Sen. James Skoufis

Maddy summaryThis bill allows retail alcohol licensees to use business credit or debit cards to pay for alcohol purchases from manufacturers and wholesalers. It defines a "business payment card" as a card issued in the licensee's name without any financial interest from the alcohol supplier, ensuring the transaction is for genuine business use. The law requires suppliers to clearly list both the base price and the total amount including any card fees on invoices, while explicitly stating that retailers must cover the cost of these transaction fees. Additionally, the bill mandates that if a supplier accepts these cards, they must offer them on equal terms to all licensees, but it does not force any supplier to accept this payment method.

Provides that public officers and employees of the state who are members of the United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol or the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Pilots shall be granted leave from work with pay to participate in emergency services during certain air force assigned missions.

Expands the residency requirement for the village clerk, deputy village clerk, village treasurer, and deputy village treasurer of the village of Washingtonville such that such person need not be a resident of such village, but must be a resident in the county in which such village is located or an adjoining county within the state of New York.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits insurers from discriminating against widowed individuals by refusing coverage, canceling policies, charging higher premiums, or limiting coverage based on their marital status after a spouse's death. It directly affects widowed policyholders purchasing or renewing property, auto, home, or renter's insurance. The law requires insurers to treat widowed customers the same as those in other marital statuses, applying to all policies issued or renewed after the effective date. It takes effect January 1st following enactment.

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 to certain graduate students and adjunct staff, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

Relates to the provision of breast pumps and related collection and storage materials to certain incarcerated nursing birth parents who are confined in or committed to an institution or local correctional facility with or without their child subject to specific time limitations; requires institutions and local correctional facilities to provide pumps and related materials to such incarcerated birth parents; requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to issue an annual report on data relating to incarcerated birth parents.

Authorizes Michael Winston Hoard, the widower of Kathy Marie Dwyer-Hoard, to file a new service retirement application and an option election form on behalf of his deceased wife with the New York state and local employees' retirement system.

Establishes the homeowner protection program; provides that the department of law shall establish the homeowner protection program to ensure the availability of free housing counseling and legal services to homeowners for the purposes of mitigating threats to homeownership; provides that the department of law shall provide grants to eligible not-for-profit housing counseling organizations and legal services organizations to provide services under the program.

Adopts the psychology interjurisdictional compact to increase public access to psychological services by allowing telepsychological practice and temporary in-person services across state lines.

Permits unvented attics and unvented enclosed rafter assemblies to be sealed with air-impermeable insulation in order to help attain building decarbonization goals.