Sen. Monica Martinez

Maddy summaryBill S 8156 amends the racing, pari-mutuel wagering and breeding law concerning sports wagers placed in video lottery gaming facilities. It establishes comprehensive definitions for various aspects of sports wagering. These definitions include who is an "authorized sports bettor" and who is a "prohibited sports bettor," such as minors, commission employees, and athletes wagering on their own sport. The bill also defines specific "prohibited sports events," including those involving New York college teams or high school sports, with certain exceptions for collegiate tournaments.

Requires the commissioner of education to develop and adopt instruction in financial and insurance literacy for students in grades nine through twelve.

Creates a cyber security enhancement fund to be used for the purpose of upgrading cyber security in local governments, including but not limited to, villages, towns and cities with a population of one million or less; restricts the use of taxpayer moneys in paying ransoms in response to ransomware attacks.

Establishes a civil cause of action for employees who are subjected to an abusive work environment; provides employers shall be vicariously liable for such work environment.

Maddy summaryS 6498, known as "Siena's Law," requires New York senior high schools to add breast cancer education to mandatory health classes, including age-appropriate instruction on self-examinations. Certified health teachers must deliver this content, covering prevention and detection methods for breast cancer as part of the standard curriculum. Local school boards may also choose to include this education in elementary and middle schools. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after enactment.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 7957 permits the detention of juveniles with adults under specific circumstances. If the closest specialized juvenile detention facility is at full capacity, a court may direct a juvenile to a facility that provides complete sight and sound separation from adults. Should no such separate facility be available within 50 miles, the court can then order the juvenile to be lodged in an adult facility until a bed becomes available at a specialized juvenile detention facility. The bill also grants certain certified detention facilities priority for placement when specialized juvenile facilities are full.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4426) removes earnings restrictions for retired sworn officers who work as investigators for district attorneys in any county. It amends retirement law to exempt these individuals from standard income limits that typically apply to retirees receiving benefits. Specifically, it adds a new provision stating that retired officers employed as sworn investigators by a district attorney are not subject to earnings caps. The change directly affects retired law enforcement officers hired in investigative roles by prosecutors’ offices statewide.

Aligns utility regulation with state climate justice and emission reduction targets; provides for a statewide affordable gas transition plan and utility home energy affordable transition programs; repeals provisions relating to continuation of gas service; repeals provisions relating to the sale of indigenous natural gas for generation of electricity.

Maddy summaryS 6203 creates two new criminal offenses targeting actions that endanger emergency workers during building-related emergencies. It establishes "reckless endangerment of an emergency service person" as a second-degree felony (class E) when someone violates building codes during an emergency evacuation, impeding egress and causing injury to a firefighter, police officer, code enforcement officer, or other defined emergency personnel. A first-degree felony (class D) applies if the same violation causes death or if the person has a prior conviction for this offense within the last decade. The law directly affects building owners or contractors who alter structures without permits in ways that compromise safety during emergencies, with penalties increasing based on severity.

Deems home instruction which is compliant with the provisions of article 65 of the education law and the home instruction requirements prescribed in the commissioner of education's regulations to be substantially equivalent in amount and quality to the instruction given to students of like age and attainments at the public schools of the city or district where the student resides.