Sen. Cordell Cleare

Maddy summaryThis bill increases monthly personal needs allowances for residents in specific care facilities. It raises the amount from $55 to $140 per month for residents of residential health care facilities (like nursing homes), and from $35 to $89 per month for residents of developmental disability or mental health facilities. Veterans with reduced VA pensions in nursing homes will receive allowances matching their pension amount (capped at $196/month). These changes apply to individuals eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income or state payments, effective January 2027.

Establishes the "tenant opportunity to purchase act"; prevents the displacement of middle and lower-income tenants in New York; preserves affordable housing by providing an opportunity for tenants to own or remain renters in the properties in which they reside.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the laws governing wrongful death lawsuits in the state to clarify which types of financial compensation families can receive when a loved one dies due to someone else's actions. It explicitly allows juries to award damages for specific losses, including funeral costs, medical bills incurred before death, emotional grief, and the loss of financial support, guidance, and companionship. The legislation also defines exactly who is eligible to receive these funds, such as spouses, domestic partners, children, and individuals who acted as parents to the deceased, while establishing a legal process to divide the money fairly among them based on their specific relationship to the decedent. Additionally, the bill adjusts the time limit for filing these lawsuits to three years generally, with a shorter deadline for cases related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Establishes the "tenant opportunity to purchase act"; prevents the displacement of middle and lower-income tenants in New York and preserves affordable housing by providing an opportunity for tenants to own or remain renters in the properties in which they reside.

Expands the eligibility period for indigent legal service attorneys to receive certain loan forgiveness; increases loan reimbursement for certain attorneys who work in legal services with indigent clients.

Requires genetic testing results only be received by patients and health care providers providing direct care while health insurance companies only receive a record that the genetic testing was performed; provides insurers cannot require access to genetic testing results and cannot take adverse action against someone for not providing genetic testing results.

Increases taxes imposed on alcoholic beverages; authorizes twenty percent of tax revenues to be allocated to the New York state drug treatment and public education fund.

Directs the department of health to conduct a study and prepare a report of recreational activity programming in nursing homes examining the accessibility and inclusivity of programming, including accommodations for residents with physical or cognitive impairments, availability of multilingual services, transportation for off-site programming, and scheduling considerations.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Correctional Association of New York to inspect residential juvenile detention facilities operated by the Office of Children and Family Services. It grants the association the power to conduct both scheduled and unannounced visits to review facility conditions, records, and staff, while also allowing confidential contact with youth residents. Additionally, the bill establishes a confidential toll-free hotline for youths to report abuse and expands the legal authority of Prisoners' Legal Services of New York to represent these youths, review their records, and investigate complaints. The legislation requires the Correctional Association to submit annual public reports on the state of these facilities and mandates that the Office of Children and Family Services respond in writing to any findings or recommendations. These provisions specifically apply to secure, limited secure, and non-secure facilities but exclude children placed in foster care or directly with relatives.

Directs the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to promulgate rules and regulations for requirements for vendors who make products available for order and delivery to incarcerated individuals and provide for safe food storage for incarcerated individuals in their cells.