Sen. Jim Tedisco

Directs the board of education or the board of trustees of each school district shall establish a policy and adopt procedures permitting the district to confer a diploma on a student posthumously if, at the time of death, such student had completed the eleventh grade class of a public school in the district and was enrolled or expected to be enrolled in the twelfth grade class within the same public school district the following school year.

Maddy summaryBill S 7021 establishes a new retirement service credit for members of New York State public retirement systems who serve as volunteer firefighters or emergency service providers. Eligible members can receive one year of service credit for every five years of volunteer service, up to a maximum of three years of credit for fifteen years of service. To qualify, members must have at least five years of existing credited service and will pay a portion of the cost, calculated as three percent of their compensation for the twelve months preceding the application. The bill requires volunteer service to be certified by the agency and applications to be submitted before retirement.

Provides for the licensing, inspection and regulation of animal boarding kennels; authorizes the department of agriculture and markets to license, inspect and regulate animal boarding kennels.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4758) changes the legal definition in New York's public health law to explicitly include certain emergency dispatchers and operators as "certified first responders." It adds "public safety dispatchers, emergency responders, emergency operators, emergency complaint operators, and emergency services dispatchers" to the official definition, recognizing their role in providing communication support within police, fire, rescue, and emergency services departments. The change does not create new duties or funding but formally acknowledges these staff as first responders under existing law. The bill was referred to the Health committee on February 12, 2025.

Authorizes the state board of parole to require a violent felony offender to serve their maximum term, if, by clear and convincing evidence, release would pose an imminent threat to society; authorizes the withholding of good behavior allowances of violent felony offenders by the state board of parole upon such a finding.

Maddy summaryS 472, the "Truth in Spending Act," requires state officials to disclose details before funding allocations. It mandates that governors and legislators requesting funds provide a project description, sign a conflict-of-interest form (if they received $4,000+ in donations from the recipient in the past five years), and confirm no conflicts exist. The bill also requires public posting of all funding details - including recipient names, project descriptions, and requesting officials - 72 hours before budget approval, and obligates recipients to certify proper fund use under penalty of perjury. These provisions directly affect state lawmakers, the governor, and organizations seeking state funding, aiming to increase transparency in how public money is distributed.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a tax credit for New York resident volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who pay for fishing or hunting licenses. It allows them to claim a credit equal to the full cost of those licenses (including tags and permits) against their state income tax. The credit applies only to those who served as active volunteers for the entire previous year, and any unused portion can be carried forward to future tax years. The credit becomes effective for tax years beginning January 1, 2026.

Provides for a grace period until July 1, 2025, in which former employees of the department of corrections and community supervision that participated in a strike may return to full duty without discipline.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a $1,000 supplemental payment for New York taxpayers who claim a newborn baby as a dependent on their federal tax return. It directly affects parents or guardians with newborns not previously claimed as dependents, providing the payment for each qualifying child starting in tax year 2026. The payment is issued automatically by the state tax commissioner and treated as an overpayment if it exceeds the taxpayer's state tax bill. The credit applies to newborns born in the current or prior tax year, with payments beginning April 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryS 3471 creates tax credits for New York employers who provide or sponsor on-site or nearby child care facilities. It offers a 10% credit (up to $10,000) on eligible operating costs and a 20% credit (up to $20,000) for qualified facility construction or improvements. The bill requires facilities to be licensed, serve primarily employees' children (excluding households earning over $200,000 annually), and comply with specific reporting rules. These credits apply to business franchise, personal income, and insurance franchise taxes under New York law.