Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pharmacists and registered nurses to dispense emergency contraception without an individual prescription, under a "non-patient specific regimen" ordered by a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife. It directly affects patients seeking pregnancy prevention, particularly young women, by expanding access through pharmacies and clinics. Key provisions include requiring healthcare providers to give patients written educational materials about usage, follow-up care, and related health risks, while preserving existing professional scopes of practice. The law defines emergency contraception as FDA-approved drugs used after intercourse to prevent pregnancy, clarifying it is not an abortion method.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 246) amends New York’s Social Services Law to expand asset exemptions for people applying to or receiving public assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid. It increases the cash/liquid resource exemption from $2,500 to $10,500 for most applicants, adds new exemptions for education savings ($5,165), vehicle purchase accounts ($7,500), burial plots, funeral agreements, retirement accounts, and 529 college savings plans. The bill also clarifies that home ownership, one vehicle (with rising value limits), and specific reparations payments (for Japanese-American internment victims and Nazi persecution survivors) are not counted toward eligibility. These changes directly affect low-income households by allowing them to retain more assets while qualifying for aid. The bill updates existing exemptions under the Welfare Reform Act to align with current needs and federal guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 330) requires courts to review criminal sentences that are illegal or "unduly harsh or severe," even if a defendant previously waived their right to appeal. It amends the criminal procedure law to mandate that courts modify such sentences by reversing the sentencing portion while upholding the conviction. The law directly affects defendants serving criminal sentences deemed excessive by appellate courts, providing a mechanism to correct disproportionate punishments without requiring the defendant to formally challenge the sentence.

Maddy summaryS 4778 establishes a 7% tax on digital advertising revenue exceeding $100 million annually for companies operating in New York. It directly affects large digital ad platforms (like social media or search engines) that use personal data for targeted ads, requiring businesses with over $1 million in New York digital ad revenue to file annual tax returns. The tax applies to "annual gross revenues" from digital ads in the state, defined as income before expenses, and takes effect for 2026 tax years. This policy creates a new revenue source by taxing a specific digital business model, avoiding traditional sales tax loopholes.

Relates to the use of body-worn cameras by police officers; requires the department of environmental conservation and the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation establish a program to provide and require officers to wear body-worn cameras while on patrol.

Relates to the confidentiality and expungement of records in juvenile delinquency cases in the family court; requires certain records to be expunged automatically.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts health care employers from requiring nurses or health care workers (excluding doctors, residents, and security staff) to work more than their regularly scheduled hours, except in specific emergencies or during ongoing surgical procedures. It defines "regularly scheduled work hours" to include pre-scheduled on-call time and shift report communication, and prohibits using on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. Exceptions include health care disasters, official emergency declarations, unanticipated staffing emergencies, or procedures requiring continuous presence for patient safety. The law aims to protect patient care quality by limiting excessive work hours, without affecting existing rights under other laws or collective bargaining agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the "Raise the Wage Act," increases New York's minimum wage to $21.25 per hour in New York City by 2028, $17.25 in the city's suburbs (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester) by 2026, and gradually across the rest of the state. It repeals current static wage provisions and establishes automatic annual adjustments tied to inflation and productivity, mirroring the formula used for upstate wages since 2022. The bill directly affects all hourly workers covered under New York's labor law, particularly in low-wage sectors like home care and childcare. This indexing mechanism aims to prevent future erosion of purchasing power, ensuring wages keep pace with rising living costs.

Establishes a culturally responsive education curriculum and standards; requires all school districts, charter schools and private schools to integrate culturally responsive education throughout the education of all students at all grade levels; establishes a pilot program in culturally responsive education; appropriates $25,000,000 therefor.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 2710, changes retirement rules for New York City police officers by reducing the required service time for full retirement benefits from 22 years to 20 years. It specifically applies to members of the New York City Police Pension Fund, allowing them to retire with full benefits after 20 years of service instead of the previous 22-year requirement. The bill amends three sections of the retirement law to update definitions, benefits, and eligibility, ensuring NYC police officers can access normal retirement benefits at the 20-year mark. This is a direct policy change affecting NYC police officers' retirement timelines, with no broader application to other public safety workers.