Sen. Lea Webb

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a "YMCA member" distinctive license plate for New York residents who are YMCA members. To obtain the plate, applicants must provide proof of YMCA membership and pay a $25 annual fee in addition to standard registration costs. The $25 fee is deposited directly into the New York State YMCA Foundation Fund, which supports YMCA programs and services across the state. The bill establishes this fund in state law and outlines how the money will be managed and spent, with no impact on existing license plate fees or state budgets.

Maddy summaryS 4898 updates New York's civil service law to classify members of the state militia holding appointed or employed positions as "public employees." This directly affects those militia members, bringing them under standard civil service protections and procedures previously excluded from the definition. The key change amends the legal definition in the civil service law to include militia roles, removing a prior exclusion. This ensures these personnel are treated like other public employees under relevant state laws, though they remain excluded from specific provisions in sections 210 and 211 of the law.

Provides for the designation by a general hospital of persons to identify infectious disease processes, conduct surveillance and epidemiologic investigations, and develop plans to prevent and control the transmission of infectious agents within general hospitals.

Maddy summaryThis bill, S 3144, expands the required service area for accessible paratransit transportation. It mandates that accessible buses be available within a service area measuring three miles from any bus line operated by a transportation authority or its subsidiaries. This provision applies to both existing requirements for a percentage of accessible buses and the mandate for 100% accessible fixed-route buses, aiming to ensure broader geographical access for transportation-disabled persons, including those in wheelchairs.

Establishes a youth mental telehealth services program to facilitate access to mental health services, including substance use disorder services, for youth to respond to identified mental health needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the ConnectAll deployment program to provide state grant funding for broadband infrastructure in non-competitive locations - areas with only one wired or fixed wireless provider offering high-speed internet. It requires funded projects to deliver minimum speeds of 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload (or higher), unless waived, and prioritizes applicants committed to high-speed service (1 Gbps) without data caps or content throttling. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribes, or community organizations that demonstrate financial, technical, and safety compliance, plus detailed workforce plans for local hiring. The program targets unserved or underserved areas while ensuring projects meet federal safety and labor standards.

Relates to returnable bottles; adds noncarbonated soft drinks, certain noncarbonated fruit or vegetable juices, coffee and tea beverages, carbonated fruit beverages and cider to the definition of "beverage"; provides that beginning April 1, 2027, the handling fee will be six cents for each beverage container accepted by a deposit initiator from a dealer or operator of a redemption center; directs the multi-agency bottle bill fraud investigation team to submit a report on findings of pervasive bottle redemption fraud in New York state.

Authorizes the commission on ethics and lobbying in government to provide a training course concerning anti-sexual harassment training for lobbyists; requires lobbyists to complete the course annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires contractors working on public improvement projects costing over $250,000 without an established public fund to post a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit equal to the construction cost. The bond guarantees payment to subcontractors, laborers, and material suppliers who work on the project. It directly affects contractors and their workers on larger public projects where public funds aren't pre-allocated. The key mechanism ensures contractors cannot delay or withhold payments to those providing labor or materials for state or public entity projects.

Establishes a civil cause of action for employees who are subjected to an abusive work environment; provides employers shall be vicariously liable for such work environment.