Sen. Jose Serrano

Enacts the tropical rainforest economic & environmental sustainability act requiring that companies contracting with the state do not contribute to tropical forest degradation or deforestation directly or through their supply chains; establishes the supply chain transparency assistance program to assist small and medium-sized businesses and minority and women-owned businesses in achieving compliant supply chains.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary sales and use tax exemption for businesses in specific Manhattan construction zones. It exempts purchases of goods or services under $110 in value for six months during construction periods, affecting businesses within 100 feet of designated streets like 2nd Avenue segments and 125th Street. The exemption applies only to the listed areas (e.g., 2nd Ave from 15th to 11th Street) and requires the tax commissioner to confirm construction start dates. It directly benefits small businesses operating near approved construction sites in these zones during the exemption period.

Enacts the building up immigrant legal defense or BUILD act to provide competitive workforce development and capacity building grants to eligible entities that are seeking to expand access to representation for individuals facing deportation by increasing the workforce and strengthening the legal services infrastructure needed to provide such representation.

Enacts "private environmental law enforcement act"; authorizes any private citizen who has an interest which is or may be adversely affected to commence civil judicial actions for injunctive or declaratory relief to remedy environmental harms under certain circumstances; provides that such action may be commenced against any person for any violation of an administrative or court order compelling an investigation or remediation of an inactive hazardous waste disposal site.

Relates to the issuance of driver's licenses and emergency medical personnel designation; allows the use of alternate forms of identification where an applicant for a driver's license does not have a social security number or Individual Tax Identification Number.

Requires public disclosure of certain state agency materials, and authorizes the office for technology to publish a technical standards manual for the publishing of records on the internet by state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill automatically registers eligible New York voters when they interact with designated state agencies (like the DMV, universities, public housing authorities, or unemployment offices) if they consent to registration. It requires these agencies to electronically share basic voter information (name, address, birthdate, citizenship) with election boards, updating or creating voter records without requiring separate forms. The law directly affects New York residents who use these participating services, making voter registration more accessible during routine government interactions. Key provisions include strict privacy safeguards for citizenship data, mandatory neutrality training for agency staff, and requirements for secure data transmission to election officials.

Provides treatment for sexually transmitted diseases to minors without a parent's or guardian's consent; provides definition for health care practitioner.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 7282 ("No Slavery in New York Act"), prohibits involuntary servitude and forced labor for all incarcerated individuals in New York State correctional facilities, including those convicted of crimes. It amends the Civil Rights Law to explicitly ban slavery, involuntary servitude, and forced labor in the state, and adds a new provision to the Correction Law banning any labor compelled by force, adverse actions, or threats. The law takes effect immediately and directly affects all people incarcerated in state and local correctional facilities across New York.

Establishes the "New York public banking act"; authorizes municipal and other local governments to form and control public banks through the ownership of capital stock or other ownership interests, and to loan or grant public funds or lend public credit to such public banks for the public purposes of achieving cost savings, strengthening local economies, supporting community economic development, and addressing infrastructure and housing needs for localities.