Asm. Harvey Epstein

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's executive law to explicitly include veterans in the legal definition of "military status." It expands the existing definition to cover individuals who have been released from military service, ensuring veterans receive the same anti-discrimination protections as active military personnel. The change directly affects veterans in New York who may face discrimination in employment, housing, or other areas governed by laws prohibiting military status discrimination. The key mechanism is a textual update to the definition, adding "a person's participation in the military service... if such person has been released from such service." This creates a clear, concrete policy change without altering existing enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows attendees at professional or collegiate sporting events to bring specific reusable beverage containers into sports venues. It defines "reusable containers" as aluminum or stainless steel bottles/cups designed for multiple uses and prohibits venues from banning them, while permitting three limited restrictions: containers must be empty upon entry, cannot have caps, and must hold 24 ounces or less. Venues violating the law face civil penalties of up to $500 for the first offense and $750 for repeat violations. The law directly affects sports venues and event attendees by changing beverage container policies at games and events.

Requires consideration as a quantitative factor whether the commodities or services were manufactured or will be performed by a labor union with respect to the awarding of certain procurement contracts.

Provides notice of the death of an incarcerated individual occurring in the custody of the department of corrections and community supervision; requires the department to promptly notify the next kin and any other person designated as the representative of any incarcerated individual whose death takes place during custody.

Requires school districts to adopt a policy prohibiting the use of cellular telephones during classroom instruction; requires the department of education to adopt a model policy for use by school districts.

Relates to employment of persons and veterans with disabilities by the state; provides up to five thousand positions may be filled by persons with a physical or mental disability and up to two thousand positions may be filled by disabled veterans and veterans with disabilities.

Relates to the conversion to condominium ownership for the preservation of expiring affordable housing in the city of New York; provides expanded homeownership opportunities from the conversion of certain residential rental buildings to condominium status by property owners that commit to preserve the inventory of expiring affordable housing in the city of New York.

Establishes standards for the design and construction of all-gender bathrooms in the state and in New York city; provides standards will be permitted in both new construction and existing structures undergoing repair, renovation, or alteration work.

Prohibits the use of drilling fluids, brine and flowback water from gas or oil wells, pools, or fields on any highway for any purpose including but not limited to de-icing or dust suppression.

Repeals certain provisions regarding the adoption of a new or revised city charter proposed by a charter commission which limits the submission of questions to a city's qualified electors; eliminates the rule that provides that whenever a city charter commission puts a proposal on the local ballot, all other local referendum proposals are barred from the ballot.