Sen. Nathalia Fernández

Establishes the office of energy and equity within the department of state to help ensure equitable access to all energy affordability initiatives available in the state by streamlining the administration of energy affordability and access programs, maximizing the support available to each eligible household, and enhancing the transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of energy affordability and access programs; establishes the energy affordability fund.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural Senate resolution (not a bill), requesting Governor Hochul to declare July 1, 2026, as "Canada Day" in New York State. It memorializes the strong economic, cultural, and trade ties between New York and Canada, including $17 billion in annual exports and over 1,300 Canadian businesses operating in the state. The resolution has no binding effect; it simply asks the Governor to issue a ceremonial proclamation recognizing these connections. The legislature adopted it on February 3, 2026, and will send it to the Governor and Canada's New York Consul General.

Requires parity in the mental and physical health treatment of the residents of New York state; provides that both mental and physical health "will be matters of public concern and provision therefor shall be made by the state and by such of its subdivisions".

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 160) proposes a constitutional amendment to grant voting rights to people incarcerated in state correctional facilities. It would amend the state constitution to explicitly include "any incarcerated person" among citizens entitled to vote in all elections, provided they are 18+ and meet standard residency requirements (30 days in the county, city, or village before an election). The amendment would directly affect incarcerated individuals by restoring their voting eligibility, aligning with existing constitutional provisions for other citizens. The bill requires a constitutional amendment process, including legislative approval and a public referendum after the next general election.

Provides an exemption from requirements for the alienation of parkland for renewable energy generating projects with a generating capacity not exceeding two megawatts and which are located above real property currently used for vehicle parking.

Requires the inclusion of cultural competency training in the basic training and pre-employment course curricula for state police officers and municipal police officers and sheriffs, members of fire departments and companies, corrections officers, first responders, emergency medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians.

Requires disclosure of information concerning non-invasive prenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities including the benefits and limitations of non-invasive prenatal testing, the difference between non-invasive prenatal testing and prenatal diagnostic testing, and current recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, and the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state constitution to allow state legislatures to alter or repeal property tax exemptions specifically for private colleges and universities. Currently, exemptions for religious, educational, and charitable properties are protected, but this change removes that protection for private higher education institutions. It would enable lawmakers to modify or eliminate tax breaks on property owned by these schools, unlike other exempt properties. The change affects private institutions of higher education directly by making their tax exemptions subject to legislative action.

Eliminates certain court surcharges and fees and probation and parole surcharges and fees; eliminates the requirement that a parolee or releasee receiving a merit termination of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution; eliminates the requirement that a person receiving a discharge of sentence be financially able to comply with an order of restitution and the payment of certain surcharges or fees (Part A); mandates that courts engage in an individualized assessment of a person's financial ability to pay a fine prior to imposing a fine (Part B); eliminates the availability of incarceration as a remedy for a failure to pay a fine, surcharge, or fee, lifts and vacates existing warrants issued solely on a person's failure to timely pay a fine, surcharge or fee and ends existing sentences of incarceration based on such failure (Part C); vacates existing unsatisfied civil judgments based on a person's failure to timely pay a surcharge, or fee (Part D); prohibits the collection of a fine, restitution or reparation from the funds of an incarcerated person; prohibits the payment of court fines, mandatory surcharges, certain fees, restitution, reparation or forfeitures from the earnings of prisoners (Part E); vacates existing unpaid surcharges, DNA databank fees, crime victim assistance fees, sexual offender registration fees, supplemental sex offender victim fees, or probation or parole supervision fees; repeals certain provisions of law relating to restrictions on remitting such fees (Part F).

Relates to granting certain individuals youthful offender status; adds a new category of individuals eligible for young adult offender status; provides for process and sentencing requirements related to such statuses.