Sen. Monica Martinez

Prohibits the participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; prohibits the department of environmental conservation from issuing permits or licenses allowing participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; excludes certain permanent performing institutions; imposes a civil penalty not to exceed $1000 for a violation.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires local election boards to send official election results directly to the clerks of the cities, towns, and villages where they serve as the canvassing board. The change mandates that these results be transmitted specifically to the local clerks rather than following previous procedures. This update applies immediately to all relevant municipalities and aims to streamline the process of sharing election data within local government structures.

Relates to participation in World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operations by members of the organized militia; provides that members of the organized militia shall qualify as employees for the purposes of making a claim under the workers' compensation law for participation in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operations.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the legal definition of enterprise corruption to include animal fighting. By adding this specific offense to a list of serious crimes, the legislation allows prosecutors to charge individuals who organize or profit from animal fighting rings with enterprise corruption. This change directly affects people involved in running or funding illegal animal fighting operations, potentially increasing the severity of penalties they face. The law takes effect ninety days after it is signed into force.

Relates to veterans' health care; creates a veteran health care review to ensure veterans and their families have access to health and mental health treatment, including for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, military sexual trauma, reproductive and mental health conditions, and suicide prevention.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the spending limit for regional off-track betting corporations to $35,000, allowing them to purchase equipment or hire contractors without a public bidding process for amounts at or below this threshold. The change directly impacts these corporations by simplifying their procurement rules, though it requires a two-thirds vote from the local governing body if the corporation decides a specific contract would not serve the public interest. By removing the previous $15,000 cap, the legislation gives these entities more flexibility in managing smaller purchases while maintaining oversight for larger expenditures.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors Jillian Hanesworth and Augustus Clarke for winning the 2024 Sports Emmy Award in the Short Film category. The bill formally recognizes their work on the film "Still Here," which highlights the resilience of Buffalo following the 2022 mass shooting and blizzard. It directs the legislative body to pause its proceedings to acknowledge their achievement and mandates that a copy of the resolution be sent to them. The measure serves as a public commendation of their specific contribution to the NFL 360 series rather than altering any laws or policies.

Permanently requires that the first installment of serial bonds mature not later than two years after the date of such bonds; provides that principal installments remaining unpaid on bonds may be called for redemption prior to their date of maturity in such amounts, at such times in such manner and pursuant to such terms as may be determined by the finance board of a municipality, school district or corporation at the time of the issuance thereof; repeals provisions that permanently eliminate the requirement that municipalities provide from current funds an amount equal to at least 5% of the estimated cost of each capital improvement (excluding from such cost state or federal grant funding and certain benefited area assessments) prior to the issuance of bonds or bond anticipation notes to finance such capital improvement.

Establishes an Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leadership institute within the state university of New York as an initiative for Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders in higher education with a mission to retain and grow from within SUNY a greater proportion of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) professionals at SUNY campuses; creates an eight member advisory council.

Amends the real property tax exemption for un-remarried spouses of volunteer firefighters or volunteer ambulance workers killed in the line of duty to permit continuation of such exemption for volunteer members with service between two and five years.