Directs the commissioner of health to provide authorizations to all fiscal intermediaries that timely submit a request for authorization prior to January 1, 2026; details information required for such authorizations; makes related provisions.
Maddy summaryS 3135 repeals the excise tax on medical cannabis sales and eliminates the medical cannabis trust fund established under state law. This bill removes a tax obligation for medical cannabis businesses and ends the dedicated funding stream for the trust fund. The repeal takes effect immediately upon enactment, impacting both the tax structure for this industry and the state's management of related trust fund resources.
Maddy summarySenate Bill S 7954 amends the requirements for organizations providing fiscal intermediary services in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. It expands the definition of "fiscal intermediary" to include more entities, such as certain service centers for independent living, granting them equal status to the statewide fiscal intermediary. These newly defined fiscal intermediaries can contract directly with managed care plans and must provide culturally and linguistically competent services. The bill also removes the specific procurement process for a single statewide fiscal intermediary, aiming to offer consumers more choice in these services.
Excludes the five state-run veterans homes from assessments on their gross receipts received from all patient care services and other operating income; directs the Commissioner of Health to apply to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for any necessary waivers pursuant to federal law and regulation.
Enacts the "media literacy act"; requires teachers and library media specialists to complete professional development related to media literacy education; requires a school library media specialist in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high and senior high school; directs the commissioner of education to appoint a media literacy advisory committee to study the teaching of media literacy; creates a media literacy advisory committee to annually review policy and procedures on media literacy.
Maddy summaryBill S 7982 aims to eliminate daylight saving time throughout the state. It amends the general construction law to establish the seventy-fifth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich as the permanent standard time, effectively exempting the state from federal daylight saving time provisions. The bill prohibits state and local government agencies from adopting or using any other standard of time. These changes, which also include conforming amendments to other state and city laws, are set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
Requires further source separation of certain waste which is eligible to be redeemed under the provisions of the environmental conservation law relating to beverages which are redeemable for cash in cities with a population of one million or more.
Requires the commissioner of transportation to increase the number of licenses for tow truck operators in a city with a population of one million or more by thirty percent by December 31, 2025.
Amends provisions governing reimbursement practices of pharmacy benefit managers to ensure that pharmacies are not reimbursed an amount less than the cost of procuring the drugs.
Enacts the "Equal Access to Health and Human Services for Limited English Speaking Individuals Act"; directs certain state agencies to provide language assistance services for persons seeking family assistance, health or labor services; requires record keeping; requires free translation for 22 languages.
