Sen. James Skoufis

Relates to the use of biometric identity verification devices for the purchase of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products; authorizes a licensee, its agent or employee to determine a person's age when purchasing alcoholic beverages or tobacco products by use of a biometric identity verification device; establishes where the use of the device indicates that the person is under the age of twenty-one, the attempted purchase of the alcoholic beverage shall be denied.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 7957 permits the detention of juveniles with adults under specific circumstances. If the closest specialized juvenile detention facility is at full capacity, a court may direct a juvenile to a facility that provides complete sight and sound separation from adults. Should no such separate facility be available within 50 miles, the court can then order the juvenile to be lodged in an adult facility until a bed becomes available at a specialized juvenile detention facility. The bill also grants certain certified detention facilities priority for placement when specialized juvenile facilities are full.

Provides that a person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the second degree when a person pretends to be a servicemember or former servicemember, or a first responder, or as having received a decoration or medal; establishes a stolen valor fee.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a supplemental burial allowance for families of certified first responders who died from a World Trade Center-related medical condition. It amends New York's veterans' law to include these first responders under the existing burial benefit program, specifically covering those with certified 9/11 health conditions. The allowance is available to parents who bore the funeral expenses, following the same eligibility rules as military personnel killed in combat under federal law. The policy directly affects first responder families by expanding access to burial financial support.

Maddy summaryBill S 1836 would prohibit New York's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) from providing financial aid to students enrolled at for-profit colleges. It amends education law to explicitly exclude for-profit institutions from TAP eligibility, adding a new restriction to existing rules. This change directly affects students attending for-profit colleges who would no longer qualify for state tuition aid through TAP. The bill does not alter other TAP eligibility requirements, such as income limits or aid duplication rules. The policy change aims to redirect state financial aid toward public and nonprofit educational institutions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all local health districts to become accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in order to receive state health department funding. Health districts must register for PHAB's process within one year of the law's effective date and achieve full accreditation within four years. The law aims to improve public health service quality and accountability by tying funding eligibility to standardized accreditation. It directly affects every local health district that relies on state funding for operations and programs.

Establishes that no person who has previously provided a DNA sample shall be required to pay a DNA databank fee for their conviction for a subsequent designated offense unless such sample has been expunged.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York's Department of Transportation to develop park-and-ride facilities on non-state highways, streets, or paths with partial funding from local municipalities. It requires local governments to cover 20% of project costs (after federal funds are applied), with the state covering 80%, and mandates municipal approval before projects begin. Municipalities must deposit funds upfront with the state comptroller, and any surplus is returned after completion. The bill directly affects cities, towns, counties, and villages seeking to build or improve park-and-ride infrastructure.

Prohibits recurring campaign donations without affirmative consent; provides that a candidate accepting a recurring contribution shall provide a receipt to the contributor disclosing the terms of the recurring contribution, provide all necessary information to cancel the recurring donation, and immediately cancel the recurring donation upon request.

Maddy summaryS 6203 creates two new criminal offenses targeting actions that endanger emergency workers during building-related emergencies. It establishes "reckless endangerment of an emergency service person" as a second-degree felony (class E) when someone violates building codes during an emergency evacuation, impeding egress and causing injury to a firefighter, police officer, code enforcement officer, or other defined emergency personnel. A first-degree felony (class D) applies if the same violation causes death or if the person has a prior conviction for this offense within the last decade. The law directly affects building owners or contractors who alter structures without permits in ways that compromise safety during emergencies, with penalties increasing based on severity.