Sen. Leroy Comrie

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.

Relates to the establishment of a single computerized state DNA identification index; requires municipalities to expunge any DNA record stored in a municipal DNA identification index.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Education Law to allow students to be absent from school specifically for reasons related to their mental or behavioral health. It requires the state education commissioner to create specific rules outlining how schools should handle these absences and ensures that private or home-based schooling arrangements also permit such time off. The legislation applies to all minors required to attend school, giving them a recognized reason to miss class without violating attendance mandates.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the "motorcycle registration guarantee act," mandates that motorcycle dealers in New York register vehicles at the time of sale. The law requires dealers to handle the registration process for all motorcycles sold within the state, except for those purchased exclusively for use outside New York. For out-of-state purchases, dealers must provide and collect a signed declaration from the buyer confirming their understanding of registration rules and penalties. The legislation also authorizes the state commissioner to issue the necessary forms and set specific dates for when the registration and expiration periods begin.

Relates to providing more predictable and stable schedules for employees in low-wage occupations; provides that an employer shall pay an employee for at least 4 hours at the basic minimum hourly wage for each day an employee reports for work as instructed but is given less than four hours of work.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Access to Representation Act, would guarantee the right to legal counsel for certain low-income individuals facing immigration proceedings in New York. It directly affects non-citizens and citizens with disputed status who are detained or subject to removal, as well as those with a significant connection to the state. Under the proposed law, eligible individuals would receive ongoing legal representation from designated providers starting from their first court appearance or as soon as possible thereafter. The program would be administered by the New York State Office for New Americans, which would set income limits and oversee the delivery of legal services.

Provides that certain communications made without malice regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination shall be deemed privileged; provides that a prevailing defendant in an action brought against such defendant for making a communication that is privileged shall be entitled to attorney's fees and costs for such defense.

Enacts the student journalist education act to protect student speech at educational institutions unless such speech is libelous, an invasion of privacy, or incites students to commit an unlawful act, violate school policies, or to materially and substantially disrupt the orderly operation of the school.

Establishes the "stop online predators act"; requires operators of covered platforms to conduct age verification to determine whether a user is a covered minor; requires operators of covered platforms to utilize certain default privacy settings for covered minors; requires operators of covered platforms to require parental approval of certain activity related to a covered minor's covered platform account.

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.