Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Provides that every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of the United States, subjects or causes to be subjected any citizen of New York or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the federal or state constitution shall be liable to the injured party in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals a specific provision (Section 470) in New York's Judiciary Law that previously allowed attorneys with offices in New York to reside in neighboring states. It directly affects attorneys licensed to practice in New York who currently live in adjacent states like New Jersey or Connecticut. The key mechanism is the removal of this residency exception, meaning attorneys must now reside within New York State to maintain their license. The bill makes no other changes to attorney licensing rules and focuses solely on eliminating this specific exemption.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4545) repeals Section 2307 of New York's Public Health Law, which previously addressed individuals knowingly infected with venereal disease. The repeal eliminates the legal provision that could have been used to prosecute such cases. The law takes effect immediately, preventing any future enforcement or legal action under the repealed section.

Eliminates the restriction on class actions involving a penalty or minimum recovery; adds language expressly permitting class actions against governmental entities.

Enacts the "sunshine in litigation act" regarding protective orders to prohibit settlement agreements which conceal a public hazard or any information that would identify a public hazard.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new legal standard allowing courts to overturn (vacate) arbitration awards when arbitrators "evidenced a manifest disregard of the law." It directly affects parties involved in arbitration disputes who believe an arbitrator ignored applicable legal rules in their decision. The key provision amends state law to explicitly include "manifest disregard of the law" as a valid reason for vacating an award, alongside existing grounds like procedural errors. This change provides a clearer legal pathway for challenging arbitration outcomes based on legal errors, rather than just procedural flaws.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows New York State to issue birth certificates to individuals adopted from foreign countries, directly affecting people adopted abroad who now seek official state records. It requires applicants to submit specific documents, including foreign adoption papers (with certified translations), proof of New York residency during adoption, and evidence of valid immigrant visa status (like IR-3/IR-4). The key change makes these provisions retroactive, enabling individuals adopted before this law to apply for a birth certificate. The certificate must include standard details like birth date, parents' names, and place of birth, replacing prior foreign records when no other birth record exists in New York.

Prohibits the keeping of inventory, storage, warehouse, processing, packaging, shipping or distributing of flavored vapor products near where vapor or tobacco products are sold at retail or wholesale.

Creates a department of health education and outreach program on reproductive health services for consumers, patients, educators, and health care providers related to reproductive health services available in New York state including, but not limited to: access to family planning services such as contraceptives and pregnancy testing, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections; makes related provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill would amend the state constitution to require judges and justices to retire at age 76, effective December 31 of the year they turn 76. It allows retired judges to be temporarily reappointed for up to two years (renewable) if certified as mentally/physically competent and needed to expedite court business. Retired justices who previously served on appellate divisions may be designated as temporary appellate justices by the governor. Retired judges would not count toward judicial district staffing numbers for appointment purposes. The bill does not change current retirement practices but establishes a uniform mandatory age for all listed judicial positions.