Establishes the baby bucks allowance to provide income to eligible participants for the last three months of pregnancy and the first 18 months of the child's life; excludes income received from the baby bucks allowance for purposes of supplemental nutrition assistance program eligibility.
Sen. Andrew Gounardes
Sponsored bills
Relates to establishing an office of antibiotic-resistance control; establishes the antibiotics education fund; includes methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other antibiotic-resistant infections in the definition of airborne infectious disease.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York-issued vehicle license plates to include radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags meeting specific technical standards. The tags must store unique vehicle information (like VIN and plate number), be tamper-proof, and work with existing registration systems and E-ZPass toll collection. Vehicle owners will pay an additional $25 fee when new reflectorized plates are issued with these RFID tags. The law directly affects all New York motor vehicle owners and the Department of Motor Vehicles, which must implement the new plate requirements by the effective date.
Relates to securing payment of wages for work already performed; creates a lien remedy for all employees; provides grounds for attachment; relates to procedures where employees may hold shareholders of non-publicly traded corporations personally liable for wage theft; relates to rights for victims of wage theft to hold the ten members with the largest ownership interests in a company personally liable for wage theft.
Establishes a co-navigation services program for persons who are deaf-blind to provide services to a person who is deaf-blind that assist the person to physically access the person's environment and to make informed decisions, including providing visual and environmental information or sighted guide services and assisting with communication accessibility by communicating in the preferred language and communication mode of the person who is deaf-blind.
Maddy summaryNew York's S 2495 establishes a state-run pre-paid tuition plan allowing residents to contribute tax-free funds to an account covering future college tuition at participating schools. Account owners (including parents or guardians) can pre-pay tuition at fixed rates for eligible institutions - such as SUNY, CUNY, or other 529-compliant colleges - ensuring the cost remains locked in regardless of future tuition increases. The plan requires a four-year waiting period before withdrawals for tuition expenses (not room/board), with funds managed by the state comptroller and subject to federal tax rules. It directly affects New York families planning for higher education costs, offering a way to avoid rising tuition rates.
Provides for certain presumptions for reckless driving and the implementation of a reckless driving and vehicular violence awareness component of the pre-licensing course for driver's licenses.
Relates to allowing for students in certain postsecondary education experience or transition programs to receive awards from the tuition assistance program.
Requires proof of at least six hours of driving experience under a certified instructor prior to issuance of licenses for certain drivers and motorcyclists.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention and a Gun Violence Advisory Council. The office coordinates state, local, and federal efforts to prevent gun violence, centralizes grant programs, improves data collection on firearm incidents, and runs public education campaigns. The advisory council - comprising survivors, community leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders - provides guidance to the office. These entities will work with state agencies like health, education, and public safety departments to develop and implement gun violence prevention strategies across New York.