Sen. James Skoufis

Maddy summaryThe Hunger-Free Campus Act (S 2637) creates a grant program for public colleges and universities to address student food insecurity. To qualify, campuses must meet specific requirements, including establishing student-led hunger task forces, providing SNAP enrollment assistance, operating on-campus food pantries, and conducting annual student hunger surveys. Grants fund initiatives like meal donation programs, SNAP outreach, and awareness campaigns to support students' basic food needs. The program requires institutions to report on grant usage and outcomes to the state education commissioner, with priority given to schools with high Pell Grant enrollment.

Maddy summaryThis bill eliminates a requirement for local tax offices to add a specific code to notification forms when a mortgage institution is listed as the tax billing address for a property. It directly affects local assessors and mortgage lenders by removing a procedural step related to mortgage escrow account changes. The key provision amends tax law to state that assessors no longer need to enter a code for mortgage-related address updates, streamlining the process. This change applies specifically when the tax billing address is a mortgage company or its agent, without altering property owner names or other records.

Enacts the "fair college admissions act"; prohibits legacy admissions policies at colleges and universities in New York; declares such policies and practices to be discriminatory and inequitable.

Enacts the tropical rainforest economic & environmental sustainability act requiring that companies contracting with the state do not contribute to tropical forest degradation or deforestation directly or through their supply chains; establishes the supply chain transparency assistance program to assist small and medium-sized businesses and minority and women-owned businesses in achieving compliant supply chains.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3934) defines "fentanyl analogue" as any synthetic opioid structurally similar to fentanyl through specific chemical modifications (e.g., changes to its ring structures or groups). It classifies all such analogues as Schedule I drugs under New York's public health law, treating them like the most strictly controlled narcotics. The law also removes the requirement for individuals to know a substance's chemical structure to be charged with possession or sale of these analogues. Exceptions include FDA-approved medications and substances used under investigational exemptions.

Requires quarterly reporting on hospital compliance with federal hospital price transparency law, rules and regulations; establishes a civil penalty for non-compliance.

Eliminates judicial immunity or quasi-judicial immunity for certain third parties, such as special masters, minor's counsel, investigators, therapists, evaluators, receivers, bankruptcy trustees, experts, and factfinders, who provide a report or finding to the family court.

Establishes the "Interstate insurance product regulation compact" to regulate certain insurance products among member states and to promote and protect the interest of consumers of individual and group annuity, life insurance, disability income and long-term care insurance products.

Establishes a correctional employee protective labor practices board to make recommendations regarding labor practices and working conditions for correctional employees, and institutional safety of both correctional employees and incarcerated individuals.

Maddy summaryBill S 5579 increases the amount of money public retirement system retirees can earn while holding a position of public service. The bill raises the annual earnings limitation for these retirees from the current $35,000 (effective through 2025) to $65,000. This new earning limit will apply starting in the year 2026 and thereafter. The change directly affects retirees who wish to work in public service without impacting their retirement benefits.