Asm. Rebecca Seawright

Requires that no person under four years of age shall be a passenger in a taxi or livery unless such person is restrained by a child restraint system; requires that no person four years of age or older but under age eight shall be a passenger in a taxi or livery unless such person is restrained in an appropriate child restraint system; establishes violations of such provisions shall be punished by a civil fine of up to fifty dollars.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 9211) requires New York State hospitals to conduct mandatory newborn screening for Gaucher disease, a rare inherited metabolic disorder. It directly affects all newborns in New York by adding Gaucher disease to the state's required newborn screening panel under public health law. The key mechanism is amending Section 2500-a of the public health law to include Gaucher disease screening as a standard test. This policy change ensures early detection of the condition, enabling timely medical intervention for affected infants.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the maximum age for provisional or permanent appointment as a police officer in certain government departments from 35 to 40 years old. It directly affects applicants for competitive civil service positions in the Department of Environmental Conservation, county, city, town, village, housing authority, or police district police forces. The key change modifies the age requirement for the written examination date, allowing applicants up to age 40 to qualify instead of the previous 35-year limit. This adjustment applies broadly across eligible departments, with specific exceptions for military service time or existing employees under limited circumstances.

Enacts the reproductive health care facilities and religious worship access act; provides that the crime of criminal interference with health care services or religious worship shall be established by the mens rea of knowingly injuring, intimidating or interfering with a person obtaining or providing or assisting in obtaining or providing reproductive health services or a place of religious worship; includes in the definition of such crime engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts within twenty-five feet of the premises of a reproductive health care facility or a place of religious worship; defines such premises; provides for a civil cause of action for any person harmed by conduct constituting such a crime.

Authorizes the New York state environmental facilities corporation to award grants and loans to community water systems and non-community water systems for water quality projects that relate to the removal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new licensing system for two types of vision impairment specialists: orientation and mobility specialists (who teach safe movement techniques) and vision rehabilitation therapists (who provide training for independent living). It requires these professionals to obtain state licenses to use their titles and defines their specific scope of practice, including assessments, training, and use of adaptive devices. The bill also creates a State Board for Vision Impairment Specialists to oversee licensing, composed of licensed practitioners, medical professionals, and blind community representatives. This directly affects individuals seeking to work in these specialized fields and ensures they meet defined standards before practicing.

Prohibits motor vehicle insurers from discrimination on the basis of socioeconomic factors in determining algorithms used to construct actuarial tables, coverage terms, premiums and/or rates.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all plastic trash bags sold in the state to contain at least 30% recycled post-consumer material by weight, starting January 1, 2028. It directly affects manufacturers (who make the bags) and retailers (who sell them), mandating they label packages with the recycled content percentage. Retailers face $500 penalties for first violations after a warning, while manufacturers face $500 per violation. The law aims to increase recycled content in common household waste bags through specific material requirements and labeling.

Requires certain documents and forms to be provided in the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by limited English proficient immigrants of five years or less according to the American community survey, as published by the United States census bureau.

Enacts the "New York small contractor relief act"; defines terms; authorizes a small contractor captive insurance company to purchase, and the New York state insurance fund shall be authorized and directed to provide, reinsurance and retrocession reinsurance for such captive insurance company, on either a quota share arrangement or facultative arrangement at a rate to be determined by the board of the fund; provides that a small contractor captive insurance company organized pursuant to this article shall not refuse to issue, renew or cancel a policy of any qualified small construction contractor based upon geographic location or line of business engaged in by such contractor; makes related provisions.