Asm. Amy Paulin

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that records created by outside consultants on behalf of government agencies be made available for public inspection under the Freedom of Information Law. Currently, certain internal documents prepared by external experts are exempt from public disclosure, but this legislation removes that exemption to increase transparency. The change applies to all inter-agency or intra-agency materials generated by consultants working for state agencies. Once enacted, these records will be subject to the same public access rules as other government documents.

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 allows hospice medical directors or physicians they designate to sign death certificates for patients under their care. Currently, the law requires the physician or nurse practitioner last in attendance to sign the certificate, but this change expands that authority to include hospice directors. The update applies immediately to streamline the process for families and healthcare providers when a patient passes away while receiving hospice services.

Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding; authorizes the department to compile and make publicly available guidance and reference material related to consideration of complete street design.

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.

Provides that a dental hygienist shall not administer local block anesthesia without a certificate and except under the personal supervision of a dentist and in conjunction with the performance of dental hygiene procedures authorized by law and in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner.

Provides that the department of health may conduct education and outreach programs promoting public awareness of the dangers of fatal and non-fatal drowning.

Exempts credit card debt from the definition of medical debt unless the credit card is issued under an open-ended or closed-ended plan offered specifically for the payment of health care services, products, or devices provided to a person.

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.