Sen. Tony Palumbo

Maddy summaryS 1413 creates two new criminal offenses: "harassment of a law enforcement officer or family member in the first degree" (a felony) and "in the second degree" (a misdemeanor). First-degree harassment covers threatening communications (via phone, email, or other means) intended to cause fear for an officer's or family member's safety or property. Second-degree harassment includes physical contact, following in public, or repeated conduct that alarms officers or their families. The law directly affects anyone who targets law enforcement officers or their household members with these specific actions, with penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Prohibits unsolicited telemarketing sales calls during a declared state of emergency or disaster emergency where the declaration or proclamation of emergency includes a finding that unsolicited telemarketing sales calls would impair actions taken to limit, control, or mitigate the emergency; explains the basis of such finding; provides that such prohibition may not extend for a period of more than two weeks, subject to renewal for additional two-week periods by further findings of necessity made at the end of each two-week period.

Increases the phase-in period, in which the boards of education or trustees of school districts participating in a proposed reorganization may opt to have the tax impact of such reorganization, from 10 to 20 years.

Maddy summaryS 534 creates a new class A misdemeanor offense called "aggravated disorderly conduct" for individuals who obstruct traffic or block building entrances during unpermitted protests, demonstrations, or assemblies with intent to cause public alarm or recklessly create such risk. This law specifically designates aggravated disorderly conduct as a "specified offense" for hate crime prosecutions, meaning it could be treated as a hate crime if motivated by bias. The bill directly affects protest participants engaging in these specific types of obstruction without legal authorization.

Requires enhanced federal medical assistance percentage funds be directly shared with the counties and the city of New York; requires the comptroller examine and audit all funds received from the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage and the distributions made to counties and the city of New York.

Provides that a certified copy of a birth record shall be issued upon a specific request therefor by a person with a direct interest in the content of the birth record and that the information contained therein is necessary for the determination of personal or property right.

Deems home instruction which is compliant with the provisions of article 65 of the education law and the home instruction requirements prescribed in the commissioner of education's regulations to be substantially equivalent in amount and quality to the instruction given to students of like age and attainments at the public schools of the city or district where the student resides.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York State's penal law to specifically include maintenance employees of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in the legal definition of assault in the second degree. It expands the existing protections for transit workers (like train operators and station cleaners) to cover these bridge and tunnel maintenance staff when they are performing their duties. The change means assaulting these workers while they are on the job would now be classified as a second-degree assault under state law, consistent with protections already provided to other transit and public safety personnel. This is a targeted update to the legal definition, not a new penalty or policy.

Authorizes electronic court appearances for criminal matters, excluding jury trials, in all counties in the state; authorizes electronic appearances for criminal matters where the court determines a personal appearance would be impractical, unsafe or excessively burdensome; authorizes sentencing to a period of incarceration to be conducted via electronic appearance for defendants who are already incarcerated.

Maddy summaryS 1959 requires New York's corrections department to submit a detailed report 365 days before closing any prison or correctional facility, including justification for the closure. The legislature must review this report and can request additional information. If the legislature determines the closure is unjustified, it cannot proceed without approval by a majority vote in both the Assembly and Senate. This bill directly affects state correctional facilities and shifts decision-making authority for closures to the legislature.