Sen. Michelle Hinchey

Provides a rebuttable presumption relating to recertification as a minority and women-owned business enterprise if there is no change in the ownership of the enterprise and no material change in the nature or management of the enterprise from the time of approval of the previous minority and women-owned business enterprise certification.

Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.

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, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

Protects individuals who provide or receive legally protected health activity, including reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, from criminal or civil liability or professional sanctions imposed by jurisdictions outside the state.

Provides for the protection of health information; establishes requirements for communications to individuals about their health information; requires either written consent or a designated necessary purpose for the processing of an individual's health information.

Enacts the "fostering affordability and integrity through reasonable (FAIR) business practices act", to expand the attorney general's ability to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices.

Relates to providing information to patients and the public on hospital rule-based exclusions; requires the commissioner of health to collect from each hospital a list of its hospital rule-based exclusions and publish such information on the department's website.

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow local governments (counties, cities, towns, villages, or school districts) to create a property tax exemption for the primary residence of veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. To qualify, veterans must have an honorable discharge, a 100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and be permanently and totally disabled due to military service. The exemption covers all real property taxes, special district charges, and assessments on their primary home. This policy change directly affects veterans meeting these specific criteria, providing them with tax relief on their main residence starting with 2026 assessment rolls.

Maddy summaryS 6997 requires utility companies and contractors to electronically submit detailed information about pole attachments (including equipment ownership, work dates, and contractors) to a central database. It creates a public complaint system for safety issues like unsafe attachments or violations of industry standards, with inspectors required to investigate within two weeks. Violations can result in fines up to $50,000 for repeat offenses, and the commission must publish semiannual lists of repeat violators. The bill also adds new disclosure requirements for contractors working in public rights-of-way when applying for permits.

Requires the superintendent of state police to develop, maintain and disseminate to all members of the division of state police a critical incident leave policy requiring critical incident paid leave for any members directly involved in a critical incident; prohibits such superintendent from taking any punitive administrative action against any member of the division of state police granted critical incident leave solely on the basis of the provision of such leave.