Sen. Jamaal Bailey

Maddy summaryS 5328 amends New York's insurance law to update licensing requirements for bail bond agents. It directly affects individuals and businesses seeking to become or renew bail bond agent licenses. Key provisions include requiring a new 24-hour pre-licensing course covering state laws, bail procedures, safety practices, and court processes; mandating fingerprint-based criminal history checks; and requiring a 75% score on a written exam. Renewal licenses also now need 12 hours of continuing education. These changes apply to all new licenses and renewals issued on or after the bill's effective date.

Reduces the minimum nonforfeiture interest rate for annuities from one percent to one half of one percent for annuities during the surrender charge period, and from one percent to fifteen hundredths of one percent during any contract period with no surrender charge.

Relates to the creation of a department of corrections and community supervision identification form; relates to the use of such form as proof of identity for individuals applying for a non-driver identification card or certain driver's licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits hospitals in the state from closing or reducing capacity below pre-moratorium levels during any state of emergency declared due to a pandemic. It directly affects all hospitals within the state's jurisdiction during such emergencies. The key provision creates an automatic, enforceable moratorium that overrides existing laws allowing closures, requiring hospitals to maintain their operational capacity as of the moratorium's start date. The law takes effect immediately upon passage and applies only during pandemic-related emergencies.

Provides that upon sale or other conveyance of a limited-profit housing company project to an entity other than a new limited-profit housing company, reserve and surplus funds must be held in escrow by the new owner and dedicated solely to defraying the costs of major capital improvements; provides that no rental may be increased to cover the cost of a major capital improvement until such reserve and surplus funds have been exhausted.

Establishes the baby bucks allowance to provide income to eligible participants for the last three months of pregnancy and the first 18 months of the child's life; excludes income received from the baby bucks allowance for purposes of supplemental nutrition assistance program eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a 35% tax credit for contractors who pay certified minority/women-owned (MWBE) or service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVOBE) businesses for work on New York state contracts. It directly affects contractors working on state projects and certified MWBE/SDVOBE subcontractors operating within New York. The credit applies to payments made for professional services, trades, or supplier work under state contracts, and unused credit can carry over for up to three years. Contractors cannot switch subcontractors solely to claim this credit, and the credit cannot be used alongside other tax credits for the same subcontract.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary commission to study whether 12 SUNY community colleges should join the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which provides financial and academic support to disadvantaged students. The commission will evaluate how EOP participation affects transfer students from these colleges who seek support at four-year schools. It must report recommendations to state leaders within one year, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill itself. The focus is on assessing current eligibility barriers for students at the 12 non-participating community colleges.

Relates to securing payment of wages for work already performed; creates a lien remedy for all employees; provides grounds for attachment; relates to procedures where employees may hold shareholders of non-publicly traded corporations personally liable for wage theft; relates to rights for victims of wage theft to hold the ten members with the largest ownership interests in a company personally liable for wage theft.

Maddy summaryBill S 8057 provides additional real property tax exemptions for homeowners where two or more qualified veterans live in the same household. It amends existing law to allow for these new exemptions, which are layered on top of current veteran tax benefits. For general qualified veterans, an additional exemption of up to 7.5% of the assessed property value, not exceeding $6,000, may apply. Combat veterans in multi-veteran households could receive an additional exemption of up to 5%, not exceeding $4,000. These additional exemptions must be adopted by local governing bodies through a local law, ordinance, or resolution after a public hearing.