Asm. Dana Levenberg

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a compensation program for SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) and cash assistance recipients who had their benefits stolen or defrauded. It creates a dedicated $1.5 million fund (funded by a one-time appropriation from the general fund) to pay eligible individuals after fraud is verified by state agencies. The program requires an application process available in English and the ten most common non-English languages spoken in New York State.

Maddy summaryThis bill sets new rules for New York's Medicaid inspector general when auditing healthcare providers' billing for medical assistance payments. It defines key terms like "overpayment" and "clerical error," requires auditors to follow specific standards, and limits how they can spread audit findings to all claims (extrapolation) for minor, isolated errors. Providers must receive detailed audit reports explaining findings and have the right to submit supporting documentation before final decisions. The bill also mandates annual reporting on audit activities to state officials, including how many audits used extrapolation and their financial impact.

Enacts the "bird safe buildings act" directing the commissioner of general services to incorporate practices and strategies to reduce bird fatality resulting from collisions with certain state-owned or state-leased buildings, and for other purposes; requires the commissioner to develop a design guide that includes features, methods and strategies, and best practices for reducing bird fatalities.

Establishes a pilot program to provide grants to local education providers to implement high-impact tutoring programs prioritizing low-income or underserved students to address student learning loss or unfinished learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a state-funded program to provide health insurance coverage to New Yorkers who lose eligibility for federal subsidies due to their immigration status. It establishes a new state premium assistance program that offers financial help equivalent to federal tax credits for lawfully present individuals who are currently ineligible for federal aid. Additionally, the legislation expands eligibility for existing state coverage to include more noncitizens and increases income limits for pregnant individuals and their newborns, with some provisions funded directly by state money regardless of federal approval.

Maddy summaryBill A 8144 requires health insurance policies to include postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy as part of their minimum maternity care coverage. It amends specific sections of the insurance law to ensure this service is explicitly covered for new mothers. This means that health insurance contracts issued, renewed, or modified after the bill's effective date must provide coverage for this therapy. The bill aims to standardize the inclusion of postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy within maternity benefits.

Establishes the NY digital choice act requiring social media companies to provide covered users with a copy of the covered user's social graph at the request of the covered user; defines terms; provides requirements for the interoperability of covered users' data; grants the attorney general the authority to promulgate rules and regulations and enforce such provisions.

Allows a beneficiary of a member whose death occurs on or after July 1, 2026 and who would have been entitled to a service credit at the time of such member's death to elect to receive a lump sum payment equal to the pension reserve that would have been established had the member retired on the date of such member's death.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York State's cannabis revenue fund to cover reasonable costs for implementing a track-and-trace system for cannabis products. It specifically authorizes the Office of Cannabis Management and Cannabis Control Board to use these funds for developing, administering, and enforcing the track-and-trace program under the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act. The bill does not change cannabis regulations but ensures funding for tracking products from seed to sale, directly affecting state agencies managing the legal cannabis industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York public schools to provide plant-based food options upon request by a student or their parent/guardian. Schools must offer these meat-free alternatives (defined as USDA-recognized meat substitutes) at no extra cost compared to standard meals, and include this option in all food service descriptions. The policy applies to every meal or snack the student participates in, while allowing students to choose non-plant-based options if they prefer. It does not mandate schools to offer plant-based meals to all students, only to those who specifically request them.