Asm. Chris Burdick

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "First Responder Peer Support Program Act" to create a statewide grant program for peer-to-peer mental health support services. It directly affects first responders - including firefighters, police officers, EMTs, 911 operators, and correctional officers - by providing funding for local programs offering trauma-informed training and mental health resources. Key provisions include requiring standardized training on trauma, suicide prevention, and resilience; mandating strict confidentiality for participants; and prohibiting disclosure of personal information to employers. Grants are allocated to eligible local entities, with annual reports tracking program use without identifying individuals.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits utility companies from terminating electricity or heat service to residential customers during forecasts of extreme temperatures (95°F+ or 32°F-). It specifically bans termination on the day of such a forecast, including holidays or weekends following the forecast. Utilities must continue service when health or safety risks are likely due to a customer's inability to manage their own resources. The law applies directly to residential electricity and heat providers and their customers in affected weather conditions.

Expands the purposes of the drug treatment and public education fund to include prevention and recovery programs; requires reporting to be made available on the office of addiction services and supports' website.

Requires gas corporations to file maps with the public service commission annually to assess leak-prone gas infrastructure and the decommissioning of such leak-prone gas lines; requires the public service commission to publish such maps and certain accompanying documents on the commission's website; directs the public service commission to designate neighborhood priority decarbonization zones.

Provides for automatic issuance of identification cards to incarcerated individuals and assistance with obtaining copies of any documents needed to apply for identification cards, including, but not limited to, an incarcerated individual's social security card and birth certificate.

Requires the office of court administration, clerks, and all other records custodians to develop policies and procedures to ensure no identifying information or documentation relating to name change actions or sex designation change actions is visible or retrievable in any electronic database maintained by the state of New York or a subdivision thereof.

Maddy summaryThis bill (A 9571) increases family leave benefits under New York's workers' compensation law, directly affecting eligible employees taking leave for medical care, bonding with a newborn, or military family exigencies. It gradually raises weekly benefit percentages (from 50% to 67% of average weekly wage) and extends maximum leave duration (from 8 to 12 weeks) over time, with specific phased-in dates starting in 2018. Covered employers must provide these enhanced benefits while maintaining health insurance coverage during leave. The changes apply to employees meeting eligibility criteria under the law, with the Superintendent of Financial Services retaining limited authority to delay increases.

Increases taxes imposed on alcoholic beverages; authorizes twenty percent of tax revenues to be allocated to the New York state drug treatment and public education fund.

Establishes the "jobs and housing act"; directs the private housing finance agency to develop and administer a jobs and housing pilot program to construct and preserve housing, including workforce housing, that is affordable to low and moderate income persons, and creates jobs for those who build and work in such housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits residential landlords in New York from charging tenants fees for using electronic rent payment methods like online systems or automated clearing house (ACH) transfers. It requires landlords to offer at least one fee-free payment option, such as cash or personal checks, and bans any agreement where tenants waive these rights. Landlords cannot force tenants to use electronic payments exclusively or charge fees for choosing not to use them. The law applies directly to residential landlords and their tenants, ensuring no added costs for common digital payment methods.