Sen. Joe Addabbo

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a "gate money program" providing eligible formerly incarcerated individuals with a monthly stipend upon release from state correctional facilities. Eligible individuals must have served at least six months and not previously received funds from the program, receiving $425 per month for up to six months (max $2,550 total), adjusted annually for inflation. Payments are made immediately upon release (in cash/check) and monthly thereafter, in addition to other funds, and do not affect eligibility for public assistance benefits. The program is funded by a $25 million appropriation from the state general fund, administered by the Department of Corrections.

Requires the department of transportation to establish a central registry of reports, audits, plans and public inspections regarding freight rail operators, rail cars and freight lines or routes and rights of way.

Enacts the affordable waste reduction act"; defines terms; provides for registration of producer responsibility organizations and service providers; establishes the producer responsibility advisory board; provides for department of environmental conservation responsibilities; provides for producer responsibility advisory board, organization, producer and service provider responsibilities; creates a recyclable or compostable covered materials lists and exempt materials list; establishes producer fees; provides for service provider reimbursement; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all public secondary schools in the state to teach humane education about animal treatment, respect, and relevant laws as part of their curriculum. It directly affects public secondary schools and their students by mandating specific content on animal kindness, ecological roles, and responsible ownership. Schools must verify compliance with these requirements, and the education commissioner will track and publicly share these records. The law also states that schools failing to provide this instruction risk losing state funding. The bill expands existing elementary school humane education requirements to include secondary education.

Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to examine and conduct a study on the availability of campus services, programs and resources for veteran students.

Maddy summaryS 2296 would create a new role for court-appointed advocates in New York animal welfare cases. In any civil or criminal case involving an animal's well-being, courts could appoint a volunteer advocate from a list maintained by the court to monitor the case, access relevant records (like vet or animal control reports), and share information with lawyers and the court. The advocate would present recommendations about the animal's interests but cannot subpoena witnesses or obtain discovery. This directly affects animals involved in legal cases and the courts handling them, with advocates limited to lawyers or supervised law students. The bill requires courts to appoint such advocates upon request or initiative, focusing on the animal's welfare as a distinct interest.

Requires health insurers to provide full coverage for the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder; establishes an advisory panel on health insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder to annually compile a list of treatments and therapy options for which health insurers will be required to provide coverage; establishes a toll-free, 24 hour a day, autism and health insurance coverage hotline to receive and act upon complaints and questions from families with autistic children, relating to insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder.

Relates to establishing an abatement and exemption from real property taxes for capital improvements to reduce carbon emissions; establishes an energy efficiency improvement board to approve the abatements and exemptions.

Relates to purchasing restrictions on persons boycotting Israel and the investment of certain public funds in companies boycotting Israel; requires the commissioner of general services to compile a list of companies boycotting Israel; establishes that such companies will be considered non-responsive bidders.

Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker; promotes work zone safety awareness; establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement.