Sen. Robert Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill allows current New York City Police Department officers who previously worked as city traffic enforcement agents to count that prior service toward their retirement and pension benefits. To qualify, officers must pay the difference in contributions they would have made had they started as police officers from the beginning of their traffic enforcement role. The policy applies specifically to officers hired as traffic enforcement agents before July 1, 2009. This change ensures that service in both roles is recognized for retirement purposes without requiring additional service time.

Maddy summaryS 1804 requires health insurance plans in New York to cover one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler for asthma treatment at no cost to the patient, eliminating deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. This applies to all comprehensive health insurance policies (including major medical, group, and health service corporation plans) that cover prescription drugs. The law specifically mandates coverage for inhalers prescribed by a physician or licensed provider, with a limited exception for high-deductible plans that would otherwise disqualify enrollees from health savings accounts. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, for all new or renewed policies after that date. It directly affects New Yorkers with asthma who rely on insurance for inhaler access.

Requires general hospitals to provide language assistance services; requires general hospitals to develop a language assistance program to ensure meaningful access to the general hospital's services and reasonable accommodation for all patients who require language assistance.

Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians, including requiring certain trainings during work hours without a loss of pay; requires certain reporting by bidders for telecommunication contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires state and local transportation agencies to design all new or majorly reconstructed public roads - including those funded by federal and state money - to safely accommodate all users. Specifically, it mandates considering pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and public transit riders during planning, construction, and major rehabilitation (but not routine maintenance or resurfacing under 10 years). Agencies must incorporate "complete street" features like bike lanes and wider sidewalks where projects meet certain thresholds, such as a 10-year service life for resurfacing. The law applies to all projects overseen by the Department of Transportation and takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 7451) prohibits judges from banning parents from undergoing gender-affirming care during child custody decisions. It directly affects parents involved in custody cases by requiring courts to disregard a parent's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression when determining a child's best interests. The law adds a specific provision to domestic relations law stating courts "shall not prohibit a party from undergoing gender reassignment" and must not consider gender identity factors. If passed, it would prevent courts from restricting a parent's access to medical care related to their gender identity as part of custody rulings. The bill is currently in the Assembly Judiciary committee after passing the Senate.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 7281) repeals New York's Section 17-140 of the Election Law, which previously criminalized offering small-value items (like snacks or drinks) to encourage people to vote. It directly affects voters and election workers by removing penalties for providing such nominal incentives. The key provision is the complete removal of this specific criminal provision from state law. The bill makes no other changes to election rules or voting procedures.

Maddy summaryS 138 establishes a "Medical Aid in Dying Act" for New York, allowing terminally ill patients (with decision-making capacity and a confirmed terminal illness expected to cause death within six months) to request and self-administer medication to end their life. Key provisions require patients to make an oral and written request, receive confirmation from two physicians (an attending physician and a consulting physician), and sign a witnessed written request with two non-related, non-beneficiary adults. The bill mandates patients be fully informed of alternatives like palliative care, outlines physician responsibilities, and includes requirements for documentation, safe medication disposal, and protections for healthcare providers.

Requires that an organization applying for grant funding shall provide to arts agencies a certification that it will enter into a labor peace agreement with at least one bona fide labor organization either where such bona fide labor organization is actively representing employees providing services covered by the organization seeking such grant funding or upon notice by a bona fide labor organization that is attempting to represent employees who will provide services to the organization seeking such grant funding; relates to prevailing wage requirements for not-for-profit theaters and payment of their employees on productions funded by the New York state council on the arts or arts agencies of localities.

Repeals provisions relating to mandatory anti-arson applications for insurance coverage to insure any building against the peril of fire or explosion.