Creates the state office of the utility consumer advocate to represent interests of residential utility customers including a proposed change of rates, charges, terms and conditions of service, the adoption of rules, regulations, guidelines, orders, standards or final policy decisions.
Establishes an age-friendly health system technical assistance center to provide assistance in relation to age-friendly health systems; relates to hospital performance data.
Requires that following the acquittal after trial or the sentencing of any defendant for a felony, the district attorney, or their designee, shall mail a written summary of the disposition of such felony to any victim who was not present at the time that the defendant was sentenced or acquitted after trial.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a 16-member task force within New York's Department of Labor to address unemployment among people with disabilities. The task force, including representatives from state agencies, disability organizations, labor, business, and people with disabilities themselves, will study employment barriers and review successful programs. Its key duties include developing strategies to increase competitive integrated employment (meaningful jobs in regular workplaces), ensuring state agencies model inclusive hiring, and making recommendations within two years. The task force must report annually to the governor and legislature, with findings made publicly available online. This directly affects state agencies, employers, and people with disabilities seeking meaningful work opportunities.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1395) expands who can authorize the donation of a deceased person's body for medical education or research. It amends New York's public health law to add "a close friend" (as legally defined) to the list of individuals permitted to make such anatomical gifts, alongside family members and guardians. The law clarifies that if multiple eligible close friends exist, the donation requires agreement from a majority of those reasonably available. This change streamlines the process for body donations after death while explicitly including close friends in the decision-making authority.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires most health insurance plans in New York to cover one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler for asthma treatment at no cost to the patient. It applies to all medical, major medical, and comprehensive health insurance policies that cover prescription drugs, directly affecting asthma patients who rely on these medications. Insurers must provide this coverage without deductibles, copayments, or other cost-sharing, with a narrow exception only for high-deductible plans that would otherwise disqualify patients from health savings accounts. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, for all new or renewed policies.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York to issue new birth certificates for individuals adopted from other countries under specific conditions. It requires adoptive parents or adoptees to submit proof of New York residency, certified foreign adoption documents with translations, evidence of birth details, and proof of immigrant visa status (like IR-3/IR-4). The law applies retroactively, meaning people adopted before this law took effect can now apply for these certificates. It directly affects foreign-born adoptees in New York who lack a New York-issued birth record.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a scholarship program for New York State residents pursuing master's degrees in education. It directly affects students enrolled full-time in approved New York state education programs who earned their undergraduate degree in New York, maintained residency during that time, and commit to teaching full-time in New York public schools for five years. The program prioritizes applicants attending public colleges (as defined by law), with remaining scholarships available for private college students meeting the same eligibility criteria. Key requirements include academic excellence during undergraduate studies and signing a teaching commitment contract with the state. The scholarship covers costs for qualifying education degree programs leading to teaching careers in New York's public elementary or secondary schools.
Maddy summaryThis bill (A2311) prohibits local health offices from charging fees when issuing certificates for stillbirths or fetal deaths. It directly affects parents or families seeking official documentation for pregnancy losses. The law amends public health regulations to remove all fees for these specific certificates, replacing previous fee structures. The bill passed both legislative chambers in 2025 and was signed into law on November 21, 2025.
Requires every food establishment to label all prepackaged food with a written notification on the package or on a label attached to the package identifying any ingredient with which a product is made that constitutes a major food allergen.
