Sen. Luis Sepúlveda

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes clear standards for advertising housing as "deeply affordable." It defines such housing as units affordable to households earning 60% or less of the local area median income (as calculated by HUD). Advertisers - including developers and landlords - may not falsely label non-compliant housing as "deeply affordable," and must clearly disclose the percentage or number of deeply affordable units when marketing buildings with both affordable and market-rate units. Government agencies must also follow these rules when promoting housing availability. The law does not change eligibility for tax credits or grants but requires all advertising under those programs to comply with these new standards.

Maddy summaryS 3990 would create a new class D felony offense for knowingly impersonating someone online (e.g., via social media, email, or other electronic means) with the intent to harm, intimidate, threaten, or defraud them. It defines "credible impersonation" as when others reasonably believe the impersonator is the real person. The law specifically targets malicious online impersonation, including accessing accounts or profiles under another's name, and applies to social media and email accounts. This bill directly affects individuals who commit such intentional online impersonation for harmful purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates specific segments of state and county highways across multiple counties as the "Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway." It details a continuous route from Auburn through Geneva, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls, including portions of routes 5, 20, 38, 14, 31, 78, and others. The bill requires transportation officials to install ceremonial signage identifying the byway but explicitly states this is non-binding - official highway names remain unchanged. The dedication is purely symbolic, with no alteration to road designations or traffic operations.

Enacts the "sunshine in litigation act" regarding protective orders to prohibit settlement agreements which conceal a public hazard or any information that would identify a public hazard.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the monetary limit for a motor vehicle that can be exempt from a deceased person's will or estate distribution to fifty thousand dollars, up from the previous twenty-five thousand. It directly affects surviving spouses and children, allowing them to claim one vehicle worth up to the new limit without paying estate taxes on that portion of its value. If a family member chooses a vehicle worth more than fifty thousand dollars, they must pay the difference to the estate, or they can instead receive up to fifty thousand dollars in cash. The legislation also clarifies that if the car was specifically bequeathed in a will, any payment made to the estate for the amount exceeding the limit belongs to the person named in the will.

Prohibits pre-payment penalties for mortgages secured by real property owned in a cooperative form of ownership where over fifty percent of the units are shareholder occupied.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires organizations submitting records to state agencies to periodically renew their requests for information to remain exempt from public disclosure. Under the new rules, entities must apply for an exception at least sixty days before a current exemption expires, with each approval valid for a maximum of three years. If an organization fails to submit a timely renewal application, the exemption ends and the records become subject to public access laws. The legislation also establishes specific timelines for agencies to review these renewal requests and outlines a process for appealing denials of exemption.

Enacts "Shavon's law" prohibiting enforcement of a lien where an occupant has a pending social services department storage fee assistance request or appeal; provides the necessary steps for ensuring such enforcement is paused.

Provides for the continuation of a mechanic's lien which has been discharged by undertaking for a period of three years from the commencement of a foreclosure action.

Requires certification of filings produced using generative artificial intelligence; requires the brief of an appellant to contain a disclosure of the use of generative artificial intelligence in the drafting of the brief and certification that the content therein was reviewed and verified by a human.