Asm. Linda Rosenthal

Maddy summaryBill A 520 creates a tax credit allowing New York landowners to deduct 25% of real property taxes paid on land enrolled in forestry stewardship or habitat conservation programs. To qualify, land must be at least 25 contiguous acres, inspected by DEC-certified biologists, and committed to a 5-year conservation agreement with the Department of Environmental Conservation. The credit is capped at $10,000 annually per taxpayer and applies to personal income and business franchise taxes. Landowners must follow approved conservation plans and record agreements with local authorities to maintain eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of candy or confectionery products designed to look like tobacco products (such as candy cigarettes or gum cigars). It directly affects candy manufacturers, sellers, and retailers who produce or market items mimicking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. The law prohibits using tobacco-like packaging, branding, or descriptions, and violations carry civil fines of $100-$500. The policy change explicitly prevents candy resembling tobacco from being sold under existing confectionery laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires property owners who receive tax abatements for major capital improvements (like significant renovations) to waive half of the rent increase they would otherwise collect from tenants due to those improvements. It applies to owners seeking tax benefits for renovations completed after the bill's effective date, excluding properties receiving city/state/federal subsidies or vacant building rehabs. Owners must formally declare this waiver when applying for tax benefits, binding them and future owners to share the tax savings with tenants. The waiver ends once the tax abatement expires, allowing full rent adjustments.

Sets out the procedures and requirements for special elections; implements a timetable for the special primary and special election, including the number of signatures required for the petition.

Maddy summaryBill A 7958, titled the "Paid-In Act," proposes to exempt used books from sales and use taxes. This means that individuals purchasing second-hand books would not pay sales tax on those items. The exemption applies to used books with a price of up to one hundred dollars per item. This bill directly affects consumers buying used books and the businesses that sell them.

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.

Imposes a commercial vacancy tax on vacant or abandoned commercial storefronts located in a city with a population of one million or more of one percent of the assessed value of the property.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 3159) requires commercial health insurance plans to cover peer support services as part of substance use disorder treatment. It directly affects insurance companies offering medical, major medical, or comprehensive coverage and people receiving substance use disorder care. The key provision mandates that insurers cover certified peer support services (provided by advocates certified under New York's addiction services program) with the same financial terms and treatment limitations as standard medical care - meaning no stricter copays, deductibles, or visit limits than for other medical services. This ensures individuals with substance use disorder have access to these specific support services without facing more restrictive insurance barriers than typical medical treatments. The bill applies to all commercial health insurance contracts covering outpatient substance use disorder treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A3245) amends New York's health proxy laws to clarify when an agent can make decisions about artificial nutrition and hydration. It directly affects individuals who create health care proxies (advance directives) and their designated agents. The key change specifies that if a person's wishes regarding artificial nutrition/hydration are unknown, the agent "shall not have authority" to decide on these life-sustaining treatments. The bill also updates definitions to explicitly include hydration/nutrition under "health care" and adds instructions for proxy forms about these measures. These changes apply to all existing and future health care proxies.

Enacts the community gridlock prevention act, which requires all land use actions to include an intersection and response time of emergency services impact study in addition to any existing requirements for an environmental assessment statement or an environmental impact statement.