Sen. Joe Addabbo

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the New York State Thruway Authority to provide public notice and hold a hearing before implementing new fees, surcharges, or significant changes to existing charges. The law defines fees broadly to include administrative charges, assessments, and any new or increased costs related to toll collection and account management. Key provisions mandate public posting of proposed changes, written notice to affected account holders, a minimum 30-day comment period, and at least one public hearing, either in person or virtually. The authority must also publish a written explanation justifying the costs the fee aims to recover and the rationale for the amount set. Any fee or surcharge adopted without following these procedures would be unenforceable until the requirements are met.

Maddy summaryS 1527 creates a sales tax exemption for commercial energy storage systems equipment and their installation costs. This directly affects businesses installing such systems on non-residential properties to store electricity for later use in heating, cooling, hot water, or power. The bill amends tax law to exempt these systems from state sales tax, covering both the equipment and installation services. Local governments must explicitly adopt this exemption in their tax ordinances to apply it.

Enacts the "pediatric palliative care act" to establish pediatric palliative care centers to provide palliative care to individuals who are under twenty-one years of age, have been diagnosed with a chronic, complex, life-threatening illness that is expected to shorten their life expectancy, and is not expected to survive past twenty-one years of age.

Maddy summaryBill S 1424 amends the education law to expand protections against discrimination for students. It prohibits discrimination by school employees or other students on school property or at school functions based on a student's religious attire, clothing, or facial hair. This bill adds these specific protections to existing anti-discrimination provisions covering characteristics like race, religion, and disability. It also clarifies that certain gender-based admissions and disability-related actions permitted under other laws are not prohibited.

Relates to preferences under the affordable home ownership development program for veterans with service-related disabilities; defines "veteran with a service-related disability".

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local tax offices to send seniors two notices about renewing their real property tax exemption. It mandates an initial notice 60 days before the tax deadline and a second notice 30 days before if the renewal application hasn't been received. Seniors must submit a completed application by the deadline to maintain their exemption, and tax offices must notify them of approval or denial within three days of the assessment roll closing. This applies directly to seniors who previously qualified for the exemption and need to renew it annually.

Maddy summaryS 487 designates August 31st of each year as "Overdose Awareness Day" in New York State. The bill amends the executive law to add this date to a list of established commemorative days, such as Juneteenth and Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is a symbolic designation with no new funding, policies, or direct impact on specific groups - it simply recognizes the day for public awareness purposes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (J 1603) memorializes Governor Hochul to officially designate April 2026 as "Workplace Violence Prevention Month" in New York State. It does not create new laws but requests the Governor issue a proclamation to raise public awareness about preventing workplace violence, particularly highlighting healthcare workers' elevated risk (five times higher than other industries). The resolution references April as the nationally recognized Workplace Violence Prevention Awareness Month and directs copies to the Governor and medical associations. It is a ceremonial measure focused on awareness, not policy change.

Maddy summaryThis resolution requests Governor Hochul to designate April 6, 2026, as Tartan Day in New York State, recognizing Scottish heritage and contributions. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups, but formally asks the Governor to acknowledge Scottish-American cultural ties through a ceremonial proclamation. The resolution highlights historical connections between Scotland and New York, including Scottish roots of many early American leaders and cultural traditions like tartan. As a non-binding memorial resolution, it has no direct policy impact beyond the symbolic recognition.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (S 1633) asks Governor Hochul to designate February 23, 2026, as "Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Day" in New York State. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but formally requests the Governor issue a proclamation to recognize the day. The resolution highlights statistics on domestic violence prevalence across diverse communities and the state's high demand for related services. It is a symbolic action intended to raise public awareness, not a policy measure with direct implementation.