Sen. Pete Harckham

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution commemorates the 66th anniversary of Senegalese Independence on April 4, 2026, by formally recognizing the historical significance of the date and honoring the Senegalese-American community in New York. The bill directs the legislative body to pause its proceedings to acknowledge this event and mandates that a copy of the resolution be sent to the Association of Senegalese in America. It serves as a symbolic gesture to celebrate Senegal's history and the contributions of its diaspora without altering any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryS 3134 requires New York's Department of Transportation to create a toll-free hotline and website where drivers can report potholes and road defects on state highways, bridges, and other state-maintained roads. The website must display reported locations on a map, update the map every five days, and retain records for one year, while allowing anonymous reporting or contact information submission. It also mandates coordination with the Thruway Authority for highway defects and sharing reports with local officials for county and town roads. This system directly affects motorists reporting issues and the Department of Transportation, which must implement and maintain the reporting platform.

Maddy summaryS 3276 changes New York State's highway law to make the state liable for damages caused by potholes or other defects on state highways, but only if the state received actual or constructive notice of the problem. It removes a previous seasonal exception (previously limiting liability between May 1 and November 15) and clarifies that the state remains liable for defects in maintained highway sections where notice was given. The bill does not apply to defects in bridges the state doesn't control or to damages occurring outside the state's maintained highway sections. This directly affects drivers or property owners injured by unaddressed potholes on state roads after the state was notified of the hazard.

Establishes the "earned time act" providing for time allowances against the term or maximum term of sentences imposed by the court to be credited on an annual pro rata basis.

Establishes a duty to inform certain patients about the risks associated with cesarean section for patients undergoing a planned or unplanned primary cesarean section.

Eliminates provisions exempting employees with disabilities from the minimum wage law; provides that laws or minimum wage orders that authorize an employer to pay a wage that is less than the minimum wage are valid provided that under such laws or orders an employee with a disability is paid the same wage as an employee in a comparable position that does not have a disability.

Relates to modular construction work; provides that modular construction shall comply with any existing municipal licensing requirements for all electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression work.

Provides for the removal and other disciplinary action of part-time teaching assistants; provides for the procedure of such actions; authorizes suspension pending the determination of charges.

Maddy summaryThis bill asks Governor Kathy Hochul to officially designate April 2026 as Arab American Heritage Month in New York State. The resolution highlights the historical contributions and cultural significance of Arab Americans within the state, noting that New York is home to over 300,000 individuals from diverse Arab backgrounds. By directing copies of the resolution to the governor and several advocacy organizations, the measure seeks to raise public awareness and promote recognition of this community's heritage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New York State's education regents to include water safety instruction in the curriculum for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The law mandates that the instruction cover identifying drowning risks, understanding safe behaviors for both children and adults, and learning how to respond to water-related emergencies. The regents will decide how to integrate this component into existing courses, with options including interactive assemblies, presentations, or classroom activities. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2027.