Asm. George Alvarez

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the state commission of correction from 3 to 9 members. It specifies that 3 members are appointed by the governor (with Senate confirmation), 2 by the Assembly speaker, 2 by the Senate Temporary President, and 2 by the Correctional Association. The commission must now include at least one person formerly incarcerated in a New York correctional facility, a public health professional, a behavioral healthcare professional, an attorney with criminal defense or prisoner rights expertise, and others deemed beneficial. The bill also sets term lengths and removal procedures for commission members.

Directs the metropolitan transportation authority, in conjunction with the New York city transit authority, to develop weekly and monthly tickets valid for optional, discounted transfers between such authorities.

Requires the registration of electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist; requires the commissioner of motor vehicles, in consultation with the commissioner of transportation, to create a public outreach and education campaign informing the public concerning the statutory registration requirements for motorcycles, mopeds, electric scooters or bicycles with electric assist; requires distinctive number and form of number plates for mopeds or electric scooters; prohibits the operation of electric scooters, mopeds or bicycles with electric assist on sidewalks; establishes the safe streets bureau requiring the superintendent of state police to create a patrol and enforcement bureau for mopeds, electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist, and assign to it members of the New York state police in such numbers and appoint to it such investigative specialists in such numbers as may be required for the purpose of preventing, investigating and detecting violations of the criminal laws and vehicle and traffic laws of the state, and conducting such other investigations as may be provided for by law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers to automatically approve preauthorization requests for specific medical services when healthcare professionals (like doctors or nurses) have received approval for at least 90% of similar requests in the past six months. It directly affects healthcare providers who work with participating insurers and ensures insurers must pay for covered services without delay or reduction once automatic approval is granted. Key provisions include annual reviews (by November 15th) to maintain approval status, a 30-day notice period before rescinding approvals, and a guarantee that insurers cannot deny payment for services covered under the automatic approval. The law aims to reduce administrative delays for providers while maintaining insurer oversight through retrospective reviews.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires drivers to pass bicycles and pedestrians safely on roads outside New York City. In towns and cities with under one million residents, drivers must move to another lane if possible when overtaking a cyclist or pedestrian, or maintain at least a three-foot distance if lane changes aren't feasible. If neither option is safe, drivers must only proceed if it's reasonable under current road conditions. The law applies specifically to vehicles overtaking cyclists or pedestrians on the same side of the road in non-NYC areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hospitals and birth centers to include specific statistics in patient information materials about maternity care. It mandates the provision of annual data on maternal complications (like hemorrhages and injuries during birth), fetal losses, stillbirths, cesarean section rates, and outcomes broken down by patient age and race. The information must cover topics such as deaths from childbirth complications, success rates for vaginal births after C-sections, and availability of services like bereavement support. This directly affects maternity patients by providing transparent, data-driven insights into care quality at their facility. The law aims to improve patient awareness of facility-specific outcomes without advocating for specific policies.

Authorizes people who transport a severely disabled person as an eligible person to receive disabled person plates; defines who qualifies as eligible persons.

Establishes a co-navigation services program for persons who are deaf-blind to provide services to a person who is deaf-blind that assist the person to physically access the person's environment and to make informed decisions, including providing visual and environmental information or sighted guide services and assisting with communication accessibility by communicating in the preferred language and communication mode of the person who is deaf-blind.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new license allowing supermarkets meeting specific size and sales criteria to sell wine in sealed containers (like bottles or cans) for off-premises consumption. To qualify, a store must primarily sell food (over 65% of revenue) and be at least 4,000 square feet, with a $10,000 franchise fee required. Licenses cannot be granted within 200 feet of schools/churches or 500 feet of liquor stores. Local governments can set time/place rules but cannot block licenses that meet these state standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 106) increases monthly financial standards for public assistance eligibility and home energy grants in New York State. It doubles the current monthly need standards for households (e.g., a single-person household jumps from $158 to $316) and home energy grants (e.g., from $14.10 to $28.20) starting July 1, 2025, for all public assistance recipients. The bill also establishes annual cost-of-living adjustments based on federal Social Security data. These changes directly affect low-income individuals and families receiving state public assistance benefits.