Sen. Tony Palumbo

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York school districts and cooperative educational services boards to create an energy reserve fund for paying electricity and heating costs without needing voter approval. Unspent funds in the current fiscal year can be rolled over to the next year's budget instead of being returned to the general fund. It also removes the requirement for voter authorization when spending from these specifically designated energy reserves. The bill directly affects school districts managing energy expenses, providing greater budget flexibility for these costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the maximum monetary amount that justice courts can handle from $3,000 to $15,000 for cases involving money claims or property recovery. It directly affects individuals and small businesses filing or defending civil claims under $15,000, allowing these cases to be resolved in local justice courts instead of higher courts. Key provisions update multiple sections of the justice court law to replace "$3,000" with "$15,000" throughout, clarifying that this limit excludes interest and costs. The change simplifies access to justice for smaller financial disputes without altering court procedures.

Establishes a co-navigation services program for persons who are deaf-blind to provide services to a person who is deaf-blind that assist the person to physically access the person's environment and to make informed decisions, including providing visual and environmental information or sighted guide services and assisting with communication accessibility by communicating in the preferred language and communication mode of the person who is deaf-blind.

Establishes the crime of coordinated petit larceny; permits a principal to be eligible to be held on bail for coordinated petit larceny; directs the division of criminal justice services to conduct a public awareness campaign on larceny.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants fire marshals employed by the Town of Shelter Island in Suffolk County the status of peace officers under New York State law. It directly affects Shelter Island's fire marshals, giving them specific legal authority to perform peace officer duties within their jurisdiction. The key provision adds them to the list of peace officers under the Criminal Procedure Law, though it explicitly states they still require separate firearm licenses under Penal Law § 400.00 to carry or possess firearms. The bill makes no changes to existing fire marshal responsibilities but formally expands their legal authority.

Increases the enhanced STAR property tax deduction for tax for final assessment rolls to be completed after two thousand twenty-six; provides a total exemption from school taxes for certain persons eighty years of age and older.

Defines the term "construction projects" to mean the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of any school building where a district receives any apportionment for debt service or building aid and the school building is sited within the Long Island region; provides that each contract involving the award of a construction project shall require the use of a project labor agreement for all contractors and subcontractors on such project.

Establishes the commission on reopening the Indian Point energy center; relates to definitions of certain terms relating to renewable energy; repeals provisions relating to electric generating facilities; directs the New York state energy research and development authority to conduct a feasibility study on nuclear small modular reactors.

Requires detailed fiscal impact notes on certain legislation stating the estimated annual cost to the political subdivision affected and the source of such estimate; provides that bills will be invalidated if the funding source is not provided or the fiscal impact results in an annual net additional cost in excess of $10,000.

Provides motor fuel tax exemption for sales of diesel motor fuel used in vessels used directly in a business providing sport fishing opportunities for hire to the general public from the tax on petroleum businesses and from sales and compensating use taxes.