Asm. Jeffrey Dinowitz

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Veteran Family Educational Attainment Act, allows New York State veterans who have unused tuition award benefits to transfer those funds to a spouse, child, or survivor. To qualify for the transfer, the veteran must have served at least ten years, unless they were discharged due to death, medical issues, hardship, or involuntary separation. The recipient must be a resident of the state and, if a child, must be under twenty-six years old. The legislation also defines specific terms for eligible family members and survivors, including conditions under which a spouse or child qualifies for the benefit.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a specific rule from the state's judiciary law that currently permits lawyers with offices in the state to live in a neighboring state. By repealing Section 470, the legislation eliminates this exception, meaning attorneys must now reside within the state to maintain their local practice. The change takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to all lawyers subject to the state's judicial regulations.

Enacts the "Consumer and Small business Protection Act"; relates to standing for persons affected by prohibited or unlawful business practices; expands prohibited acts to include unfair, deceptive or abusive acts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state, county, and local transportation projects to prioritize safe access for all road users, including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders. It mandates that agencies using complete street design principles consider these needs during the planning, design, and construction of new or rebuilt roads, while also applying these standards to maintenance projects lasting at least ten years. Additionally, the legislation updates the criteria for determining when a road project is unnecessary, adding community support as a key factor alongside traffic volume and land use. The law will not apply to projects approved before it becomes effective and will take effect approximately 260 days after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal cause of action allowing individuals to sue for damages if their partner intentionally removes, tampers with, or misrepresents the use of a sexually protective device during consensual sexual activity. The law specifically covers scenarios where a condom, diaphragm, or similar barrier is taken off without permission, used after being tampered with, or claimed to be in use when it is not. If a plaintiff wins a case, they may receive compensation for emotional distress and risks of pregnancy or infection, along with potential punitive damages. The legislation clarifies that agreeing to sex without protection one time does not mean a person agrees to unprotected sex in the future, and it ensures that any financial awards do not reduce child support obligations.

Enacts "Melanie's law"; relates to orders of protection; allows courts to issue orders of protection for immediate family members or household members of the named victims, regardless of age.

Relates to arbitration organizations; requires private arbitration organizations involved in fifty or more consumer arbitrations per year to collect, publish at least quarterly, and make available to the public in a computer-searchable database certain information relating to such arbitrations; prohibits financial conflicts of interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires managed long-term care plans in New York to submit more detailed annual reports to the state health department, replacing the previous biannual schedule. The new requirements mandate the inclusion of specific data on service usage, enrollment numbers, quality metrics, and financial expenditures, all of which must be posted on the department's website in an interactive format. Key additions include tracking complaints and appeals, measuring wait times for authorized services, and monitoring the movement of patients between community-based care and nursing facilities. Plans must also provide this data in a standardized format that allows for direct comparisons between different providers across the state and its regions.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers, labor organizations, and employment agencies from using an individual's consumer credit history to make decisions about hiring, compensation, or employment terms. It defines consumer credit history to include credit reports, credit scores, and details about payment history or bankruptcies obtained directly from the individual. The law includes specific exceptions for roles requiring security clearances, access to trade secrets, positions involving significant financial authority, and certain law enforcement or investigative jobs. Additionally, it prevents state and municipal agencies from using credit history for licensing or permitting purposes, with similar exceptions for positions requiring high levels of public trust or financial responsibility. The Division of Human Rights is tasked with collecting data on how these exemptions are used and reporting findings to the legislature within two years.