Asm. Emily Gallagher

Relates to returnable bottles; adds noncarbonated soft drinks, certain noncarbonated fruit or vegetable juices, coffee and tea beverages, carbonated fruit beverages and cider to the definition of "beverage"; provides that beginning April 1, 2027, the handling fee will be six cents for each beverage container accepted by a deposit initiator from a dealer or operator of a redemption center; directs the multi-agency bottle bill fraud investigation team to submit a report on findings of pervasive bottle redemption fraud in New York state.

Provides for a working families tax credit; directs quarterly prepayment of the credit; provides for a sliding reduction in the credit for incomes which exceed a certain threshold.

Establishes the New York Health program, a comprehensive system of access to health insurance for New York state residents; provides for administrative structure of the plan; provides for powers and duties of the board of trustees, the scope of benefits, payment methodologies and care coordination; establishes the New York Health Trust Fund which would hold monies from a variety of sources to be used solely to finance the plan; enacts provisions relating to financing of New York Health, including a payroll assessment, similar to the Medicare tax; establishes a temporary commission on implementation of the plan; provides for collective negotiations by health care providers with New York Health.

Maddy summaryThis bill significantly expands eligibility for judicial diversion programs, allowing individuals charged with a broader range of offenses to participate if they have a "qualifying diagnosis." This diagnosis includes serious mental disorders, other mental health disorders causing severe functional impairment, or substance use disorders. While most Class A felonies and Class B sexual offenses are generally excluded, the bill establishes a new "diversion part" in each county. It also redefines "treatment" within these programs to include evidence-based interventions outside of carceral settings.

Maddy summaryThe "Total Access to Menstrual Products (TAMP) Act" requires all female-designated and gender-neutral bathrooms in New York to provide free menstrual products - including sanitary napkins, tampons, and panty liners - to users. It directly affects workplaces (factories, mines, offices), public facilities (county/city buildings, state universities), hospitals, hotels, and transportation (railroad cars), mandating these products be available at no cost. Key provisions amend labor, public health, and municipal laws to standardize this requirement across all covered facilities. The law focuses on ensuring accessibility without cost, avoiding policy speculation or advocacy.

Authorizes the transfer of pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals to residential treatment facilities; requires annual reporting on the number of such incarcerated individuals transferred.

Relates to the menstrual product safety and research act and its creation of a research program to determine the risks posed from potential toxins in menstrual products.

Establishes the baby bucks allowance to provide income to eligible participants for the last three months of pregnancy and the first 18 months of the child's life; excludes income received from the baby bucks allowance for purposes of supplemental nutrition assistance program eligibility.

Establishes a state SNAP minimum benefit program to provide a minimum amount of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits that is higher than the amount of federal SNAP benefits.

Provides that bi-weekly salary installment payments and allowances shall not be withheld for members of the state legislature if the governor has submitted certain legislation which is not necessary for the effective implementation of the appropriation bill or bills and legislative passage of the budget has not occurred prior to the first day of any fiscal year.