Sen. Rachel May

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent disability benefits for volunteer firefighters who develop heart or coronary artery conditions related to their service. It removes an expiration date (previously set for June 30, 2025) from existing provisions in the volunteer firefighters' benefit law. The change directly affects volunteer firefighters who become disabled due to heart disease or coronary artery issues while serving, ensuring they continue to qualify for these benefits without time limits.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 5837 increases the state tax credit available to active volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. Beginning January 1, 2027, the individual credit will rise from $200 to $1,200 for resident taxpayers who have served for the entire taxable year. For two qualifying spouses filing a joint return, the credit will be $2,400. This bill also removes the previous restriction that prevented volunteers from claiming this credit if they also received a real property tax exemption for their service. The credit is refundable if it exceeds the taxpayer's tax liability.

Maddy summaryS 644 prohibits corporations from making political contributions that would require disclosure on Schedule B of campaign finance filings. It allows corporations to spend up to $5,000 annually on political activities (excluding Schedule B contributions) but bans all other corporate contributions, loans, or guarantees to candidates or political committees. The bill directly affects corporations, political committees, and candidates by restricting corporate political spending and clarifying disclosure requirements. Key provisions include banning Schedule B contributions entirely and requiring repayment of loans to candidates by election dates. This amendment to New York's election law takes effect immediately upon passage.

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.

Enacts the "standing is tiring (sit) act"; requires employers to provide suitable seats to all employees where the nature of such employees' work reasonably permits seated work; prohibits employers from artificially designing a work space to require standing; requires the department of labor to determine whether the nature of work reasonably permits seated work; creates a private right of action for employees whose employer does not provide seats.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 2514 clarifies how election officers, boards, and courts must rule on objections to designating and nominating petitions. It requires them to interpret election laws liberally to protect an individual's right to run for office and voters' right to elect candidates. The bill specifies that minor technical errors, such as easily ascertainable address issues, using a village name instead of a city, pagination errors, or misstated signature counts, are generally not valid grounds to invalidate a petition. However, petitions can still be rejected if they do not meet the minimum number of signatures required.

Requires that a business allow a consumer to cancel a contract between the two parties using the same method that was used to enter into the contract; provides exemptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires owners and operators of large outdoor cell towers (called "macro cell tower sites") in New York to install backup power systems capable of maintaining service for at least 72 hours during power outages. It applies to new installations and replacements of existing backup systems, but does not require updates to towers already equipped with backup power before the law takes effect. The backup systems must use renewable energy, fuel cells, or energy storage, excluding rooftop, small cell, or indoor antenna systems. The law takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Relates to paratransit services; directs that an applicant for recertification submit correspondence from a licensed physician in lieu of an in-person assessment.

Maddy summaryThis bill reduces signature requirements for local election petitions in counties with under 250,000 residents. Specifically, it lowers the needed signatures for local offices (excluding congressional/statewide races) by 25% (rounded down) and sets a new threshold of 3.75% of enrolled voters for political subdivision petitions. It directly affects petitioners seeking local government positions like mayors, city council members, or county committee roles in smaller counties. The changes apply immediately to county-level elections but do not alter signature rules for statewide or congressional races.