Establishes the congressional chartered veterans service organizations fund; provides for gifts made to such fund on an individual's personal income tax return.
Increases the penalties for stopping, standing, or parking in handicapped spaces without a handicapped permit to not less than one hundred fifty dollars nor more than three hundred dollars for the first offense and three hundred to five hundred fifty dollars for the second offense occurring within a period of five years within the state.
Directs the veterans service commission to submit a report regarding coordinated services for veterans with service-connected disabilities to the commissioner of veterans' services by April 1, 2029.
Establishes the office of Native American affairs to act as a centralized office for Native American nations to access information on state programs that are provided to Native Americans.
Provides that certain utilization review determinations shall be made consistent with medical and scientific evidence; includes services for mental health and substance use disorders as part of emergency services.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a program allowing individuals and nonprofit groups (like parks' friends organizations) to partner with New York State Parks to maintain and enhance designated trails. Participants sign agreements to preserve trails' natural, cultural, and historical features through activities such as litter removal, trail repairs, and installing benches or interpretive signs. The program includes specific rules for sponsor signage (circular, ≤5 inches, sponsor name ≤25% of sign) and creates a dedicated fund to support these stewardship efforts. It ensures no current park workers lose jobs or benefits due to the program.
Establishes the "jobs and housing act"; directs the private housing finance agency to develop and administer a jobs and housing pilot program to construct and preserve housing, including workforce housing, that is affordable to low and moderate income persons, and creates jobs for those who build and work in such housing.
Enacts the "military experience recognized for institutional transfer (MERIT) act"; grants academic credit for veterans with regard to SUNY and CUNY college credits for military learning, training, coursework and occupational experience.
Requires the board of education and the trustees or sole trustee of every school district to establish policies and procedures regarding the treatment of transgender or gender non-conforming students.
Enacts the "New York wildlife crossing act"; directs the department of transportation and the New York state thruway authority, in consultation with the department of environmental conservation and the department of motor vehicles, to identify sites along all highways, thruways and parkways in the state where wildlife crossings are most needed to increase public safety and improve habitat connectivity and create a priority list of wildlife opportunity areas where federal grant monies may be available to implement the top five projects identified.
