Sen. Nathalia Fernández

Provides that a licensee for an adult-use retail dispensary whose license was approved by the office prior to July twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-five, and whose business location was found to be in compliance with standards used by the office at the time of such approval, regardless of such business location's proximity to a school property line, shall be deemed compliant for purposes of license renewal and continued operation at such location.

Establishes a special needs assisted living program to serve residents of certified assisted living residences with neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia or Parkinson's disease, who are experiencing behavior disturbances.

Establishes a school ventilation and energy efficiency assessment, repair and verification program to require each school to: obtain an HVAC Assessment Report performed by qualified testing personnel documenting the functionality of the existing system or lack thereof, and obtain a report from a mechanical engineer identifying any upgrades, replacements or other measures recommended to improve the functionality, health and safety and/or energy efficiency of the HVAC system; adjust, and, if necessary, repair existing building HVAC systems, and install or replace HVAC systems, if necessary, to ensure proper and efficient operation, as well as compliance with health and safety standards; obtain an HVAC Verification Report performed by qualified testing personnel documenting any upgrades, replacements, installations or any other work performed on the HVAC system functions as designed and/or in compliance with health and safety standards; install CO2 sensors in classrooms, assembly areas, kitchen or cafeteria areas or building office spaces to provide ongoing verification that proper ventilation is maintained during operation; makes related provisions.

Directs the commissioner of health to contract with an independent entity to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing methodology used to determine payment for early intervention screenings, evaluations, services and service coordination; directs recommendations on reimbursement methodology as well as needs under the program.

Enacts the good jobs guarantee program to provide workforce training and opportunities for employment for residents of New York state to secure high paying jobs through the acquisition of job skills.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1198) limits patient co-payments for physical and occupational therapy services under group health insurance policies. It requires that insurers cannot charge co-payments exceeding 20% of the total reimbursement paid to the therapy provider. The law applies to all group accident, health, or accident-and-health insurance policies covering these services, which must be provided by licensed therapists under physician referral. This change directly affects insured patients receiving physical or occupational therapy, capping their out-of-pocket costs for these covered services.

Establishes new targets for offshore wind electricity generation; includes the requirements that there is at least 15 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity generation by 2040, at least 18 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity generation by 2045 and at least 20 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity generation by 2050.

Relates to an increase in punishment for certain actions against on-duty auxiliary police officers such as criminally negligent homicide, assault or menacing of such officer.

Enacts the "faith-based affordable housing act" for development on residential land; defines terms; provides that each village, town, and city shall allow the construction and occupation of residential buildings on any covered site up to the specified densities; provides that all residential buildings constructed pursuant to this section in a town, village, or city with fewer than one million inhabitants shall set aside twenty percent of the residential floor area for households earning an average of eighty percent of area median income; outlines the densities for New York city; makes related provisions.

Creates minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocates; provides that the advocates will help ensure that municipal agencies comply with the provisions of law relating to minority and women-owned business enterprises.