Asm. Jeffrey Dinowitz

Maddy summaryThis bill adds "caste" to New York's existing anti-discrimination protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It defines "caste" as a hereditary social hierarchy based on birth that restricts opportunities, and prohibits discrimination against individuals because of their caste in hiring, housing, and public services. The law amends existing sections of the executive law to explicitly include caste alongside other protected characteristics like race, gender, and disability. It directly affects people in New York who experience caste-based discrimination in workplaces, housing, or public spaces. The key mechanism is updating anti-discrimination statutes to include caste as a protected category, making such discrimination unlawful under current enforcement frameworks.

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.

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

Relates to making technical corrections to ensure gender neutrality for the admission to practice law and preventing the character fitness questionnaire from inquiring into an applicant's prior interaction with law enforcement or the criminal justice system under certain circumstances.

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.

Establishes a tax credit for the installation of electrical outlets for charging electric cars in certain parking garages owned by condominium management associations or cooperative housing corporations.

Provides for certain presumptions for reckless driving and the implementation of a reckless driving and vehicular violence awareness component of the pre-licensing course for driver's licenses.

Defines the term "construction projects" to mean the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of any school building where a district receives any apportionment for debt service or building aid and the school building is sited within the Long Island region; provides that each contract involving the award of a construction project shall require the use of a project labor agreement for all contractors and subcontractors on such project.

Relates to the reporting of suspected financial exploitation; requires the superintendent of the department of financial services to develop guidelines relating to reporting suspected financial exploitation; provides that a third party who reports suspected financial abuse shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability as a result.

Restricts the disclosure of personal information by businesses; provides that a business that retains a customer's personal information shall make available to the customer free of charge access to, or copies of, all of the customer's personal information retained by the business.