by ensuring online activity is tracked alongside physical locations.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes the ability for certain properties to receive tax exemptions if they are being used in violation of local zoning laws. It directly affects owners of real estate who might have previously claimed tax breaks while operating their properties against zoning regulations. The key mechanism is a specific amendment to the Real Property Tax Law that explicitly lists zoning violations as a condition that disqualifies a property from exemption status. By taking effect immediately upon enactment, the change ensures that non-compliant properties must pay full taxes rather than benefiting from special exemptions.
