Sen. Cordell Cleare

Provides that court records in a proceeding under articles 77, 78 and 81 of the mental hygiene law shall not be perused, examined, disclosed, taken or copied by any other person than a party, the attorney or counsel of a party, the guardian, the court evaluator or the court examiner except by order of the court, or the office of the attorney general.

Enacts protections for private education loan borrowers and cosigners; requires certain notifications from creditors and debt collectors; prohibits acceleration; enacts provisions for cosigner release.

Relates to voting rights and access for incarcerated individuals; authorizes polling places to be available at correctional facilities and local facilities; requires such facilities to provide persons detained or confined in such facilities access to register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot; requires voting information to be included in the inmate handbook.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution honors Senator Michael N. Gianaris as he receives the President Pro Tempore and Senate Majority Leader's Legislative Legacy Award. The bill formally recognizes his decades of public service, highlighting his legislative achievements in areas such as tenant rights, criminal justice reform, and election access. It expresses the Senate's gratitude for his contributions and directs that a copy of the resolution be sent to him as a token of appreciation.

Establishes a standardized statewide system for collecting, recording, and monitoring winter road maintenance operational data in order to improve efficiency, enhance transparency, and support the protection of water resources in the state of New York; requires calibration of all deicing material application equipment used for winter highway maintenance on public roads.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York state public buildings to provide private lactation rooms for nursing parents, with specific features like privacy, lighting, and access to water and electricity. Buildings must display clear signage indicating lactation room locations and include these facilities in a public online directory updated every six months. Exemptions apply only if repurposing existing space would be unreasonably costly or if new construction is needed. The law directly affects nursing parents using state-owned public buildings, ensuring accessible facilities for breastfeeding or expressing milk.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the "New York State Good Guardianship Act," establishing a statewide initiative to expand access to not-for-profit guardianship services for New Yorkers over 18 who are legally determined to need a guardian due to incapacity under Mental Hygiene Law Article 81. It allocates state funding through a new dedicated fund to support qualified non-profit organizations that provide free or low-cost guardianship services - including financial management, healthcare coordination, and daily living assistance - replacing unscrupulous for-profit providers. The initiative will operate a public helpline for guidance, require data collection on service outcomes, and aim to reduce Medicaid costs by preventing avoidable hospitalizations and shelter stays. Participating organizations must be tax-exempt and experienced, with the program administered by a state-selected lead agency and subject to annual performance reporting.

Requires the display of certain labels and warnings on gas stoves sold, displayed for sale, or offered for sale at retail to a consumer in this state; authorizes the department of state to adopt regulations regarding the placement and format of such labels; provides for penalties; authorizes the attorney general to enforce such provisions.

Requires the commissioner to establish Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history and civic impact curriculum or instructions for school districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Sickle Cell Treatment Act" to improve care for sickle cell disease patients in New York. It designates five "centers for excellence" (with two north of Putnam/Orange counties) and ten outpatient treatment centers based on patient populations, providing each center with annual funding ($500,000 for excellence centers, $250,000 for outpatient centers) to support specialized care, research, and equipment. The bill also modifies opioid prescribing rules to exempt sickle cell disease patients from a three-month opioid limit, ensuring they can receive necessary pain management without restrictive barriers. These changes directly affect hospitals designated as centers, sickle cell patients requiring specialized care, and healthcare providers managing chronic pain.