Sen. James Skoufis

Ensures proper administration and enforcement of the uniform fire prevention and building code and the state energy conservation construction code; provides additional definitions; provides remedies for violations of the code; makes conforming technical changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the New York State Department of Health to create a comprehensive report analyzing how hospital closures affect healthcare access across the state. The report must include detailed data on hospital locations, bed availability, patient demographics, financial conditions, and travel times, while also consulting with public health experts and community leaders. Based on these findings, the department will identify "distressed healthcare zones" and update this designation every three years to guide future healthcare funding and service approvals. The final report is required to be published online by April 1, 2025, and must be written in clear language accessible to the general public.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the New York State Urban Development Corporation Act to clarify how leadership roles are filled when positions become vacant. It establishes a specific process where the governor must appoint a new president or chairperson with the Senate's approval to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term. Additionally, the legislation allows the governor to designate an acting leader for up to six months while a permanent successor is confirmed. The bill also revises the text to replace gendered terms like "chairman" with the gender-neutral "chairperson" throughout the statute. These changes directly affect the corporation's governance structure and the official language used in its governing laws.

Relates to parametric insurance; requires insurers providing parametric insurance include certain disclosures in the application for the policy; makes related provisions.

Relates to the provision of patient health information and medical records; expands the definition of medical records to include all health related records; prohibits fees for providing certain records.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies New York's not-for-profit corporation laws to increase transparency and oversight for organizations created or supported by government entities. It requires the state department to electronically share copies of incorporation certificates with the authorities budget office whenever a municipal, state, or local authority is involved in the filing. Additionally, the legislation mandates that these corporations disclose whether they are being formed on behalf of a government body and ensures that any entity where government officials control the board or chief executive officer must obtain specific approval from the authorities budget office. The bill also establishes a new category for "local development corporations" designed to promote employment and economic growth, granting them the ability to acquire public property without standard bidding processes while subjecting their contracts with government agencies to specific terms and duration limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all municipalities to create and maintain an official website using a .gov domain that is regularly updated and accessible to the public. The law mandates that these sites include basic information such as operating hours, elected officials, and services, along with a clear privacy policy explaining how personal data is collected and used. Additionally, the websites must provide specific documents like meeting agendas and minutes, local laws, and financial reports including budgets and audit results. Municipalities must also ensure that financial documents are available on their sites unless those records are already required to be posted elsewhere by existing public officers laws.

Requires an agency responding to a request for public employee disciplinary records to develop a policy to notify the public employee whose personal information is subject to the request.

Relates to creating the health emergency response data system, which collects information and statistical data relating to public health emergencies in order to assist the department of health, other government entities, health care providers, and the public in understanding and responding to public health emergencies.

Prohibits the application of fail-first or step therapy protocols to coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of serious mental health conditions; defines serious mental health condition.