Sen. Chris Ryan

Defines the term "construction projects" to mean the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of any school building where a district receives any apportionment for debt service or building aid and the school building is sited within the Long Island region; provides that each contract involving the award of a construction project shall require the use of a project labor agreement for all contractors and subcontractors on such project.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds broadband access as a scoring factor in New York State's low-income housing tax credit program. It requires housing projects applying for tax credits to commit to using end-to-end fiber-optic broadband infrastructure to receive preference during application evaluation. The change directly affects developers seeking low-income housing tax credits by making fiber broadband access a key consideration in project rankings. The policy update modifies how projects are scored but does not mandate broadband installation, only prioritizing applications that commit to it.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New York State Office of Gun Violence Prevention and a Gun Violence Advisory Council. The office coordinates state, local, and federal efforts to prevent gun violence, centralizes grant programs, improves data collection on firearm incidents, and runs public education campaigns. The advisory council - comprising survivors, community leaders, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders - provides guidance to the office. These entities will work with state agencies like health, education, and public safety departments to develop and implement gun violence prevention strategies across New York.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 8375 (Small Cannabis Farmer Relief Act), allows qualifying cannabis cultivators affected by financial hardship to expand their growing area. It permits eligible "distressed farmers" who legally grew cannabis in 2022 or 2023 to double their previous cultivation canopy size (up to their tier’s maximum limit), with no additional fees for this expansion. Applicants must verify their 2022/2023 canopy size with the state office, and expansions remain subject to environmental, security, and testing rules. The relief expires December 31, 2028.

Enacts the affordable waste reduction act"; defines terms; provides for registration of producer responsibility organizations and service providers; establishes the producer responsibility advisory board; provides for department of environmental conservation responsibilities; provides for producer responsibility advisory board, organization, producer and service provider responsibilities; creates a recyclable or compostable covered materials lists and exempt materials list; establishes producer fees; provides for service provider reimbursement; makes related provisions.

Increases the minimum wage outside of New York city and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester; repeals certain provisions of law relating to exceptions to minimum wage increases.

Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker; promotes work zone safety awareness; establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement.

Maddy summaryBill S 7021 establishes a new retirement service credit for members of New York State public retirement systems who serve as volunteer firefighters or emergency service providers. Eligible members can receive one year of service credit for every five years of volunteer service, up to a maximum of three years of credit for fifteen years of service. To qualify, members must have at least five years of existing credited service and will pay a portion of the cost, calculated as three percent of their compensation for the twelve months preceding the application. The bill requires volunteer service to be certified by the agency and applications to be submitted before retirement.

Relates to the conversion to condominium ownership for the preservation of expiring affordable housing in the city of New York; provides expanded homeownership opportunities from the conversion of certain residential rental buildings to condominium status by property owners that commit to preserve the inventory of expiring affordable housing in the city of New York.

Improves transparency in the insurance claims process; regulates insurance adjusting professionals; institutes licensing standards for insurance professionals; ensures timely responses to insurance claims; enhances policyholder protections.