Sen. Gustavo Rivera

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers and licensing agencies from using an individual's credit history (including credit reports, scores, or self-disclosed credit details) when making hiring, employment, or licensing decisions. It directly affects job applicants and license seekers who might otherwise face barriers due to their credit history. Key exceptions allow credit checks only for specific roles involving national security, law enforcement, financial responsibilities over $10,000, or access to trade secrets. The law applies broadly but exempts positions requiring security clearances, bonding, or fiduciary duties as defined in the bill. It does not prevent agencies from considering unpaid taxes or fines.

Provides immunity from prosecution for certain individuals engaged in prostitution who are victims of or witnesses to a crime and who report such crime or assist in the investigation or prosecution.

Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

Protects individuals who provide or receive legally protected health activity, including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, from criminal or civil liability or professional sanctions imposed by jurisdictions outside the state.

Enacts the "fostering affordability and integrity through reasonable (FAIR) business practices act", to expand the attorney general's ability to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices.

Relates to providing information to patients and the public on hospital rule-based exclusions; requires the commissioner of health to collect from each hospital a list of its hospital rule-based exclusions and publish such information on the department's website.

Requires public notice and public engagement when a general hospital seeks to close entirely or a unit that provides maternity, mental health or substance use care.

Requires a caller making a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment to the central register to leave their name and contact information; prohibits the office of children and family services from releasing information identifying a person who made such a report.

Permits the state board of elections to join certain multistate voter list maintenance organizations and provide such organizations with certain voter information; requires the state to join a multistate voter list maintenance organization on or before July 31, 2026.

Relates to prevailing wage requirements applicable to brownfield remediation work performed under private contract as it relates to certain remediation activities, for sites that are seeking or have received a determination that the site is eligible for the tangible property credit component of the brownfield redevelopment tax credit, and the work is paid for in whole or in part by public funds.