Sen. Andrew Gounardes

Requires any dealer where lithium-ion batteries, bicycles with electric assist, micromobility devices and limited use motorcycles are sold at retail or repaired, and/or lithium-ion electric batteries are housed in a storage facility to maintain functional fire protection and suppression measures effective against lithium-ion battery and electrical fires, including but not limited to Class B extinguishers, battery cases, and automatic monitoring and detection; authorizes the department of state to promulgate necessary rules and regulations; imposes a fine of $250 for a knowing violation to comply with such provisions.

Establishes the youth justice innovation fund to make funds available to community-based organizations for services and programs with the purpose of youth development and preventing youth arrest and incarceration.

Relates to the establishment of a state university-based center for employee ownership that provides education and outreach to business owners regarding employee ownership.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, requires large fashion sellers to conduct standardized environmental due diligence on their supply chains and establish a remediation fund. It applies to businesses selling new apparel, footwear, or fashion bags with over $100 million in annual gross receipts, while excluding used clothing retailers and most multi-brand stores. Companies must map their suppliers across four tiers, assess environmental risks, and report their findings using open data principles. Additionally, the legislation mandates that workers in the supply chain be paid a living wage and that any adverse environmental impacts be remediated through the newly created fund.

Enacts the "Lieutenant Joseph Banish mental health act" to provide a testimonial privilege for communications arising out of law enforcement peer support counseling.

Grants employees access to personnel records; requires notice of negative information in such records and an opportunity for a review; permits employee to include certain information in personnel records.

Enacts the "consumer and small business protection act"; relates to standing for persons affected by prohibited or unlawful business practices; expands prohibited acts to include unfair, deceptive or abusive acts.

Establishes the COVID-19 pandemic response study commission to conduct a study of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic; provides for the repeal of such commission upon the completion of the commission's final report.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires colleges and universities to run education campaigns informing students, faculty, and staff about the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline and the crisis text line. Under the law, student identification cards must display contact information for these services, or institutions without such cards must distribute the contact details annually. The mandate applies to all student IDs issued, updated, or altered on or after July 1, 2025.

Expands health care services provided by telehealth to include services delivered through a facility licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law that is eligible to be designated or has received a designation as a federally qualified health center, including those facilities that are also licensed under article thirty-one or article thirty-two of the mental hygiene law.