Asm. Dana Levenberg

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a sales tax exemption for commercial energy storage systems. It directly affects businesses installing or using equipment that stores electricity for later use in non-residential buildings (like offices, factories, or warehouses) to provide heating, cooling, hot water, or electricity. The key provision exempts the retail sale and installation costs of this equipment, as well as electricity sales from businesses that own and install such systems on a customer's non-residential property under specific written agreements. The exemption applies to both the equipment itself and the electricity generated by it, aligning with existing tax law definitions for similar energy storage systems.

Creates the "Checkout NY" pass, a comprehensive pass that allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites and recreational facilities; provides one such pass to each consolidated, federated and cooperative public library system within the state free of charge for circulation.

Authorizes and directs the public service commission to establish rules to limit a utility's ability to recover its direct or indirect costs associated with its attendance in, participation in, preparation for, or appeal of any rate proceeding conducted before the commission.

Relates to eligibility for the temporary assistance to needy families block grant program, safety net assistance and medical assistance for certain noncitizens.

Maddy summaryBill A 8082 establishes a new retirement service credit for members of public retirement systems who have served as volunteer firefighters or emergency service personnel. Eligible members can receive one year of service credit for every five years of volunteer service, up to a maximum of three years of credit for fifteen years of service. To qualify, members must have at least five years of other credited service and pay a fee equivalent to three percent of their compensation for the twelve months prior to application, for each year of credited volunteer service. This credit can be applied towards special twenty or twenty-five year retirement plans.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the New York Department of Motor Vehicles to share vehicle accident report data with private companies under contract. It permits the release of non-private information from accident reports to responsible vendors while prohibiting them from reselling the data or assigning the contract. The legislation also updates accident report forms to include specific vehicle types such as electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Expands the eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to receive certain loan forgiveness; increases loan reimbursement for certain attorneys who work in legal services with indigent clients.

Enacts the "NY broadband resiliency, public safety and quality act" to provide for oversight of the resiliency, public safety and quality of broadband and voice over internet protocol service.

Establishes a chief sustainability officer to coordinate efforts across state agencies and other state government entities to address climate change mitigation and climate sustainability efforts.

Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians, including requiring that all tower technicians performing work pursuant to a contract with a state agency complete training requirements determined by the office of general services prior to commencing work pursuant to such contracts; repeals legislative intent relating to such tower technician protections; relates to the effectiveness thereof.