Sen. Jim Tedisco

Enacts the "child survivor privacy act"; provides protections for child victims and child witnesses; restricts information to the public regarding a child witness or child victim's identity or proceeding; defines child witness; provides that whenever practical, the same prosecutor, advocate, and/or social worker shall handle all aspects of a case involving an alleged child victim.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3283) authorizes the town of Ballston in Saratoga County to dissolve the Jenkins Park District (also known as Park District No. 1) under specific conditions. It allows Ballston's town board to end the park district without a petition, provided they hold a public hearing and confirm there are no outstanding debts related to the district. The bill does not require the district's dissolution but gives the town the legal authority to proceed if deemed in the public interest. This is a procedural change affecting only Ballston's local governance structure and the Jenkins Park District.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 967) doubles the annual funding cap for the child care tax credit program from $25 million to $50 million for businesses providing child care services. It directly affects eligible child care businesses by increasing the total funds available for tax credits they can claim. The key mechanism requires the state office to allocate these funds on a pro-rata basis to all qualifying businesses that meet eligibility criteria under existing law. This change applies to the 2023-2024 funding period and aims to expand support for child care providers through increased financial assistance.

Establishes an elderly dental insurance coverage program; specifies eligibility requirements; specifies penalties for fraud and abuse; appropriates $20,000,000 therefor.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that certain bills be scheduled for a floor vote based on co-sponsorship thresholds. Specifically, Assembly bills with 76 or more co-sponsors and Senate bills with 32 or more co-sponsors must be brought to the floor for a vote during the same legislative session they were introduced. The bill applies to all bills introduced in either chamber and mandates automatic floor consideration once the sponsorship threshold is met. It does not change the content of bills but alters the procedural requirement for moving them forward. The legislation would take effect January 1 following its passage.

Maddy summaryS 1413 creates two new criminal offenses: "harassment of a law enforcement officer or family member in the first degree" (a felony) and "in the second degree" (a misdemeanor). First-degree harassment covers threatening communications (via phone, email, or other means) intended to cause fear for an officer's or family member's safety or property. Second-degree harassment includes physical contact, following in public, or repeated conduct that alarms officers or their families. The law directly affects anyone who targets law enforcement officers or their household members with these specific actions, with penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Establishes a first permanent payroll employee tax credit which allows a business to receive a tax credit for the three years following the employment of such business' first permanent payroll employee where such credit equals a portion of the amount it costs to employ such permanent payroll employee.

Authorizes imposition of life imprisonment without parole sentence for persistent violent felony offenders upon conviction of a violent felony offense when such person has previously been subjected to two or more predicate violent felony convictions.

Requires enhanced federal medical assistance percentage funds be directly shared with the counties and the city of New York; requires the comptroller examine and audit all funds received from the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage and the distributions made to counties and the city of New York.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-funded grant program to create peer support networks for health care workers, directly affecting hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities that apply for funding. It appropriates $10 million to provide grants (capped at $250,000 per entity) to eligible organizations to develop peer-to-peer mental health programs focused on issues like PTSD and suicide prevention. The program requires standardized training for peer volunteers and administrative staffing, while prohibiting the collection of personal health data from workers seeking support. The law mandates that grant recipients follow state-established standards for program implementation and ensures privacy protections for participants.