Asm. Steve Otis

Provides for automatic voter registration and pre-registration for persons applying for certain department of motor vehicles documentation, and for persons applying for or re-enrolling in Medicaid; allows individuals to decline such automatic registration and pre-registration.

Relates to the creation of a crime database of all convictions in New York state of animal cruelty, fighting, neglect, abandonment and mistreatment; makes such crime database available to all law enforcement entities, district attorneys, duly incorporated humane societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, dog or cat protective associations and animal control officers.

Relates to protecting the communication rights of individuals with disabilities; provides that each person with a disability has the right to communicate in their preferred manner.

Authorizes cities and towns, except a city with a population of one million or more, to establish community preservation funds; authorizes such cities and towns to impose a real estate transfer tax with revenues to be deposited in such funds; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1966) expands New York's animal cruelty law to include wildlife animals - such as deer, birds, or other non-insect species - as protected under the law, alongside companion animals. It directly affects wildlife by adding them to the list of animals covered by cruelty provisions, meaning intentional harm to these animals could now be prosecuted under the law. The key mechanism amends the law to define "wildlife" per environmental conservation law, while explicitly maintaining exemptions for lawful hunting, trapping, fishing, pest control, and other authorized activities. This change does not alter existing legal activities like hunting or pest management but extends cruelty protections to wildlife for the first time under this specific statute.

Authorizes the dispensing of abortion medication under certain conditions; requires insurance policies providing coverage for contraception to provide coverage for abortion medication.

Relates to allergy awareness and training in restaurants; requires allergen awareness training; requires certification within thirty days after hire date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 1220) makes permanent key provisions allowing nurse practitioners (NPs) to diagnose illnesses, prescribe treatments, and perform therapeutic measures within their specialty, **directly affecting NPs and collaborating physicians**. It requires written practice agreements between NPs and collaborating physicians that include explicit dispute resolution procedures for disagreements over diagnosis or treatment. The bill clarifies that if agreements lack such provisions, the collaborating physician's decisions prevail. These changes update New York's education law to modernize NP practice standards without adding new restrictions. (Bill A 1220, Section 1 & 2, Education Law)

Requires for construction activities that require a state pollutant discharge elimination system permit owners and operators to submit a copy of the required public notice; requires each county receiving such notice to make such notice publicly available on its website.

Maddy summaryThis bill gives New York's Board of Regents final authority to approve or reject all new and renewed charter schools, directly affecting charter school applicants and operators. It requires charter entities to revise proposals based on Regents' feedback and resubmit them for final review, with the Regents having 30 days to act on resubmitted applications. If the Regents do not approve within 30 days, the charter is automatically approved. The bill also states that a charter cannot be approved by the applicant if the Regents recommend changes that remain unresolved. This changes the current process by making the Regents' approval the final step, not the applicant's decision.