Sen. Jamaal Bailey

Establishes the COVID-19 recovery local employment tax credit program to provide tax incentives to employers for employing local employees in full-time or part-time positions in the two years following the conclusion of the state disaster emergency declared pursuant to executive order two hundred two.

Authorizes and directs the commissioner of environmental conservation to conduct a study on food waste initiatives and to provide recommendations based on the study's findings.

Establishes the civil right to counsel in eviction proceedings in New York state; creates the New York state office of civil representation; requires that covered individuals be given notice of such right to counsel.

Maddy summaryBill S 5332 allows an insured individual's spouse or domestic partner to activate their long-term care health insurance coverage if the insured becomes incapacitated and did not previously execute a power of attorney for this purpose. This authority begins when the insured is determined to lack decision-making capacity, and it ceases if they regain capacity. The bill applies to long-term care health insurance plans issued or renewed after the effective date, aiming to facilitate access to care coverage for incapacitated individuals through their partners.

Maddy summaryS 4164 requires most passenger vehicles (under 10,000 lbs gross weight) registered in New York and manufactured after July 1, 2027, to have a rear-seat detection system. The system must identify if a rear seat occupant is present (via seat belt latch and weight over 20 pounds) after the engine turns off, then provide a warning. This applies to standard passenger cars and SUVs but excludes motorcycles, commercial vehicles, and truck-trailer combinations. The bill takes effect 180 days after enactment, with a provision for automatic repeal if it conflicts with federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits credit agencies and lenders from using late payments on cashless toll systems (like E-ZPass) when determining a person's credit score. It amends New York's General Business Law and Banking Law to explicitly ban this practice, requiring lenders to stop collecting or reporting such toll payment history. The law directly affects consumers who have experienced late toll payments but are not penalized for them in credit decisions. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends reporting requirements for New York's Division of Minority and Women's Business Development. It mandates that the division issue an annual report summarizing each state agency's progress on contracting with minority and women-owned businesses, including participation rates, spending data, waiver requests, and violation determinations. The report must include specific metrics like agency-specific participation rates, total certified business numbers, contract values by category (e.g., construction, services), and demographic breakdowns. The report will be shared with state officials and made publicly available online. This procedural change updates existing law to standardize and expand transparency around state contracting efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes New York state and local municipalities to establish permanent memorials honoring those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It creates a dedicated "COVID-19 permanent memorial fund" managed by the state comptroller and parks department, which will receive state appropriations, grants, donations, and bequests specifically for building and maintaining these memorials. The bill requires community input - especially from families of those impacted - during memorial design and location decisions, with all funds kept separate from other state money.

Relates to transportation management brokers; provides that transportation management brokers are no longer required to manage the transportation services for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Relates to prohibitions on rebating and discrimination in rates and payments under insurance policies; provides that certain services shall not be considered to be an inducement or rebate unless the superintendent determines that the offer and sale of such services constituted the sole reason for the purchase of such insurance policy.