Sen. James Sanders

Maddy summaryThis New York state bill (S 3737) protects homeowners from being misled into signing away their property to mortgage servicers. It requires all property transfer deeds to include explicit, bold warning language stating "YOU ARE HEREBY MADE AWARE THAT BY SIGNING THIS DEED YOU ARE TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LAND OR HOME," accompanied by a notarized signature line from the homeowner. Failure to include this warning makes the transfer invalid and could result in a class E felony charge for the party involved. The bill also explicitly prohibits mortgage servicers from claiming ownership through deed transfers during mortgage modifications, and authorizes the state banking department to investigate suspected fraudulent transfers.

Maddy summaryBill S 8133 revises how certain public employees contribute to their retirement systems, specifically those who joined a state public retirement system on or after April 1, 2012. Effective April 1, 2025, it establishes new tiered contribution rates for these members, ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual base wages, depending on their income level. This replaces a previous system that featured more wage brackets and higher maximum contribution rates, up to 6%. The bill also specifies what components are included in "base wages" for these calculations.

Relates to parole eligibility for certain incarcerated persons age fifty-five or older if they have served at least fifteen years of their sentence or sentences.

Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a Senate Resolution that formally congratulates the Bolton Central School Boys Varsity Basketball Team, their coaches, and athletic director on winning the Class D State Championship. The resolution specifically names the individual players, Head Coach Cody Kober, Assistant Coach Angel Figueroa, and Athletic Director Mark Andrejkovics, and directs that copies of the document be sent to them. It recognizes the team's 26-1 season record and their victory over Sackets Harbor High School, highlighting the athletic achievement without altering any laws or policies.

Establishes a subpart to hear eviction matters related to affordable housing providers and small landlords; provides a subpart shall be in each borough of the city of New York; defines terms.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks Governor Kathy Hochul to officially recognize March 31, 2026, as Farmworkers Day in New York State. The resolution honors the historical contributions of farmworkers to democracy and human rights, particularly referencing the United Farm Workers movement and their advocacy for better working conditions. It does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves as a commemorative proclamation to acknowledge the legacy of farmworkers. The measure directs the governor to issue a formal statement recognizing this date and highlights New York's 2019 Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act as part of the state's ongoing support for farmworker protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks Governor Kathy Hochul to officially designate March 20, 2026, as Behavior Analysis Day in New York State. The resolution recognizes the history and importance of behavior analysis as a scientific field that studies how behavior works and develops skills through positive reinforcement. It highlights the profession's growth since New York began licensing behavior analysts in 2014 and aligns the state observance with the global celebration of World Behavioral Analysis Day. The bill does not change laws or funding but serves as a formal acknowledgment of the field's contributions to education and healthcare.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the robocall prevention act, restricts the use of automatic dialing devices and prerecorded voice calls to residents of New York State and requires telephone service providers to offer free call mitigation technology to their customers. The law defines a robocall as any call made using an automatic dialing device or artificial voice to a state telephone number and allows such calls only for emergency purposes, with the recipient's prior express consent, or by labor organizations to their members. Telephone service providers must provide technology that identifies and blocks unwanted robocalls while permitting calls from law enforcement and public safety entities. The bill also mandates that robocalls using prerecorded voices must identify the caller at the beginning and end of the message, prohibits the use of random or sequential number generators for dialing, and bans the transmission of misleading caller identification information with intent to defraud.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks the Governor of New York to officially designate March 2026 as Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month. It directly affects the state government and individuals living with NMOSD, a rare autoimmune disease that can cause vision loss, paralysis, and other neurological symptoms. The resolution directs the Governor to issue a proclamation recognizing the month, aligning with national awareness efforts to improve public understanding and support for those affected by the condition.