Asm. MaryJane Shimsky

Maddy summaryThis bill bans employers from requiring workers to sign agreements that force them to pay money if they leave employment before a set period (e.g., "reimbursement for training" clauses). It directly affects all workers, including employees, interns, volunteers, and contractors, by prohibiting these "employment promissory notes" as a condition of hiring. Key exceptions include repayment for actual training costs, property purchases, or collective bargaining agreements. Violations carry fines up to $5,000 per worker, and workers can recover attorney fees if sued over invalid clauses.

Extends paid family leave benefits to employees who perform construction, demolition, reconstruction, excavation, rehabilitation, repairs, renovations, alterations, or improvements for multiple employers pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement who shall be eligible for family leave benefits if they were employed for at least twenty-six of the last thirty-nine weeks by any covered employer which is signatory to a collective bargaining agreement.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 565) prohibits the establishment of new for-profit hospices and bans capacity increases for existing for-profit hospices. It applies to all approvals after the law takes effect, directly affecting for-profit hospice providers and their expansion plans. The law requires new hospice facilities to operate as non-profits and prevents existing for-profit hospices from growing their services. This represents a concrete change in healthcare regulation, restricting for-profit models in hospice care.

Requires the developmental disabilities advisory council to submit an annual report to the governor, temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the activities of the council, and to make such report public.

Enacts the consumer litigation funding act to promote consumer protections related to consumer litigation funding transactions; provides for contract requirements, including that the contract contain a no penalty provision for the prepayment of the funded amount prior to the settlement of their case; makes related provisions.

Relates to including outpatient care provided by creative arts therapists in certain insurance policies covering care for other mental health services.

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" which establishes a law enforcement peer support program to provide confidentiality for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling; defines terms; provides exceptions for when a peer support communication may be disclosed.

Amends provisions relating to removing the exemption for school psychologists to render early intervention services, in relation to the effectiveness thereof.

Relates to prevailing wage for those involved in hauling of concrete and asphalt in the counties of Nassau, Putnam, Suffolk, and Westchester, and in the city of New York.

Requires hospitals to establish a violence prevention program which includes a workplace safety and security assessment and develop a safety and security plan that addresses identified workplace violence threats or hazards.