Sen. Pete Harckham

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits police officers from using chemical agents - such as pepper spray, tear gas, or oleoresin capsicum - against any minor under 18 years old in all circumstances. It directly affects minors under 18 and requires all police departments to update their use-of-force policies to ban these chemical agents. The law amends existing policy rules to explicitly forbid such use, applying immediately upon enactment. This is a policy change to restrict specific police tactics targeting children, with no exemptions or exceptions specified.

Establishes the teachers' fossil fuel divestment act; requires the New York state teachers' retirement system to divest the retirement system of any stocks, securities, equities, assets, or other obligations of corporations or companies included on an exclusion list of coal producers and oil and gas producers.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies New York State's rules for plastic carryout bags by defining key terms like "compostable" (must meet ASTM D6400 standards) and "reusable" (must hold 22 pounds for 125 uses). It requires large stores (over 10,000 sq ft or part of qualifying chains) to provide visible recycling bins for plastic bags, maintain records of bag recycling, and sell reusable bags. Compostable bags must display "COMPOSTABLE BAG -- DO NOT PLACE IN RECYCLING" to prevent contamination. The law directly affects large retailers, their suppliers, and customers who receive bags at checkout.

Requires a candidate for office to file additional information about the candidate's educational background, military service history, and employment history; provides penalties for violations.

Prohibits governmental entities from entering into agreements to house individuals in immigration detention facilities; requires governmental entities to terminate existing contracts for the detention of individuals in immigration detention facilities.

Relates to procedures relating to driving while ability impaired by drugs; defines impairment and intoxication; updates procedures for field testing of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs to include the use of oral/bodily fluid tests; provides that refusal to submit to such field tests is specified to be a traffic infraction; makes related provisions.

Prohibits the diminution of health insurance benefits of public employee retirees and their dependents or reducing the employer's contributions for such insurance; defines employers to include the state, municipalities, school districts, and public authorities and commissions.

Establishes an unemployment bridge program and an unemployment bridge program fund to provide wage replacement to workers that do not qualify for unemployment insurance or other worker wage assistance programs and who have lost a major source of income due to lost work (Part A); establishes the "Digital Ad Tax Act (DATA)" creating a tax on digital advertising services (Part B).

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4996) makes specific terms in standard form contracts unfair and unenforceable when used against individual consumers who didn't draft the contract. It defines as "unconscionable" terms like requiring inconvenient dispute resolution venues, waiving legal rights (including punitive damages), or imposing excessive fees. The law creates a rebuttable presumption that these terms are unfair, meaning courts would likely strike them out rather than enforce the rest of the contract. Consumers who face these terms can seek $1,000 in statutory damages per violation, and the law explicitly prohibits businesses from including these terms in contracts with individual consumers.

Establishes the New York state energy storage siting task force to review the findings and recommendations of the Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group, summarize other current data and research and provide recommendations including any recommendations for where more data may be required.