Sen. Brian Kavanagh

Maddy summarySenate Resolution J 1293 commends Armando and Shayla Gramajo for receiving New York State's Liberty Medal, the Senate's highest honor for individuals. The resolution recognizes their 2024 actions when they intervened to save a woman attacked with a knife in White Plains - Armando (a bus driver and former Guatemalan Army veteran) stopped the attacker, and Shayla (a physician's assistant) provided medical aid using household items until emergency services arrived. This symbolic resolution, passed by the New York State Senate, formally honors their humanitarian act and does not create new laws or affect any policies. It serves as a ceremonial tribute to their spontaneous, life-saving response.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the date of New York's presidential primary from the current June election to the first Tuesday in March (commonly known as Super Tuesday). It directly affects voters and candidates participating in the state's presidential nominating process by moving the primary earlier in the election cycle. The bill amends election law to replace the existing June primary date with a March date specifically for selecting presidential delegates, while keeping other primary elections (like for state offices) on their current schedule. This is a procedural adjustment to election timing, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryS 3849 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing New York's legislature to adjust the number of supreme court justices in any judicial district, with limits based on population (no more than one justice per 50,000 residents, or fraction over 30,000). It also permits decreasing the number, but not below the current count in any district. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election. This is a procedural change to the state constitution affecting court structure, not direct policy for residents.

Relates to authorizing counties to set interest rates imposed on late payment of property taxes and delinquencies and redemption of property subject to more than one tax lien.

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.

Relates to decreasing the length of the suspension period applicable to certain individuals who lose their jobs due to a labor dispute, such as a strike, and who seek to obtain unemployment insurance benefits; decreases the suspension period from two consecutive weeks to one week; provides that the waiting period and suspension period shall be served concurrently.

Maddy summaryS 4265 requires sellers of residential properties built before 1978 to provide lead-based paint inspection reports before closing sales. This directly affects home sellers and buyers in New York State, ensuring buyers know if lead paint hazards exist in properties they're purchasing. The bill mandates a one-time lead paint inspection prior to sale (not ongoing inspections) and requires the report to be included in the state's lead inspection registry. It complements existing laws by closing a gap where federal rules only required disclosure of known hazards, not mandatory testing.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3353) exempts sales and installation of geothermal heat pump systems from state sales tax for both residential and commercial properties. It directly affects homeowners and businesses installing ground-source heat pumps that use the ground or groundwater for heating, cooling, or hot water. The key provision removes tax on equipment sales and installation services, excluding recreational facilities or equipment used as storage media. This policy change applies to systems meeting specific technical definitions in the tax law, without altering local tax options for municipalities.

Requires certain business recipients of state aid to perform an annual assessment of the business' social and environmental impact as assessed against a third party standard.

Enacts the "community solar opportunity and local approval reform (Community SOLAR) act"; authorizes municipalities to establish standards for distributed generation energy facilities.