Sen. Chris Ryan

Maddy summaryThis bill requires election boards to extend voting time at affected polling places or districts if voting is disrupted for over 15 consecutive minutes. If disruptions occur, the board must toll the voting clock during the delay and extend voting time proportionally afterward, or schedule additional voting on the next available day if same-day extension is impractical. The board must also publicly notify voters, candidates, media, and community groups about the extended hours through multiple communication channels. This directly affects voters at disrupted locations, election officials managing polling operations, and candidates needing to coordinate with affected districts.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases short-term disability and family leave benefits for eligible New York workers. It phases in higher weekly benefit rates (from 50% to 67% of average weekly wage) and extends maximum benefit periods (from 8-10 weeks to 12 weeks) over time, starting in 2018. These changes apply to employees taking leave for disability or qualifying family care needs under New York's workers' compensation law. The bill requires employers to maintain health benefits during leave and prohibits retaliation for taking leave. The superintendent of financial services may delay benefit increases if needed to maintain program stability.

Repeals provisions relating to resolutions of disputes in the course of collective negotiations with certain deputy sheriffs to provide such deputy sheriffs with the same interest arbitration scope as municipal police officers.

Establishes an optional twenty-five year retirement plan for certain public safety dispatchers, public safety telecommunicators, 911 operators, communications officers, police communication technicians, emergency services operators and emergency services dispatchers employed by the state, or a county or municipal emergency services department.

Authorizes the governing board of any county, city, village or town to establish one or more other post-employment benefits reserve funds for the financing of all or part of the cost of providing other post-employment benefits to eligible retired employees and their dependents.

Exempts the Liverpool Fire Department within the town of Salina, Onondaga county, from the requirement that the percentage of non-resident fire department members not exceed forty-five percent of the membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates that all drivers complete a 30-minute work zone safety education module as part of their pre-licensing course before obtaining a driver's license. The required curriculum covers identifying construction zones, understanding traffic control devices like signs and flaggers, legal obligations to yield to emergency vehicles, and consequences of speeding violations in work zones. The Department of Motor Vehicles must develop this curriculum in consultation with transportation officials, safety experts, and industry representatives, while ensuring the material is available in both in-person and online formats. Completion of this training will be documented on each applicant's licensing record and verified through a dedicated exam question.

Grants peace officer status to security officers employed by St. Joseph's Health Hospital, North Medical Center and Northeast Medical Center when acting pursuant to their special duties on the grounds or premises owned, controlled or administered by any such hospital or any of its subsidiaries.

Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged to certain graduate students and adjunct staff, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

Repeals the provision of law that volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers who receive a real property tax exemption for service may not receive the income tax credit for such service.