Asm. Emily Gallagher

Maddy summaryThis bill creates tax-advantaged savings accounts for small businesses, allowing them to deduct contributions (up to 10% of prior year's gross profits) and receive tax-free distributions during qualifying economic hardship. It directly affects eligible small businesses with 25 or fewer average full-time employees and under $250,000 annual net income. Key provisions include requiring hardship distributions to fund worker hiring or job retention, setting annual limits on qualified distributions, and mandating reinvestment plans for hardship withdrawals. The tax exemptions for contributions and qualified distributions begin in 2025, with penalties for misusing funds.

Directs payment of certain internet sales and use taxes into the central business district tolling capital lockbox fund partially dedicated for the MTA to be made without appropriation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal framework for safe injection sites in New York, creating a program approved by the Department of Health to provide overdose prevention services. It directly affects people who use drugs (participants), community health organizations operating the sites, and local communities through designated locations. Key provisions require sites to offer sterile equipment, overdose monitoring, naloxone access, referrals to treatment, and language-accessible education, while mandating annual reporting on participant numbers and services. The bill also provides legal immunity from arrest or penalties for participants, staff, and property owners who follow approved protocols, ensuring these sites operate without criminal or civil liability.

Maddy summaryBill A 7953 mandates that screenings for elevated lead levels, when covered by an insurance policy, will not be subject to annual deductibles or coinsurance. This means individuals would not incur additional out-of-pocket costs, such as a deductible or coinsurance, for these specific screenings. The bill also amends social services law to ensure that screening and blood tests for elevated lead levels in children are a covered service. "Elevated lead levels" are defined by referencing an existing public health law.

Authorizes the New York state energy research and development authority to administer a program to provide grants or loans for the costs related to enabling switching residences with propane or fuel-oil heating systems to efficient electric heat pumps.

Requires institutions and local correctional facilities to adhere to certain standards regarding the surveillance of incarcerated individuals and detainees, and access to such surveillance recordings.

Enacts the "Livable New York act" to fight back against climate change, provide additional affordable housing and provide employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals; makes a three billion dollar appropriation therefor.

Enacts The New Deal for CUNY; increases the ratio of faculty and mental health counselors to full-time students; requires that certain amounts of tuition be replaced by federal, state, and city funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in New York to provide new employees with information about student loan repayment options during the hiring process. It directly affects employers hiring for entry-level positions requiring an associate's degree or higher (including post-graduate interns), starting on the bill's effective date. Employers must give newly hired workers written materials covering federal repayment plans, income-based options, consolidation, and public service loan forgiveness programs, plus links to the state's financial services resource center. The materials must be developed by the Labor Commissioner with input from higher education and financial services officials.

Establishes a five-year window for any entity participating in the New York state supportive housing program (NYSSHP) in good standing with such program to participate in a request for proposal to increase their contract rates up to ESSHI levels.