Asm. Mike Tannousis

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a crime to wear body armor while committing any offense involving a deadly weapon (like a firearm). It directly affects individuals who wear body armor during crimes involving weapons, creating a new offense separate from the underlying crime. The key provision requires courts to impose consecutive sentences for this new "unlawful wearing of body armor" offense, meaning the jail time for this specific act runs after the sentence for the original crime. The law applies to both misdemeanors and felonies committed with a deadly weapon while wearing body armor.

Provides for the humane destruction or other disposition of certain animals by shelters; requires animals to be made available for adoption for 90 days unless a veterinarian certifies that such animal should be humanely destroyed for health reasons.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the legal definition of "aggravated cruelty to animals" under New York law to include intentionally causing serious physical injury or using a weapon against companion animals. It directly affects individuals who commit severe animal cruelty, making these actions punishable as aggravated cruelty rather than lesser offenses. The key change adds three specific scenarios to the definition: conduct causing extreme pain/serious injury, especially depraved/sadistic acts, or the use of a weapon. The amendment applies immediately upon enactment and focuses on strengthening penalties for the most severe animal cruelty cases.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases New York State's earned income tax credit (EITC) for tax returns filed in 2025 and later, raising the credit percentage from 30% to 45% of the federal EITC amount. It directly affects low-to-moderate income workers and families who qualify for the state EITC, primarily those with children or who meet income thresholds. The bill adds new payment options: small credits ($200 or less) are paid as a lump sum, medium credits ($200-$2,400) as three quarterly payments, and larger credits ($2,400+) as monthly installments. The changes take effect for taxable years beginning January 1, 2025, and are implemented through updated tax law provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 2393) doubles the annual funding cap for the child care tax credit program from $25 million to $50 million per year for businesses providing child care services in New York. It directly affects eligible businesses that qualify under existing rules by increasing the total pool of funds available for their tax credits. The key mechanism requires the state Office to allocate the $50 million pro-rata (based on proportion) to all qualifying business entities that demonstrate eligibility. This change applies to the 2023-2024 fiscal period and takes effect immediately.

Includes offenses involving the possession, display or discharge of a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine-gun, or disguised gun as qualifying offenses for the purpose of allowing a principal to be eligible to be held on bail.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's penal law to include damaging an American flag as a specific form of criminal mischief in the third degree. It expands the existing definition - which already covers property damage exceeding $250 - to explicitly add damage to an American flag as a qualifying offense. The law directly affects individuals who intentionally damage an American flag, making such acts subject to third-degree criminal mischief penalties if the property damage meets the $250 threshold. The change clarifies that flag damage is treated the same as other significant property damage under this specific criminal statute.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 6497) amends New York's luring a child statute to explicitly include online communication as a method of committing the crime. It makes it illegal for someone 18+ to use a computer to solicit sexual contact, sexual performances, or in-person contact with a minor under 17, with the intent to commit specific sex offenses or violent felonies. The law expands the definition of "luring" to cover electronic communication (like messages or images) that targets children, while clarifying terms like "child" (under 17), "computer," and "sexual contact." It maintains that luring remains a felony, with severity depending on the underlying crime the perpetrator intended to commit.

Requires child protective services to document every home visit or contact with the child as part of a treatment plan, supervision and monitoring, with photographs of the child.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Veterans' Memorials Preservation Act," requires public entities like cities, towns, and school districts to preserve existing veterans' memorials - such as parks, monuments, plaques, or structures - without altering, moving, or destroying them, except when changes are "reasonably necessary." It mandates that these memorials remain publicly accessible and properly maintained by the groups that own or manage them. The law directly affects local and state government bodies responsible for veterans' memorials across the state. It takes effect immediately upon passage.