Asm. Rebecca Seawright

Empowers the office of fire prevention and control to, in coordination with the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disabilities and the chief disability officer, provide minimum basic training related to handling emergency situations involving individuals with any physical and/or developmental disability to all firefighters.

Provides that the thruway authority shall issue permits for ambulances and fire vehicles exempting such vehicles from paying tolls on the thruway when engaged in an emergency operation.

Prohibits the participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; prohibits the department of environmental conservation from issuing permits or licenses allowing participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; excludes certain permanent performing institutions; imposes a civil penalty not to exceed $1000 for a violation.

Prohibits the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes where the victim is under the influence of any drug, intoxicant, or other substance to a degree which rendered the victim temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling such person's conduct and such condition was known or reasonably should have been known to a person in the actor's situation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New York State Bridge Authority to install specialized fencing on all bridges it operates. The fencing must prevent climbing by using features like welded wire mesh panels, tightly spaced wires, and spike collars. It applies to all new bridge construction contracts and mandates installation within three years of the law's effective date. The measure directly affects the Bridge Authority and its contractors, focusing solely on the physical safety requirement without broader policy changes.

Requires school districts to provide instructional programming and services in reading and literacy which are evidence based and aligned with state standards; requires teachers in grades pre-K through five to attend professional development courses in reading education.

Maddy summaryBill A 7467 expands the legal definitions of "sewage" and "sewerage system" for specific water, sewer, and water and sewer authorities. It explicitly includes "stormwater" within these definitions, meaning these authorities will legally manage stormwater as part of their waste and collection systems. The bill also defines "stormwater" as unabsorbed flow from rain or meltwater on the ground or other surfaces. This aims to clarify the responsibilities of these authorities for the collection, conveyance, treatment, and disposal of stormwater.

Maddy summaryBill A 1206 mandates that certain health insurance policies must provide coverage for diabetes and prediabetes screening. This requirement applies to policies that include coverage for physician services or offer major medical and comprehensive benefits. Insurers are prohibited from imposing any deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, or other cost-sharing requirements for these screenings. The screenings covered must be conducted pursuant to a national evidence-based practice guideline, aiming to make preventative care more accessible to policyholders.

Provides that an accusatory instrument or supporting deposition consisting of factual allegations by a deponent with limited English proficiency is not sufficient unless accompanied by a sworn statement from an interpreter affirming the accuracy of the English interpretation.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's environmental conservation law to define "coal tar" for pavement products. It specifies that coal tar is a thick liquid from coal distillation containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) above 1,000 milligrams per kilogram. The definition explicitly includes certain residues like ethylene or steam cracked residues. This change directly affects manufacturers and suppliers of pavement materials using coal tar, as it sets a clear regulatory threshold for PAH levels. The bill was advanced to third reading in April 2025 but was later substituted by S3179.