Asm. Jo Anne Simon

Maddy summaryThis bill increases fines for violating public health laws. It raises penalties for nursing home and hospital operators from $3,000 to $5,000 per violation, with repeat offenses or violations causing harm now carrying up to $10,000 or $20,000 fines. Excess fines collected beyond $2,000 per violation go to a patient safety center, while nursing home fines over $10,000 fund quality improvement programs for nursing homes. The changes apply directly to healthcare facilities and their operators under New York's public health and social services laws.

Enacts the "New York Stock Act"; prohibits public officers and employees from using nonpublic information derived from their official positions for personal benefit.

Establishes the "public interest legal services loan assistance fund" of the state of New York (to consist of a portion of bar examination fees and other funds appropriated by the legislature therefor and such other monies as may be credited or otherwise transferred from any other fund or source pursuant to law, including voluntary contributions); provides for administration of such fund to assist public service attorneys practicing public interest law in repaying their student loans; defines certain terms and adds other related provisions.

Establishes the housing people and animals together grant program to expand access for co-sheltering people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence with companion animals.

Provides that gas, electric, or combination gas and electric corporations shall not be permitted to retain revenues derived from their actual return on equity in excess of authorized rates of return on equity.

Establishes the sanitary retail food store grant program to provide funding to retail food stores that fail inspections to correct deficiencies if such stores are unable to sustain the costs to immediately correct critical deficiencies, are located in food deserts, and would otherwise be unable to stay in operation due to their inability to meet and maintain sanitary standards.

Relates to a training course and curriculum on the handling, investigation and response procedures concerning reports of domestic violence; requires law enforcement and judicial employees to participate in such training; makes related provisions.

Establishes the "protect our privacy (POP) act" to impose limitations on the use of drones for law enforcement purposes; prohibits the use of drones by law enforcement at concerts, protests, demonstrations, or other actions protected by the first amendment.

Establishes the fentanyl abuse and overdose prevention task force to conduct a comprehensive study on fentanyl abuse and overdose prevention and to report on the findings and recommendations of the task force.

Directs the commissioner of education to develop and maintain a publicly accessible statewide attendance and absenteeism dashboard to be posted publicly on the state education department's website.