Asm. MaryJane Shimsky

Provides that for taxable years beginning on and after January first, two thousand twenty-six, a resident taxpayer who serves as an active volunteer firefighter or as a volunteer ambulance worker shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed equal to eight hundred dollars; provides for a real property tax exemption under certain circumstances to an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service residing in such city, village, town, school district, special district, fire district or county.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's insurance law to require health insurers to cover image-guided breast biopsies as part of mandatory breast cancer screening. It directly affects patients seeking breast cancer detection and insurers who must provide this coverage when recommended by a physician following nationally recognized clinical guidelines. The key change adds "image-guided breast biopsies" to the list of covered screening and diagnostic imaging procedures, alongside mammograms and ultrasounds. Coverage applies only when the procedure is recommended by a physician and aligns with evidence-based clinical guidelines. The requirement takes effect January 1, 2026, for new or renewed insurance policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the New York Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, an official state agency composed of 11 members appointed by the governor. At least six members must be deaf or hard of hearing (including one fluent in a sign language other than ASL), while the remaining five represent community organizations, experts, or agencies working with this community. The commission will coordinate state services, monitor accessibility programs, provide educational resources, and submit annual reports to the governor and legislature. It directly affects all deaf and hard of hearing New Yorkers, including children, adults, and seniors, by establishing a dedicated body to advocate for their needs and improve service delivery.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York's Department of Public Health to annually report on food security trends at the county level. It directs the department to include the USDA's standard six-item food security survey in its existing health tracking system and publicly post the results online each year. The law directly affects New York residents by creating a state-level tracking system to monitor food insecurity, replacing the discontinued federal USDA report. This provides lawmakers and community organizations with updated, localized data to inform decisions about nutrition assistance programs and resource allocation.

Relates to enacting the rent emergency stabilization for tenants act on local determinations of a housing emergency; authorizes a city with a population of one million or more to declare an emergency as to any class of housing accommodations if the vacancy rate for the housing accommodations in such class within such municipality is not in excess of five percent and a declaration of emergency may be made as to all housing accommodations if the vacancy rate for the housing accommodations within such municipality is not in excess of five percent; authorizes other cities, towns and villages to declare a housing emergency after considering publicly available data and holding public hearings.

Allows an authority having jurisdiction over a volunteer fire department or fire company in a county, city, town, village, fire district, or fire protection district to provide volunteer firefighters with a stipend of a nominal fee for responses to calls and for certain standby services; includes volunteer firefighters within the labor law definition of "employee" of a federal, state or municipal government of political subdivision thereof; establishes the volunteer fire service nominal compensation assistance fund.

Relates to preventing minors from participating in sports wagering and creating accounts on mobile sports wagering platforms; requires platforms to employ commercially reasonable and technically feasible age assurance methods.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes an extended producer responsibility program for mattresses, requiring manufacturers and importers to manage the disposal and recycling of their products. Producers must submit a detailed plan to the state department outlining how they will collect discarded mattresses, with specific goals to ensure collection sites are accessible to the majority of residents within a few years. The program defines recycling as separating materials for reuse while excluding incineration, chemical conversion, or landfill disposal. Retailers and consumers are also involved, with retailers responsible for facilitating the return of old mattresses and consumers able to discard them at designated collection sites. The legislation creates an advisory board to oversee the program and sets up enforcement measures and penalties for non-compliance.

Relates to the sale and possession of self-defense spray devices in the state; removes the requirement that only authorized dealers and pharmacists could sell such devices; provides that no more than two self-defense spray devices may be sold at any one time to a single purchaser; repeals certain provisions of law relating thereto.

Requires certain labeling to be used to indicate the safety dates and quality dates of food products; requires the department of agriculture and markets to educate consumers about such provisions.