Sen. Michelle Hinchey

Requires manufactured home park owners to provide a written justification for rent increases in excess of three percent of the current rent; provides that increases in costs to justify such rent increase for ordinary maintenance or repair to meet the warranty of habitability obligations must be shown to be necessary.

Prohibits public employers from diminishing health insurance benefits provided to Medicare-eligible retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents or the contributions such employer makes for such health insurance coverage below the level of such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and dependents by the public employer as of December 31, 2021.

Relates to strengthening of utility storm response and compliance by reviewing mitigating factors including but not limited to mitigating factors and the specifics surrounding the violation or violations.

Prohibits utility corporations from imposing late fees, interest, or penalties during an investigation by the commission; allows retroactive late fees, interest, or penalties if a determination is made in favor of such utility corporation; prohibits utility services from being terminated during an investigation by the commission; requires utility corporations to notify customers of investigations; requires notice to the general public; requires the public service commission to prepare reports on investigatory proceedings relating to gas, electric, and steam service.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts New York government entities from using automatic license plate reader systems and the data they collect, allowing use only for specific purposes like investigating stolen vehicles, missing persons, or enforcing parking rules. It mandates that most captured data be deleted within 48 hours unless a legal warrant is issued for a felony investigation or a fine is being processed. The legislation also limits how data can be shared, prohibiting sales or transfers to private parties except under strict judicial orders, and requires agencies to publish annual reports on their camera usage and scanning statistics. Additionally, the bill classifies raw plate data as non-public records to prevent general public access while still allowing certain vehicle owners to request information about their own cars.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs New York's state education commissioner to study recess practices in public and charter schools for kindergarten through sixth grade. The study will survey schools on key details like how many offer recess, its duration and frequency, whether it's indoors or outdoors, supervision levels, barriers to providing it, and if it includes both structured and unstructured play time. The commissioner must submit a report by December 31, 2025, to state officials and publish it online. This is a data-gathering measure with no immediate policy changes; it simply requires a comprehensive review of current recess policies in elementary schools.

Relates to parole eligibility for certain incarcerated persons age fifty-five or older if they have served at least fifteen years of their sentence or sentences.

Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands retirement service credit eligibility for various law enforcement officers in New York State, including those in the Department of Environmental Conservation, regional state park police, university police, and the New York Waterfront Commission. It requires these officers to be automatically covered by the state police retirement provisions and grants credit for their previous police service when calculating retirement benefits. The legislation also provides additional service credit for state university police officers who meet specific training and service requirements. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to officers entering or re-entering service after specified dates.

Authorizes the state university trustees to promulgate rules or regulations relating to late fees and exceptions for students submitting certificate of residence forms, and a reconciliation process for such forms received after the list of non-resident students was sent to a county.