Asm. Jeffrey Dinowitz

Includes within the class D felony of assault in the second degree, the intentional causing of physical injury to an election officer while such person is performing their assigned duties; amends aggravated harassment and obstruction of governmental administration to include election officers.

Establishes the office of organized retail theft within the department of law to receive and investigate complaints from any source, or upon its own initiative, of allegations involving the use and role of organized retail theft.

Establishes the downstate New York power authority to own and operate electricity service and acquire the distribution facilities formerly owned by any downstate utility corporation.

Relates to the purchase of zero-emission buses and the procurement of electric-powered buses, vehicles or other related equipment and infrastructure; requires public utilities to have infrastructure, capacity, facilities, and transmission and distribution systems needed to supply power for the charging of zero-emission buses and provides a tariff for charging of electric buses.

Suspends all unnecessary travel to states that have discriminatory laws for access to women's reproductive health services, including but not limited to, limitations on access to abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

Provides that such rates of payment shall be updated to reflect the most current mean price for free-standing residential health care facilities with less than three hundred beds each time that the cost basis of residential health care facility rates is updated.

Maddy summaryBill A 3874 requires courts to hold a mandatory settlement conference before proceeding with foreclosures on cooperative apartment units where the borrower lives in the unit. It directly affects co-op residents facing foreclosure and their lenders, mandating that lenders file a petition with the court detailing the default and serving the borrower. The conference, held within 60 days, requires both parties to bring specific documents (like payment histories for lenders and income details for borrowers) and negotiate in good faith to explore alternatives like loan modifications or adjusted payment plans. This process aims to provide a structured opportunity to prevent home loss before foreclosure actions advance.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new civil lawsuit pathway for individuals whose constitutional or federal rights were violated by government actors (such as police, courts, or public officials). It allows victims to sue for damages and court-ordered remedies, removes common defenses like "I thought it was legal," and requires courts to award attorney fees to winning plaintiffs - even if the case settles without a formal judgment. Public entities (like cities or state agencies) must cover their employees' legal costs if sued under this law, and lawsuits must be filed within three years of the violation. It directly affects people harmed by government overreach, ensuring they have a clear legal route to seek redress for rights violations.

Maddy summaryBill A 3369 requires companies to clearly disclose mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts for goods or services. It mandates that company representatives explain these clauses in plain language to consumers. For contracts agreed to non-personally, such as online, the contract must include a notice at the end and a link to a plain explanation of what an arbitration clause is. This aims to inform consumers about such clauses

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 6192) establishes a 5-year moratorium on the land application, sale, and distribution of biosolids and products containing them for agricultural or landscaping use (like fertilizer or soil amendment). It directly affects wastewater treatment facilities, farmers, and businesses using biosolids-derived products, banning their use on crops, parks, golf courses, and similar non-crop lands. The moratorium excludes landfill disposal of biosolids and certain composts made from food waste, manure, or crop residues (not biosolids). Violations carry fines up to $2,500 per offense plus daily penalties.