Asm. Harvey Epstein

Directs the metropolitan transportation authority and the New York city transit authority to rename the 110th Street - Central Park North subway station to the 110th Street - Malcolm X Plaza station.

Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.

Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges elected by and from among the faculty and staff of the college.

Relates to rechargeable battery recycling; adds a battery used as the principal electric power source for an electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist to the definition of "rechargeable battery"; provides that a battery manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute rechargeable batteries in the state unless the battery manufacturer is implementing or participating under an approved plan; allows a city with a population of one million or more to enforce through its own agencies.

Enacts the "public renewables transparency act"; relates to the New York power authority's conferral process; requires the conferral report be posted on the authority's website; provides that the authority shall provide an option for stakeholders to submit comments remotely as well, and incorporate feedback from such sessions and written comments into the final draft of the strategic plan; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Responsible AI Safety and Education Act" (RAISE Act), regulates large artificial intelligence (AI) developers who train or use "frontier models" - defined as models requiring over $100 million in computing costs or 10^26 computational operations. It directly affects commercial AI companies (excluding academic researchers) by requiring them to implement safety protocols, conduct risk testing, and report incidents like unauthorized model access or misuse. Key provisions mandate documented safety measures to prevent "critical harm" (defined as serious injury to 100+ people or $1 billion+ in property damage), with remedies for violations. The law also creates specific definitions for terms like "frontier model," "safety incident," and "knowledge distillation" (modified AI models), ensuring clarity for compliance.

Authorizes the commissioner of education to conduct a survey regarding instruction on Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history within the state; establishes an Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history advisory committee; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits insurance companies from refusing to issue or renew homeowners' or renters' insurance policies, canceling policies, charging higher premiums, or limiting coverage solely because a policyholder owns a specific dog breed or mix of breeds. It directly affects homeowners and renters who might have faced discrimination based on their dog's breed. The key provision requires insurers to base coverage decisions on standard risk factors, not breed alone, for policies defined under New York's insurance law. The law applies to all policies issued or renewed after its effective date.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (not a law) requesting Governor Hochul to officially designate July 2025 as Disability Pride Month in New York State. It honors the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and aims to raise awareness of disability rights. The resolution does not create new policies or affect specific groups; it simply asks the Governor to recognize the month through an official proclamation. The resolution was adopted by the Assembly on June 10, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all New York state agencies (including departments, public authorities, SUNY, and CUNY) to create and implement waste reduction plans. Agencies must decrease landfill waste by 10% every five years, starting from 2018-2019 baseline levels, aiming for a 75% overall reduction by 2034. Plans must detail strategies for reducing single-use plastics, diverting organics and recyclables, conducting waste audits, and transitioning to dual-stream recycling where feasible. The GreenNY Council will oversee implementation, review progress, and require updated plans every five years. All plans must be publicly posted on the environmental department's website.