Sen. Roxanne Persaud

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.

Prohibits an owner from adjusting the amount of preferential rent, rent charged and paid by the tenant which is less than the legal regulated rent for the housing accommodation, upon the renewal of a lease; only allows the owner to make such adjustments upon a vacancy which is not the result of the failure of the owner to maintain a habitable residence.

Relates to mandatory continuing education for teachers relating to mental health issues.

Enacts the "safe staffing for quality care act" to require acute care facilities and nursing homes to implement certain direct-care nurse to patient ratios in all nursing units; sets minimum staffing requirements; requires every such facility to submit a documented staffing plan to the department on an annual basis and upon application for an operating certificate; requires acute care facilities to maintain staffing records during all shifts; authorizes nurses to refuse work assignments if the assignment exceeds the nurse's abilities or if minimum staffing is not present; requires public access to documented staffing plans; imposes civil penalties for violations of such provisions; establishes private right of action for nurses discriminated against for refusing any illegal work assignment.

Prohibits the nonemergency application of pesticide or lawn care pesticide within any municipal park lands and lands under the jurisdiction of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and requires notice of pesticide application.

Waives the state's sovereign immunity to liability for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act; also waives the immunity of all instrumentalities and political subdivisions of the state.

Relates to enacting the "Endoscope Reform Act"; requires the commissioner of health to promulgate rules and regulations to govern the practice of all upper endoscopic procedures and to prescribe an upper endoscopic patient's bill of rights.

Requires schools to accept credits for educational programs at OCFS facilities as transfer credits.

Establishes the date for the accrual of certain causes of action based on negligence.

Requires public and private colleges and universities to provide all incoming and current students with information relating to suicide prevention and resources available to them on campus.