Sen. Leroy Comrie

Directs the metropolitan transportation authority to provide safety briefings to passengers aboard Metro-North trains, and train personnel in safety procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 618) prohibits lenders from blocking a borrower’s access to funds in a credit line mortgage when the borrower is current on payments. It directly affects homeowners with existing credit line mortgages who might have faced sudden loss of access to their available funds. The key provision requires lenders to maintain access to these funds for on-time borrowers, removing the ability to revoke or restrict access solely due to the borrower’s current payment status. The law amends New York’s Banking Law and Real Property Law to enforce this requirement, effective immediately.

Changes the eligibility and criteria for awards of grants from the beginning farmers NY fund to enable more farmers to participate; requires that tiers be established for grants less than $15,000.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals Chapter 834 of the 1940 laws, which previously established procedures for removing certain police officers. It directly removes this outdated legal framework from the statute book, meaning the specific process it described no longer applies. The repeal takes immediate effect, eliminating the 1940 law without creating new policies or affecting current police personnel. As a procedural repeal, it does not change current police hiring, removal, or civil service rules.

Maddy summaryBill S 4207 requires banking institutions to provide notifications to their customers regarding overdraft services. Specifically, banks that offer overdraft protection must inform customers whenever this service is activated to prevent penalties due to insufficient funds. The bill mandates immediate notification via electronic mail, or the customer's preferred method, when funds are insufficient. This notification must clearly state that the bank's overdraft service has gone into effect and list any associated fees and penalties.

Maddy summaryS 6871 extends the required notice period before public hearings for real estate projects managed by the New York State Urban Development Corporation. The bill increases the minimum time between publishing a notice of a project and holding a public hearing from 10 days to 30 days in most cases, and from 10 to 14 business days in others. This applies to sales or leases of public land or property under the corporation’s authority, such as when a municipality transfers land to the corporation. The change provides the public with more time to review project details and prepare comments before hearings. It does not alter the content of required notices or other procedural requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the tax law regarding the congestion surcharge for certain vehicle trips. It shifts the primary responsibility for managing and paying this surcharge from vehicle dispatchers (like transportation network companies) to agents licensed by the taxi and limousine commission, when these agents are authorized by medallion owners. These authorized agents are then solely liable for making these payments and can make batch payments for multiple medallions they manage. The bill also details how these agents must withhold surcharges from daily collections, including provisions for cash trips and insufficient funds, and outlines their reporting responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a requirement that applicants must pass an examination to become a licensed master social worker. It directly affects individuals seeking this specific license by removing the exam hurdle. The bill removes paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 7704 in the education law, which previously mandated the exam. This is a procedural change to licensing rules with no new requirements added.

Prohibits accessing or distributing certain sexually explicit depictions of children; prohibits consent to such depictions by anyone under eighteen years of age; makes such crimes eligible for bail; includes certain crimes as sex offenses.

Requires all state and private agencies with mandatory reporters of incidents involving vulnerable people to retrain all staff on reporting to a 9-1-1 operator and the county district attorney's office and state and private websites; requires written materials to be updated.