Designates the "Honor and Remember Flag" as the official state flag for recognizing armed service members who have died as a result of serving the United States in any war or conflict the nation has been involved in since its inception.
Authorizes municipalities to offer a real property tax exemption for property owned by certain persons performing active duty in a combat zone in an amount to the extent of fifteen percent of the assessed value of the real property, but shall not exceed twelve thousand dollars.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a real estate tax exemption for the primary homes of widows and widowers whose spouses were police officers killed in the line of duty. Under the new rules, eligible survivors can receive a fifty percent reduction on their property taxes, though local governments or school districts retain the authority to lower this percentage if they choose. The law defines eligible police officers using existing state definitions and includes specific provisions for cooperative apartment residents, while also establishing a standardized list of documents to prove eligibility. The exemption applies to properties owned directly by the survivor or held in trust for their benefit, and it becomes effective on the first day of January following its passage.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows property and casualty insurance companies to send certain notices and documents to policyholders electronically instead of by mail. It applies to notices related to vehicle and traffic laws and requires that these electronic communications follow the state's existing technology standards. The law also permits insurers to use an electronic address even if the insurance policy does not currently list one, provided the electronic notice meets legal requirements. This change modernizes how insurance coverage information is shared between insurers and consumers while maintaining established rules for valid delivery.
Expands the membership of the interagency task force on trafficking in persons to include the commissioner of the department of transportation, the commissioner of the department of motor vehicles and the executive director of the New York state thruway authority.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands disability retirement benefits for New York City Transit Authority employees who participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations after September 11, 2001. It specifically allows these workers to receive a performance of duty disability allowance equal to three-quarters of their final average salary if they become physically or mentally incapacitated due to injuries sustained during that service. The legislation also grants these employees access to a medical review process to evaluate their disability claims. This change directly affects current and former transit workers involved in the post-9/11 response efforts who may now qualify for enhanced retirement support based on work-related injuries.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires insurance policies to cover medically necessary transvaginal ultrasounds for pregnant individuals when recommended by established clinical guidelines. It defines these guidelines as evidence-based recommendations developed by independent medical organizations using transparent methods and conflict-of-interest policies. The law applies to any insurance policy issued, renewed, or modified on or after January 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new supplemental military retirement allowance for public employees who retired before May 31, 2016, allowing them to apply for the benefit by December 31, 2024. The allowance is calculated based on the retiree's service credit and is capped at a maximum of $15,000 per year, replacing any previous military service credit they held. Additionally, the legislation updates the rules for cost-of-living adjustments across various retirement systems to include this new supplemental benefit in future calculations.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to allow courts to admit evidence of a defendant's prior sexual offenses during trials for new sexual crimes. The key provision permits judges to consider this past behavior to determine if the defendant acted in a similar manner or has a tendency to commit such acts. However, the bill also gives judges the discretion to exclude this evidence if its negative impact on a fair trial outweighs its usefulness in proving the case. The definition of "sexual offense" includes various crimes listed in the state penal code, and the changes would take effect immediately upon passage.
Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.
