Establishes a license to sell liquor at retail for consumption on premises in a cigar lounge; defines "cigar lounge"; requires cigar lounges to provide written notification warning employees of the dangers of exposure to tobacco smoke.
Establishes the teachers' fossil fuel divestment act; requires the New York state teachers' retirement system to divest the retirement system of any stocks, securities, equities, assets, or other obligations of corporations or companies included on an exclusion list of coal producers and oil and gas producers.
Maddy summaryThis bill modifies rules for mutual companies seeking voluntary dissolution. It allows mutual companies that received loans after May 1, 1959, to dissolve without agency approval only after their municipal tax exemption (and any extension) expires. The bill requires full payment of outstanding mortgage principal, interest, and dissolution costs before dissolution can proceed. This directly affects mutual companies holding such loans, changing their timeline for voluntary dissolution compared to non-mutual companies under existing law.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a New York state tax credit for small businesses hiring disabled workers. Small businesses with 100 or fewer employees can claim a $5,000 credit per disabled employee (up to $25,000 per business annually), provided the employee works 35+ hours weekly for six months and the employer verifies the employee meets the statutory disability definition. The credit is capped at $5 million total per year, with unused credits carried forward for up to three years. It directly affects small business employers in New York who hire eligible disabled residents, aiming to incentivize their employment through tax relief.
Directs the commissioner of education to conduct an audit regarding instruction in literacy instruction at institutions of higher education that offers a graduate or undergraduate degree or certification program in education or educational administration located within the state.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal pathway for people wrongfully convicted of crimes to seek compensation from the state. It allows individuals who were pardoned for innocence, had convictions reversed, or had charges dismissed (specifically on grounds like DNA evidence or constitutional violations) to file claims. To qualify, claimants must prove they didn't commit the crime and weren't responsible for their conviction, with claims involving DNA evidence given court priority. If successful, claimants receive compensation of at least $1 million per year of wrongful imprisonment, plus reasonable attorney fees.
Requires certain businesses to offer identity theft prevention and mitigation services in the case of a security breach; exempts businesses under financial hardship.
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.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes the requirement that business owners operating under an assumed name or as a partnership must have their certificate of business name notarized (acknowledged). Previously, certificates needed both a signature and notarization, but now only a signature is required. This simplifies the filing process for sole proprietors and partnerships when registering their business name with county clerks across New York. The change applies immediately to all such filings without altering the certificate's content or other registration requirements.
Establishes domestic violence crimes when an individual commits or intends to commit a specified offense against a member of the same family or household; defines specified offenses; defines members of the same family; sets forth criteria for the authorized disposition of individuals convicted of a domestic violence crime.
