Sen. Robert Jackson

Enacts "Francesco's law" which establishes violations for the failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the presence of a minor or a prohibited person; requires the office of gun violence prevention to collect and analyze statistical and other information and data with respect to injuries or deaths of minors resulting from failure to safely store a firearm, rifle, or shotgun.

Requires the department of veterans' services to provide information on the department's website on volunteer opportunities available to veterans and to post relevant application forms that a qualified veteran can use to apply for volunteer opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 4070 ("Trapped at Work Act"), prohibits employers from requiring workers to sign employment promissory notes as a condition of employment. Such notes - agreements forcing workers to repay money if they leave before a set period - would be unenforceable and void under the law. Exceptions include agreements for repaying non-training-related advances, property leases, or collective bargaining terms. Violating the law subjects employers to fines of $1,000-$5,000 per affected worker, and workers can recover attorney fees if sued over these invalid agreements.

Requires contractors and subcontractors performing construction work for covered renewable energy systems to use apprenticeship agreements; requires thermal energy networks to require contractors and subcontractors to use pre-apprenticeship direct entry providers registered with the department of labor.

Reforms the education requirements for persons who want to become certified public accountants; provides alternative pathways to being certified as certified public accountants.

Repeals certain provisions regarding the adoption of a new or revised city charter proposed by a charter commission which limits the submission of questions to a city's qualified electors; eliminates the rule that provides that whenever a city charter commission puts a proposal on the local ballot, all other local referendum proposals are barred from the ballot.

Requires the state liquor authority to provide notice to state legislative representatives upon receipt of an application for a liquor license in their district.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1515) changes how local governments in New York calculate property tax levies by removing costs for emergency medical services (EMS) from the tax levy cap. It directly affects cities, towns, and counties that provide EMS, allowing them to fund these services without counting those expenses toward their annual property tax limit. The key provision adds a new exemption (subparagraph v) to the tax levy calculation, explicitly excluding EMS expenditures from the cap. This is a technical adjustment to the tax formula, not a new funding source or policy shift for EMS services themselves.

Provides parity to durable medical equipment providers by requiring Medicaid managed care organizations to reimburse such providers at no less than one hundred percent of the medical assistance durable medical equipment and complex rehabilitation technology fee schedule for the same service or item.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies cost-sharing rules for health plans paired with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). It ensures that for HSA-qualified high-deductible plans, cost-sharing requirements (like copays) don't make enrollees ineligible for HSAs. Specifically, cost-sharing only applies after an enrollee meets the IRS's minimum deductible, except for preventive care services, which always have no cost-sharing regardless of the deductible. This directly affects individuals enrolled in such health plans who use HSAs to save for medical expenses.