Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Relates to returnable bottles; adds noncarbonated soft drinks, certain noncarbonated fruit or vegetable juices, coffee and tea beverages, carbonated fruit beverages and cider to the definition of "beverage"; provides that beginning April 1, 2026, the handling fee will be six cents for each beverage container accepted by a deposit initiator from a dealer or operator of a redemption center.

Directs the office of children and family services, in consultation with the office for the prevention of domestic violence, to establish a statewide supervised visitation initiative including culturally sensitive services that provide language access for those who need it and that are affordable for those with limited means to pay; requires the submission of regular assessments and reports.

Relates to the medical aid in dying act; relates to a terminally ill patient's request for and use of medication for medical aid in dying.

Provides that certain communications made without malice regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination shall be deemed privileged; provides that a prevailing defendant in an action brought against such defendant for making a communication that is privileged shall be entitled to attorney's fees and costs for such defense.

Removes statute of limitations for certain civil actions related to child sexual assault offenses.

Includes oral nicotine pouches in the prohibition against selling or offering for sale at retail, or distribution of any flavored vapor product intended or reasonably expected to be used with or for the consumption of nicotine.

Enacts the "faith-based affordable housing act" for development on residential land; defines terms; provides that each village, town, and city shall allow the construction and occupation of residential buildings on any covered site up to the specified densities; provides that all residential buildings constructed pursuant to this section in a town, village, or city with fewer than one million inhabitants shall set aside twenty percent of the residential floor area for households earning an average of eighty percent of area median income; outlines the densities for New York city; makes related provisions.

Requires the office of court administration, clerks, and all other records custodians to develop policies and procedures to ensure no identifying information or documentation relating to name change actions or sex designation change actions is visible or retrievable in any electronic database maintained by the state of New York or a subdivision thereof.

Provides that a tenant who has left a residential dwelling unit between the dates of March 12, 2020 and January 1, 2022 due to the health impacts of COVID-19 in the city of New York, who is a senior citizen or disabled person, and who asserts an intent to return to the housing accommodation shall be deemed to be occupying the unit as such tenant's residence.

Enacts the bucks for boilers act, which creates a program to aid in transition of housing units to electric heat pumps and other high energy efficiency upgrades.