Sen. Robert Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 8488) allows students in New York schools to earn physical education (PE) credits by completing state-approved lifeguard certification training courses. It directs the Board of Regents to create rules enabling schools to count such training toward required PE credits. The policy directly affects students in public schools who complete certified lifeguard programs, replacing traditional PE instruction for credit purposes. The change applies only to courses meeting New York State’s lifeguard training standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires public schools in New York City (population over 1 million) to provide Halal food options during lunch. It amends the Education Law to mandate that all public schools in the city offer Halal meals, directly affecting school districts serving students in NYC. The law takes effect 120 days after enactment, with immediate rule-making authority allowed for implementation. This policy change ensures dietary accommodations for students requiring Halal food under school meal programs.

Establishes the New York COVID-19 children's fund program to provide assistance to children whose parent, custodian, legal guardian, or related adult household member died as a result of contracting COVID-19, regardless of immigration status of such children.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts health care employers from requiring nurses or health care workers (excluding doctors, residents, and security staff) to work more than their regularly scheduled hours, except in specific emergencies or during ongoing surgical procedures. It defines "regularly scheduled work hours" to include pre-scheduled on-call time and shift report communication, and prohibits using on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. Exceptions include health care disasters, official emergency declarations, unanticipated staffing emergencies, or procedures requiring continuous presence for patient safety. The law aims to protect patient care quality by limiting excessive work hours, without affecting existing rights under other laws or collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Raise the Wage Act," increases New York's minimum wage to $21.25 per hour in New York City by 2028, $17.25 in the city's suburbs (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester) by 2026, and gradually across the rest of the state. It repeals current static wage provisions and establishes automatic annual adjustments tied to inflation and productivity, mirroring the formula used for upstate wages since 2022. The bill directly affects all hourly workers covered under New York's labor law, particularly in low-wage sectors like home care and childcare. This indexing mechanism aims to prevent future erosion of purchasing power, ensuring wages keep pace with rising living costs.

Establishes a culturally responsive education curriculum and standards; requires all school districts, charter schools and private schools to integrate culturally responsive education throughout the education of all students at all grade levels; establishes a pilot program in culturally responsive education; appropriates $25,000,000 therefor.

Enacts the "standing is tiring (sit) act"; requires employers to provide suitable seats to all employees where the nature of such employees' work reasonably permits seated work; prohibits employers from artificially designing a work space to require standing; requires the department of labor to determine whether the nature of work reasonably permits seated work; creates a private right of action for employees whose employer does not provide seats.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 2710, changes retirement rules for New York City police officers by reducing the required service time for full retirement benefits from 22 years to 20 years. It specifically applies to members of the New York City Police Pension Fund, allowing them to retire with full benefits after 20 years of service instead of the previous 22-year requirement. The bill amends three sections of the retirement law to update definitions, benefits, and eligibility, ensuring NYC police officers can access normal retirement benefits at the 20-year mark. This is a direct policy change affecting NYC police officers' retirement timelines, with no broader application to other public safety workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows courts in counties not entirely within a city to conduct electronic arraignments under specific conditions. It requires defendants to waive in writing their right to appear in person, ensures electronic arraignments won’t cause unreasonable delays, and prohibits guilty pleas during such proceedings. Courts must obtain approval from the chief administrator of the courts and use secure video systems meeting defined technical standards. The policy directly affects defendants in rural or non-city county areas and aims to streamline court processes while maintaining procedural safeguards.

Maddy summaryS 4581 creates an optional 25-year retirement plan for uniformed court officers and peace officers working within New York's unified court system. Under this plan, eligible members can retire after 25 years of service and receive a pension equal to half their final average salary. The plan is optional and alternative to existing retirement options, with service in certain law enforcement roles (including state police and fire departments) counted toward the 25-year requirement. This bill directly affects court system officers and peace officers who choose this specific retirement pathway.