Asm. Karines Reyes

Maddy summaryBill A1214 prohibits New York employers from requiring job applicants or employees to waive legal rights (such as claims under state or federal law) as a condition of employment. It directly affects all employers and job seekers in New York State by banning pre-employment agreements that diminish rights like wage claims or discrimination protections. The law specifically excludes collective bargaining agreements with labor unions. This creates a clear legal requirement that employers cannot force individuals to give up existing or future legal claims to secure a job. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Prohibits mandatory arbitration agreements in consumer and employment contracts; repeals existing provisions prohibiting mandatory arbitration clauses in certain consumer contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a certification program for employers to become "recovery ready workplaces" (RRWs), directly affecting employers across all industries and their employees with substance use disorders (SUDs). To earn certification, employers must implement specific measures including onsite naloxone availability, mandatory training for supervisors on SUDs and prevention, workplace stress reduction strategies, and comprehensive health coverage for SUD treatment equal to physical health care. The program requires collaboration with unions and recovery organizations, along with policies ensuring confidentiality and reasonable accommodations for employees in recovery. Certification criteria also mandate connecting with local recovery resources and assessing workplace culture to support employees seeking treatment.

Provides for automatic issuance of identification cards to incarcerated individuals and assistance with obtaining copies of any documents needed to apply for identification cards, including, but not limited to, an incarcerated individual's social security card and birth certificate.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires towns and villages to adopt a local law if they want to mandate that their justices (who handle minor civil and criminal cases) must be licensed attorneys admitted to practice law in New York. It does not impose this requirement statewide; instead, it allows each town or village to decide by majority vote of its governing body whether to adopt the requirement. If adopted, the change would take effect at the start of the next judicial term following the election after the local law is passed. The bill sets a clear, concrete policy change for local justice eligibility but leaves implementation entirely to individual municipalities.

Requires the office of court administration, clerks, and all other records custodians to develop policies and procedures to ensure no identifying information or documentation relating to name change actions or sex designation change actions is visible or retrievable in any electronic database maintained by the state of New York or a subdivision thereof.

Requires the administration of certain vaccines for children in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and/or other similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations; removes certain requirements for vaccines to be administered under federal guidance.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 9571) increases family leave benefits under New York's workers' compensation law, directly affecting eligible employees taking leave for medical care, bonding with a newborn, or military family exigencies. It gradually raises weekly benefit percentages (from 50% to 67% of average weekly wage) and extends maximum leave duration (from 8 to 12 weeks) over time, with specific phased-in dates starting in 2018. Covered employers must provide these enhanced benefits while maintaining health insurance coverage during leave. The changes apply to employees meeting eligibility criteria under the law, with the Superintendent of Financial Services retaining limited authority to delay increases.

Establishes the "jobs and housing act"; directs the private housing finance agency to develop and administer a jobs and housing pilot program to construct and preserve housing, including workforce housing, that is affordable to low and moderate income persons, and creates jobs for those who build and work in such housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires large grocery suppliers (those with over $6 billion in annual sales) to offer the same pricing terms to all retailers buying similar volumes of covered goods (like packaged foods, excluding alcohol and gasoline). It mandates that suppliers disclose anonymized pricing terms to smaller grocers within 14 days of a request, ensuring transparency about deals offered to major chains. The law prohibits suppliers from refusing sales to smaller retailers based on store type (e.g., convenience stores vs. supermarkets) if it creates unfair price differences. It directly affects small independent grocers and their suppliers, aiming to prevent large retailers from leveraging buying power to charge smaller competitors higher prices for the same products.