Asm. Steve Otis

Directs the commissioner of agriculture and markets, acting by and through the department of economic development, in cooperation with the department of environmental conservation, to establish a New York native plants designation, and offer seals or logos identifying native plants as grown in New York state and certified for their quality, for product labeling, advertising, and displays.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that New York dog license applications include a clearly marked, separate section for voluntary contributions to support local animal pounds or shelters. The contribution must be presented distinctly from the mandatory license fee - using bold text or a separate page - to ensure it is clearly identified as optional. Dog owners applying for a license will see this option and can choose to contribute to their municipality’s shelter or a contracted organization. The bill does not change existing license fees or requirements but adds a new, voluntary funding mechanism for animal welfare services.

Enacts the "rate hike notice act" which requires utilities in the state of New York to provide notice of a proposed rate hike to a customer via text, email and via such customer's monthly billing statement.

Protects individuals who provide or receive legally protected health activity, including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, from criminal or civil liability or professional sanctions imposed by jurisdictions outside the state.

Prohibits the application of pesticides to certain local freshwater wetlands for local governments that have implemented a freshwater wetlands protection law; provides that any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall take effect on the first day of January after it shall have been adopted.

Relates to the filling of vacancies for elective offices in villages with November elections; provides such vacancies shall be filled in accordance with subdivision one of section forty-two of the public officers law.

Requires nonpublic schools provide and maintain on-site automatic external defibrillator (AED) equipment on school grounds and assure that AED equipment is available for off-site curricular events, extracurricular events or school-sponsored athletic events.

Raises the exclusion of certain indebtedness of school districts other than school districts in a city with one hundred twenty-five thousand inhabitants or more according to the latest federal census.

Maddy summaryBill A 5301 clarifies and expands the valid reasons for obtaining an absentee ballot for school district elections, specifically in districts that do not utilize poll registration. It allows voters to request an absentee ballot if they expect to be absent from their county or unable to vote in person due to illness, physical disability, or duties related to the primary care of an ill or disabled individual. The bill also simplifies the application process by removing requirements for detailed explanations of a voter's reason for absence, instead relying on a good faith statement from the applicant.

Maddy summaryBill A 6326 requires gas and electric utility companies to provide their customers with at least 45 days' written notice before any service rate or charge increase takes effect. This bill directly affects gas and electric corporations by mandating this notification period and impacts their customers by ensuring they are informed in advance of changes to their utility costs. It amends the public service law to add this new requirement.