Asm. Phil Ramos

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the state education commissioner to rename the current high school equivalency diploma to the "Excelsior high school diploma." The legislation requires the commissioner to create and update the necessary rules and regulations to implement this name change. Once passed, the new name will officially apply to the diploma issued to adults who pass the state's equivalency exam. The law will take effect approximately 90 days after it is signed into law.

Relates to utilization review program standards; requires use of evidence-based and peer reviewed clinical review criteria; relates to prescription drug formulary changes and pre-authorization for certain health care services.

Relates to the regulation of three-dimensional printed firearms; provides that a person who intentionally sells, distributes, or disposes of a three-dimensional printed firearm is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows registered pharmacy technicians to work in any pharmacy under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. It clarifies that technicians can assist with tasks like preparing and dispensing drugs only when those tasks do not require professional judgment, which must remain the responsibility of the pharmacist. The law requires pharmacies to ensure technicians have received proper training before they begin assisting and defines supervision as the pharmacist staying in the immediate area to authorize and evaluate the technician's work.

Directs the division of criminal justice services to establish a program for the care of retired law enforcement dogs which shall cover the cost of veterinary care for retired law enforcement dogs for the remainder of the lifetime of such dogs.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts not-for-profit mentoring programs from paying fees for criminal history background checks on prospective mentors. To qualify for this exemption, the programs must be operated by specific types of organizations, such as not-for-profit corporations, educational institutions, or school districts, and must provide blank fingerprint cards to applicants. The legislation amends existing laws to ensure these organizations can conduct necessary background searches without incurring the standard processing charges, while still requiring them to submit fingerprints and other required information to the state division of criminal justice services.

Provides that in toxic tort cases the date of discovery of the injury by the plaintiff or claimant is presumed to be the date of diagnosis and where the specific toxic etiological cause of injury is not known for up to ten years (instead of five years) after the injury itself is discovered a plaintiff shall have three years to file a claim from the time such specific cause is discovered.

Directs the commissioner of health and commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities to jointly promulgate rules and regulations requiring pediatric health care providers to screen children beginning at the age of 12 months for autism spectrum disorders during each wellness and preventative care examination and to conduct such screening annually until such child reaches age six, and thereafter at eleven and fourteen years of age.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits colleges and universities from using an applicant's family connection to current graduates as a factor in deciding who gets accepted. Under the new rules, schools cannot give special consideration to students based on their familial relationship to alumni, effectively ending the practice of legacy admissions. While institutions are still allowed to ask about family ties after a student has already accepted an offer, this information can only be used for data collection and not to influence the admission decision. The law takes effect on July 1st of the year following its passage.

Enacts the "New York wildlife crossing act"; directs the department of transportation and the New York state thruway authority to identify sites along all highways, thruways and parkways in the state where wildlife crossings are most needed to increase public safety and improve habitat connectivity and create a priority list of wildlife opportunity areas where federal grant monies may be available to implement the top five projects identified.