Sen. Rachel May

Requires child protective services to orally and in writing disclose certain information to parents and caretakers who are the subject of a child protective services investigation; requires such oral and written disclosure to contain certain information regarding the rights of the person under investigation.

Maddy summaryS 6601 requires New York municipal police departments to address motorcycle profiling in officer training and update their policies. It mandates basic law enforcement training to cover motorcycle profiling and requires departments to add a policy statement condemning it to existing profiling policies. The bill defines "motorcycle profiling" as illegally using a person's motorcycle riding or related gear as a reason for stops, searches, or arrests without legal justification. This directly affects all local police agencies and their training programs in New York State.

Relates to the distribution of fire insurance premium taxes; provides that a percentage of fire insurance premium taxes be paid to the treasurer of the NYS Professional Firefighters Association to promote, support and maintain the well-being of paid professional firefighters employed in the state.

Requires any person including certified and licensed responsible pesticide applicators and commercial pesticide applicators and operators operating in the state to contact the division of plant industry of the department of agriculture and markets by phone at least forty-eight hours in advance of extermination of honey bees to obtain assistance in trying to relocate nuisance honey bee colonies or hanging swarms of honey bees, in lieu of destroying such honey bees; makes related provisions.

Establishes a five-year window for any entity participating in the New York state supportive housing program (NYSSHP) in good standing with such program to participate in a request for proposal to increase their contract rates up to ESSHI levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of campaign funds for personal expenses unrelated to a political campaign or holding public office. It defines "personal use" as expenditures benefiting the candidate or officeholder personally, such as mortgage payments, utilities for a personal residence, clothing, tuition, or family member salaries beyond fair market value. The bill lists specific prohibited examples, including residential expenses, non-campaign travel, entertainment, and excessive payments for family services. Exceptions allow campaign funds to cover legitimate campaign costs or public office duties (if not covered by state funding), and the state board of elections can issue binding advisory opinions on disputed expenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits discrimination based on caste in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It adds "caste" to New York's existing anti-discrimination protections, defining caste as a hereditary social hierarchy that restricts mobility and rights. The law makes it unlawful for employers, housing providers, or public accommodations to deny services or opportunities based on caste, alongside other protected characteristics like race or gender. This directly affects individuals from communities where caste-based discrimination occurs, such as certain South Asian diaspora groups, by extending legal safeguards to these specific circumstances.

Prohibits any local police department, county sheriff's office, the division of the state police or any agency that employs a peace officer in this state from participating in the 1033 federal excess property program for the purposes of receiving lethal or offensive weapons.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits landlords, lessors, sub-lessors, and grantors from requiring tenants to pay broker fees as part of the rental process. It directly affects residential tenants by eliminating a common cost added to rent applications or lease signings. The law allows landlords to still charge for background checks and credit checks but bans all other fees like broker commissions before or at the start of a tenancy. Exceptions apply to specific housing types, including retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and certain cooperative housing arrangements. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Updates the definition of the term "reusable bag", as used in the environmental conservation law, to specify minimum material and durability standards.