Sen. Robert Jackson

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for New York employers who pay down their employees' undergraduate student loan debt. Employers can claim a credit equal to the amount they pay toward an employee's federal, state, or institutional undergraduate loan debt (including interest), up to $10,000 per employee annually. The credit applies to loans related to undergraduate programs and covers both principal and interest payments. It directly affects employers who choose to assist employees with student debt and employees who receive this financial support.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 7414 aims to restore the 20-year service retirement benefit for certain New York City uniformed sanitation workers who are members of a revised retirement plan. The bill amends the retirement and social security law to change their "normal retirement age" from 22 years of service to 20 years of service. This means these specific sanitation workers would be eligible to receive their normal service retirement benefit after completing 20 years of credited service, rather than 22 years. It clarifies that this 20-year service period would constitute their "normal retirement age," making them eligible for a normal rather than an early service retirement benefit.

Creates a revolving loan fund through the New York state energy research and development authority for the purpose of building renewable energy storage systems scaled to function as microgrids to power housing owned by the New York city housing authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the handling fee that beverage companies (deposit initiators) pay to redemption centers for processing returned containers, raising it from 3.5 cents to 4.5 cents per container. The fee compensates redemption centers for collecting, sorting, and packaging empty containers before returning them to beverage companies. It applies directly to operators of redemption centers and ensures the fee is paid separately from refund value funds. The change takes effect immediately and expires on December 31, 2027.

Relates to providing medically accurate instruction regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in all elementary and secondary schools.

Directs the state commission of correction to promulgate rules and regulations for strip searches in correctional facilities which at a minimum include a requirement that no fewer than two staff members shall be present for any strip search.

Increases the minimum wage outside of New York city and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester; repeals certain provisions of law relating to exceptions to minimum wage increases.

Removes the exclusion of part-time employees from certain definitions relating to employment and expanding the definition of employer; removes certain exclusions for employer notice requirements for the closing of a facility; removes the discretionary reduction of penalties for employers for certain acts or omissions concerning notice requirements for mass layoffs, relocations or employment loss; removes the maximum time period for determining back pay and other liabilities for certain employees who experience employment loss; allows the attorney general to take certain action to assist certain employees in receiving back pay and other liabilities; requires employers to pay severance to employees when there is a plant closing, relocation, or mass layoff.

Maddy summaryS 1023 lowers the value threshold for local authorities to seize abandoned vehicles without license plates. It changes the rule so that vehicles worth $3,000 or less (down from $3,250) automatically transfer ownership to the local authority upon abandonment, unless the vehicle is immediately sold for scrap or destroyed. This directly affects vehicle owners who leave low-value cars abandoned and local governments handling abandoned vehicle removal. The key change is the reduced dollar amount triggering automatic seizure, streamlining the process for authorities. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Requires the disclosure of video footage related to the death of an incarcerated individual involving a correctional officer to the attorney general's office of special investigation.