Sen. Joe Addabbo

Establishes a twenty-four hour, toll-free hotline and website for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning plus (LGBTQ+) individuals who are experiencing emotional distress, suicidal ideation, or crisis-related challenges, which shall provide immediate support, referrals, resource lists, and other information.

Relates to the management of PFAS in biosolids in the state by requiring testing and reporting of certain groundwater, biosolids, and soil and establishing a moratorium on the sale and use of biosolids; establishes the PFAS agricultural response program and fund to assist farms found to have levels of PFAS contamination which exceed regulatory standards.

Creates the state office of the utility consumer advocate to represent interests of residential utility customers including a proposed change of rates, charges, terms and conditions of service, the adoption of rules, regulations, guidelines, orders, standards or final policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New York State Park Police as an independent law enforcement agency under the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner. It ensures the park police operate separately from the New York State Police while allowing coordination on training, emergencies, and other shared concerns. The bill formalizes this structure by amending existing law to create the agency and define its operational independence.

Sets minimum staffing standards for employees performing emergency medical services in the 911 system in a city with a population of over one million people.

Relates to providing information to patients and the public on hospital rule-based exclusions; requires the commissioner of health to collect from each hospital a list of its hospital rule-based exclusions and publish such information on the department's website.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New York's official definition of "eating disorder" in mental health law to explicitly include avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), alongside existing conditions like anorexia and bulimia. It directly affects individuals diagnosed with ARFID by ensuring they qualify for mental health services, insurance coverage, and prevention programs previously limited to other recognized eating disorders. The key mechanism amends two laws: updating the definition in the Mental Hygiene Law (Section 30.02) and requiring the state's eating disorders awareness program to cover this newly included condition. This change ensures ARFID is formally recognized in medical and mental health practice under state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 8969) requires all health insurers in New York to cover speech therapy for stuttering under medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive insurance plans. It mandates coverage upon a physician's referral for both habilitative (developing speech skills) and rehabilitative (restoring speech) therapy, provided by licensed professionals. Insurers cannot impose limits on the number of therapy visits or set maximum benefit amounts for this coverage. The bill specifically allows insurers to deny coverage if therapy is already provided through school-based plans (like IEPs or IFSPs), but requires supplemental coverage outside of schools when recommended by a doctor.

Permits licensed insurance agents, brokers, adjusters, consultants, and intermediaries to carryover up to five hours of continuing education credit per biennial licensing period.

Prohibits drug, cannabis or alcohol testing of pregnant or postpartum individuals and newborns unless the individual consents and it is within the scope of medical care, or the testing is necessary for a medical emergency.