Sen. Jake Ashby

Maddy summaryS 3667 creates a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway to earn a high school diploma, allowing students to complete career-focused training instead of traditional academic requirements. It requires students to finish a CTE sequence (like vocational programs or business training), work-based learning experiences, and a work-skills profile to demonstrate readiness for a career or trade. This pathway applies to all students, including those with disabilities, and covers fields such as health occupations, agriculture, and technical education. Students entering high school in the 2025-2026 school year and beyond will be eligible to earn a diploma through this CTE pathway. The bill establishes this alternative diploma option while maintaining regents or local diploma standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 7415) allows individuals aged 60 and older to hunt deer using a crossbow during a designated special archery season. It amends hunting regulations to add a new eligibility category for crossbow hunting, specifically for seniors, replacing previous restrictions that limited crossbow use to younger hunters. The law requires the state environmental department to create regulations for this season and establish documentation rules to verify a hunter's age eligibility. The policy takes effect June 1, 2026, and directly affects older adult hunters in New York State.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent a law that presumes certain lung disabilities in volunteer firefighters are work-related, without requiring them to prove a direct connection to their duties. It directly affects volunteer firefighters who develop specific lung conditions, streamlining their access to benefits. The key provision removes a temporary expiration date (previously set for June 2025), ensuring the presumption remains in effect indefinitely. This change simplifies the process for affected firefighters to receive benefits under the volunteer firefighters' benefit law.

Establishes a small business tax credit for certain efforts taken to improve such small business's facility in an effort to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 5490) allows individuals in drug or alcohol recovery to request a special "R" indicator on their driver's license when renewing or applying for a new license. The "R" mark would alert medical professionals during emergencies that the driver is in recovery, without requiring additional fees beyond standard license costs. It directly affects people in recovery who choose to opt-in, providing a clear identifier for healthcare providers in medical situations. The bill makes this option available through standard license application processes with no new requirements for state agencies.

Gives state income tax credit to volunteer firefighters and members of a volunteer ambulance corps in good standing up to $2500; must be in good standing for a minimum of five years and maintain continued eligibility.

Prohibits state funding of any degree-granting institution of higher education if such institution permits terrorist organizations or activities in support of such organizations on campus; prohibits any student group or organization of receiving funding from the degree-granting institution if such group or organization directly or indirectly promotes, encourages, advocates, or engages in any terrorist advocacy or activities on campus.

Relates to requiring rate components for the non-capital component of rates of payment by governmental agencies for inpatient services provided by residential health care facilities to be updated no later than 1/1/2027, and every 5 years thereafter using the most currently available cost report data.

Creates an in vitro fertilization treatment tax credit for up to three cycles of in vitro fertilization treatment for expenses related to treatment for infertility.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes New York's career education funding by starting aid for students in grade nine (instead of grade ten) and increasing the per-pupil aid amount from $3,900 to $4,300. It directly affects school districts operating career programs in trade, industrial, technical, agricultural, health, or business/marketing fields. The funding formula adjusts for district wealth and requires districts to maintain minimum spending levels on career education, with the changes taking effect for the 2025-2026 school year.