Sen. Rob Rolison

Maddy summaryThis law requires hospitals and birthing centers to allow expecting and new mothers to have their doulas present during delivery and post-delivery care. The bill defines a doula as a designated support person and prohibits facilities from denying access to them once admitted. This change ensures that individuals receiving perinatal services can maintain their chosen support system without interference from the healthcare facility.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the state's school violence prevention grant program to specifically fund anti-violence education initiatives. It allows schools to receive money for programs that provide trauma support, counseling, and education for students affected by gun violence, as long as these programs are run by nonprofit organizations and exclude any firearm training. To qualify, the funded programs must set clear goals, outline a timeline, and use specific methods to measure progress in reducing violence. The legislation also broadens the list of eligible safety activities to include safe corridors, diversity programs, and collaborative efforts with law enforcement or community groups.

Enacts "Melanie's law"; relates to orders of protection; allows courts to issue orders of protection for immediate family members or household members of the named victims, regardless of age.

Directs the commissioner of health to do 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.

Directs the commissioner to publicly publish an annual report on the environmental radiation surveillance program and analyze such report showing trends and cumulative impact, as well as notify other relevant agencies if contamination has exceeded EPA standards for maximum amounts of contamination allowed in drinking water or food.

Enacts the "New York wildlife crossing act"; directs the department of transportation and the New York state thruway authority to identify sites along all highways, thruways and parkways in the state where wildlife crossings are most needed to increase public safety and improve habitat connectivity and create a priority list of wildlife opportunity areas where federal grant monies may be available to implement the top five projects identified.

Ensures that color vision requirements for appointment of police officers are tailored to only eliminate individuals with extreme color vision deficiencies from eligibility; provides methods under which an individual can meet such requirements after failing to meet an initial color vision standard.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Alzheimer's disease outreach and education program within the state's public health system. It directs health officials to identify dementia cases in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities while expanding community support services like caregiver groups and respite care. The program will also provide resources and information on dementia-related matters to the public. The legislation becomes effective approximately six months after the governor signs it into law.

Requires the office of victim services to provide notification of potential eligibility for crime victims' awards; directs the state police and the municipal police training council to develop procedures for notifying next of kin of available programs and services upon in-person death notifications.

Increases the tax the county of Dutchess can impose and collect on the occupancy of hotels, motels, boarding houses, conference centers and tourist homes from 4 percent to 5 percent.