Sen. Pete Harckham

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Environmental Conservation Law to include the marine and coastal district within the official definition of tidal wetlands. The change expands the legal scope to cover areas bordering or beneath tidal waters, such as banks, bogs, salt marshes, swamps, and meadows within that specific district. By updating the definition, the bill ensures these coastal areas are recognized under existing environmental protections. The legislation takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill grants the Department of Environmental Conservation the authority to create and enforce management rules for Atlantic bonito and false albacore fisheries. It allows the department to set regulations on fishing seasons, size limits, catch restrictions, gear requirements, and other fishing practices until December 31, 2029. These rules must align with existing state laws and comply with federal and regional fishery management plans. The legislation affects commercial and recreational fishermen targeting these species and gives the department flexibility to adjust management measures as needed.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date for a program that allows the repair of damaged pesticide containers from 2026 to 2028. The legislation directly affects pesticide users and environmental conservation agencies by maintaining the existing repair provisions under the Environmental Conservation Law. The key mechanism is an amendment to the law's effective date, ensuring the repair program remains in place for an additional two years before automatic repeal. This change provides continuity for pesticide container management without altering the underlying requirements or procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date of existing laws that regulate the taking of sharks in New York State. The legislation amends a 2014 law that was previously set to expire in 2026, pushing the deadline to December 31, 2028. It directly affects individuals and entities involved in shark fishing, research, or conservation activities by maintaining current regulatory protections for a longer period. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and requires no additional mechanisms beyond extending the existing statutory timeline.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the state to issue special deer management permits in the northern zone, enabling hunters to take one additional deer beyond their regular license limit. The permits would be available until December 31, 2027, and are intended to help manage deer populations in areas where the herd size exceeds available food and habitat. The legislation repeals an existing provision that previously excluded the northern zone from similar deer management rules. Hunters in the northern zone would be directly affected by this change, while the state wildlife department would be responsible for creating specific regulations to implement the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends a tax incentive program for supermarkets that donate excess edible food to food relief organizations, keeping the provision in place until December 31, 2031. The measure directly affects grocery stores and food banks by maintaining the financial benefits that encourage supermarkets to share surplus food with those in need. The key provision simply updates the expiration date of an existing law that was originally set to end in 2026, ensuring the program continues for an additional five years. No new requirements or changes to the donation process are introduced; the bill only adjusts the timeline for when the current rules will no longer apply.

Prohibits the use of drilling fluids, brine and flowback water from gas or oil wells, pools, or fields on any highway for any purpose including but not limited to de-icing or dust suppression.

Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged to certain graduate students and adjunct staff, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

Relates to the provision of breast pumps and related collection and storage materials to certain incarcerated nursing birth parents who are confined in or committed to an institution or local correctional facility with or without their child subject to specific time limitations; requires institutions and local correctional facilities to provide pumps and related materials to such incarcerated birth parents; requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to issue an annual report on data relating to incarcerated birth parents.

Requires the consumer protection division to establish a process by which any state agency or third party, pursuant to an interagency agreement with the division for the purposes of fraud prevention, identity verification, and ensuring the integrity or security of individual identities, to grant access to verify New York resident identities via a secure comparison process against state systems.