Sen. Michelle Hinchey

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York's agriculture law to explicitly allow hemp seed or hemp seed products in commercial feed for pets, specialty pets, horses, and camelids. It updates the legal definition of "commercial feed" to include these hemp-derived ingredients without requiring additional regulation. The change directly affects feed manufacturers and producers who create pet, horse, or camelid feed, enabling them to legally incorporate hemp seed as an ingredient. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Authorizes the county of Ulster to establish an affordable housing fund to provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers, production of affordable housing, emergency housing, or supportive housing for sale or rent, rehabilitation of existing buildings for conversion to affordable housing, emergency housing, or supportive housing, acquisition of interests in real property in existing housing units, and the provision of housing counseling services.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 8375 (Small Cannabis Farmer Relief Act), allows qualifying cannabis cultivators affected by financial hardship to expand their growing area. It permits eligible "distressed farmers" who legally grew cannabis in 2022 or 2023 to double their previous cultivation canopy size (up to their tier’s maximum limit), with no additional fees for this expansion. Applicants must verify their 2022/2023 canopy size with the state office, and expansions remain subject to environmental, security, and testing rules. The relief expires December 31, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Christopher Collins to take the civil service exam for a police officer position with the Saugerties Police Department, overriding standard eligibility rules under New York's civil service law. It specifically permits Collins to be placed on the eligible list for appointment if he scores well on the exam, though he must still meet all other merit-based requirements. The bill applies only to Collins and does not change general hiring procedures for other applicants. It was referred to the Civil Service and Pensions committee on April 11, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines "agrivoltaics" as projects that simultaneously use land for solar energy generation and agriculture (like growing crops under solar panels), with specific requirements to maintain farming activities. It requires state authorities to prioritize previously developed sites - such as brownfields, landfills, parking lots, and underutilized commercial properties - for new renewable energy projects. The law directly affects agricultural producers and renewable energy developers by creating a framework for dual-use solar-farming projects on suitable land. Key provisions include mandatory planning with farmers, decommissioning plans to protect farmland, and restrictions on using pollinator habitats or sheep grazing as the sole activity.

Prohibits freight trains traveling on a track within the state from exceeding eight thousand five hundred feet in length; directs the commissioner of transportation to promulgate rules and regulations to establish a waiver process to permit the operation of freight trains in excess of eight thousand five hundred feet for situations as deemed appropriate by such commissioner.

Maddy summaryS 4057 extends New York's historic homeownership rehabilitation tax credit window, allowing eligible homeowners to claim the credit for tax years beginning after 2025 (previously expiring in 2025). It maintains a $50,000 annual credit limit per home (reducing to $25,000 after 2025) for qualified rehabilitation costs of certified historic properties. The bill also adds new reporting requirements: the state tax commissioner must annually report credit claims and utilization data by location and project size to state officials and the public. These reports will include details like certified project counts, credit values, and housing unit changes before/after rehabilitation. The bill directly affects homeowners rehabilitating historic properties in New York who qualify for the tax credit.

Directs the commissioner of labor, in conjunction with the commissioner of health, to develop a program which incentivizes unemployed individuals to enter jobs in healthcare.

Permits schools located within the state to purchase reduced fat or whole New York milk to provide or sell at such school; defines New York milk as raw milk produced by milking cows within the state, transported to a dairy processing center within the state, and processed as fluid milk into containers intended for distribution to consumers.

Relates to establishing discount programs for veterans; provides that utilities, waterworks corporations, telephone corporations and cable television companies shall create discount programs that provide a 10 percent discount to veterans; defines terms.