Sen. James Skoufis

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (J 1681) congratulating the Potsdam Central High School Girls Hockey Team for winning the 2026 NYSPHSAA Girls Hockey Championship. It formally recognizes the team's 17-3-2 season record, their 3-2 championship victory over Adirondack United, and their status as the school's first girls hockey champions in over a decade. The resolution specifically names all 25 players and coaches (including Head Coach Joe Stark and Assistant Coaches Lindsay LaSala and Olivia Scott) and directs that engrossed copies be sent to them. As a symbolic gesture with no policy impact, it does not create new laws or affect any regulations.

Maddy summaryS 1285, the "Tiarah Poyau Act," allows juries in criminal trials to request written instructions about legal requirements (such as offense elements or defenses) during deliberations. The bill requires courts to provide these written instructions upon request, after giving attorneys a chance to review and comment on them. This change aims to clarify legal standards for juries without altering substantive law. It directly affects juries, judges, and defense/prosecution attorneys in criminal cases. The bill passed the Senate in April 2025 and is now in the Assembly.

Enacts the climate resilient New York act; establishes the office of resilience and a resilience task force to assess and identify climate related threats and develop a statewide resilience plan.

Relates to the establishment of regulations for administering immunizations taking into consideration the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the advisory committee on immunization practices, any interstate body established for purposes of reviewing and making recommendations regarding immunization coverage and access, or other similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans to reimburse providers for all costs associated with administering recommended vaccinations, including both vaccine acquisition costs (based on CDC private sector rates plus 21% for shipping/storage) and full administration costs (like counseling, supplies, and nursing time, using current Medicare rates). It directly affects healthcare providers (such as clinics and doctors' offices) who administer vaccines, ensuring they are compensated for the full cost of delivery. The reimbursement applies specifically to vaccines recommended by the CDC's immunization practices committee, covering standard childhood and adult vaccines like measles, polio, and flu shots. This policy change aims to remove financial barriers for providers to offer routine vaccinations under insurance coverage.

Authorizes certain nursing students to administer certain vaccines pursuant to patient specific orders or non-patient specific orders; authorizes physicians and certified nurse practitioners to prescribe and order a patient specific order or non-patient specific order to a nursing student to administer certain vaccines.

Authorizes registered pharmacy technicians to administer the same immunizations as licensed pharmacists under direct supervision of such licensed pharmacist.

Maddy summaryS 5942 establishes a 5-year pilot program to support electric school bus infrastructure. It awards competitive grants to two school districts per economic development region annually, covering costs for planning and building clean energy micro-grids (charging infrastructure) needed for electric buses. The state appropriates $20 million from general funds and NYERDA contributes $20 million from clean energy ratepayer funds to cover these expenses. The program expires April 1, 2030, and aims to reduce long-term operating costs while advancing state clean energy goals.

Prohibits the issuing of major renewable energy and major electric transmission facility siting permits in designated grassland bird conservation centers including, but not limited to, three such centers in Jefferson county, one center in Saint Lawrence county, the Oak-Orchard-Iroquois center, the Washington County Grasslands center, the Finger Lakes National Forest center and the Shawangunk Grasslands.

Creates the New York state school resource officer program for school districts outside of New York City; requires retired police officers be certified by the department of education to become school resource officers; allows retired police officers employed as school resource officers to carry a firearm on school grounds given an appropriate license; relates to the earnings limitations for retired police officers employed as a school resource officer.