Sen. Monica Martinez

Requires pharmacies to provide prescription drug readers or other means of access to individuals who disclose they have difficulty seeing or reading standard print labels on prescription drug containers; defines "prescription drug reader" to mean a device which is capable of audibly conveying information contained on the label of a prescription drug; makes exceptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York school districts to implement age-appropriate hate crime awareness curriculum. It directs the education commissioner, with input from the Division of Human Rights, to develop content covering discrimination, religious intolerance (including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia), and positive actions for inclusion. Schools may integrate this into existing social studies or other curricula, without requiring statewide uniformity. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after enactment.

Establishes the savings bank, savings and loan association or credit union municipal deposit program; defines terms; provides that a credit union accepting deposits of public money is subject to certain limitations and shall pledge assets or furnish other security satisfactory in form and amount to the depositor, for the repayment of monies held in the name of such depositor, when required to be secured by applicable law, decree, or regulation.

Prohibits accessing or distributing certain sexually explicit depictions of children; prohibits consent to such depictions by anyone under eighteen years of age; makes such crimes eligible for bail; includes certain crimes as sex offenses.

Enacts the "NYPD highway officer Anastasios Tsakos act"; requires intoxicated drivers to pay child support if such intoxicated driving results in the death of the parent or guardian of a minor child due to the influence of alcohol.

Provides that when a housing accommodation has been vacated after continuous tenancy or occupancy of ten years or more prior to vacancy, and the owner can demonstrate restoration of the unit, the new legal regulated rent shall be the rent agreed to by the owner and first tenant after such restoration and reserved in a lease or other rental agreement; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryS 686 requires schools to accept a standardized medical immunization exemption form for students, directly affecting students needing exemptions, their parents/guardians, and school staff. The bill mandates that the form include parent/guardian details, student information, a medical reason from a licensed provider, and a certification stating certain vaccines (like measles or polio) could be harmful. Schools and state agencies cannot impose additional requirements beyond this specific form for exemption approval. This standardizes the process, ensuring consistency in how medical exemptions are handled for school enrollment.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state health commissioner to create plain-language educational pamphlets about esophageal cancer symptoms, risk factors, testing options, and treatment alternatives. Healthcare providers must give these pamphlets to patients at risk (e.g., those with family history) or diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It also mandates that most health insurance plans cover esophageal cancer screening and treatment without patient cost-sharing, applying to hospital, surgical, and medical policies. The pamphlets must be updated as needed and distributed by January 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 8468) creates new criminal offenses targeting threats and violence against elected officials in New York State. It establishes "stalking an elected official" (a class D felony) and "aggravated harassment of an elected official" (a class E felony), which include threats via communication, unwanted contact, or physical actions motivated by bias, when directed at officials or their immediate family. The law specifically covers all elected officials at state, city, county, town, village, or school board levels, and applies to communications or actions related to their official duties. Penalties increase for assaults causing serious injury, raising assault on elected officials to a class C felony and aggravated assault to a class B felony.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense called "vehicular homicide" for drivers who cause another person's death through reckless conduct showing extreme disregard for human life. It directly affects drivers whose actions - like severe speeding or ignoring traffic signals - result in fatalities, even if they didn’t intend to cause death. The law classifies vehicular homicide as a class B felony, the same penalty as second-degree murder in New York, making it a serious criminal charge. This change would replace or add to existing laws for deaths caused by negligent or reckless driving.