Asm. Rebecca Seawright

Establishes the work opportunity tax credit for businesses with fifty employees or less for hiring a long term unemployed person; provides a credit shall be allowed of up to $2,400; provides the total amount of credit provided statewide shall not exceed fifteen million dollars.

Enacts the "Customer Savings and Reliability Act" in relation to regional affordable gas transition plans to guide an orderly, affordable, and equitable right-sizing of the utility gas system in a manner that aligns with climate justice and emissions reduction provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain public water systems (serving at least 15 year-round residents or 25 regularly) to identify lead service lines connecting water mains to properties. It defines "lead service line" broadly, including galvanized pipes downstream of lead lines or where lead connectors are used. Water systems must obtain property owner or occupant consent for free inspections, with a 30-day response window; if consent isn't received, occupants may provide consent. Inspections must occur within 60 days of consent, focusing solely on identification, not removal, of lead service lines.

Relates to enacting the Justice for Nursing Home Victims act; creates a nursing home resident COVID-19 compensation program to provide full compensation to any nursing home resident or their statutory beneficiary when COVID-19 caused or contributed to such resident's death; provides the responsibilities of a nursing home during a pandemic; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Establishes a 10 day waiting period for the purchase of any firearm; establishes violations of such provisions shall constitute a class A misdemeanor.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary commission to study the environmental and health effects of 5G technology in New York State. The commission, composed of 15 members including health experts, industry representatives, and government officials, will examine wireless radiation impacts and review scientific research. It must hold public hearings and submit an interim report by June 2026 and a final report by December 2026. The study focuses on health and environmental impacts of 5G deployment, including radiation exposure guidelines and peer-reviewed research. The commission’s findings will inform potential future legislation but will not directly change current laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York's municipal and authority-owned airports to hire permanent staff for critical airport management roles without relying on standard civil service lists. It specifically covers positions like airport director, manager, aviation security chief, and operations supervisor (for safety compliance), when no qualified candidates are available through regular hiring processes. The rule applies only to these designated roles, requires appointees to be qualified, and prohibits temporary assignments outside these specific positions. It modifies civil service rules to address staffing gaps in essential airport operations.

Provides for the temporary surrender of firearms to the police by any person who is taken into custody by the police for the purpose of a mental examination and prior to an examination ordered pursuant to article seven hundred thirty of the criminal procedure law; requires a "cooling off period" following the discharge from psychiatric care during which time firearms, which came into police custody during the person's pre-hospitalization intervention or during hospitalization, may be kept in police custody for thirty days, or after a psychiatric examiner has determined whether the person is a threat to themself or others; provides that a judge of the local jurisdiction may order an early return of the firearms if such judge determines that it would be appropriate to do so.

Eliminates provisions exempting employees with disabilities from the minimum wage law; provides that laws or minimum wage orders that authorize an employer to pay a wage that is less than the minimum wage are valid provided that under such laws or orders an employee with a disability is paid the same wage as an employee in a comparable position that does not have a disability.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines specific terms in standard form contracts (where an individual didn’t draft the agreement) as unconscionable, directly affecting consumers who sign such contracts with businesses. It creates a rebuttable presumption that terms like requiring inconvenient dispute venues, waiving statutory rights, or imposing excessive fees are unfair and unenforceable. The law also establishes $1,000 in statutory damages per violation for consumers and classifies including these terms as an unfair trade practice. It applies to contracts entered into after its effective date (January 1 next year), aiming to prevent businesses from using oppressive contract terms.