Sen. Joe Griffo

Ensures privacy protections for all emergency personnel present at a crime scene including ambulance services or advanced life support first response services, certified first responders, firefighters, emergency medical technicians or advanced emergency medical technicians, who are employed by or enrolled members of any such service.

Enacts into law components of legislation relating to certain criminal justice reform in the state of New York; establishes law enforcement officer grant funds (Part A); provides judges more discretion regarding securing orders and limiting the lengths of certain orders (Part B); requires affirmative consent for the disclosure of contact information of witnesses to a defendant; provides that denial of such consent shall only be for good cause as determined by the court (Part C); relates to consideration of the death penalty for the commission of certain provisions of murder in the first degree (Part D).

Credits any on-premises licensees or any manufacturing licensee with on-premises retail privileges for each day they were unable to operate due to COVID-19; provides that such credits shall be used for such licensee's license renewal; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

Increases certain penalties for certain crimes relating to criminal possession of a weapon or firearm; relates to the release of information to the public, schools or law enforcement pertaining to youthful and adolescent offenders; establishes the crime of criminal solicitation of a minor in a violent felony; repeals certain provisions relating to disclosure of law enforcement arrest or booking photographs of an individual.

Maddy summaryBill S 1189 establishes new licensure requirements for entities providing fiscal intermediary services for personal assistance programs. Beginning April 1, 2027, these fiscal intermediaries must obtain a license from the commissioner, a process that includes an application fee and an assessment of their character, competence, and compliance. The bill also broadens the definition of fiscal intermediaries, modifies their annual reporting obligations, and creates a confidential state registry for personal assistants that these intermediaries must maintain. This legislation directly affects fiscal intermediaries, personal assistants, and consumers utilizing these services.

Maddy summaryS 6791 allows snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) owners to register these vehicles as farm vehicles for use on public highways. To qualify, owners must apply to the state motor vehicle commissioner, pay a $1 fee, and confirm the vehicle will be used exclusively for agricultural purposes. Approved vehicles receive special license plates and a registration certificate specifying permitted highway operation. This change modifies existing law to treat these registered vehicles as farm vehicles (not standard motor vehicles), while unregistered snowmobiles remain restricted from public roads.

Develops protocols that designated hotline centers play calming music while callers are on hold, regular "comfort" messages, and if necessary, the hotline center shall provide additional messaging to encourage the caller to stay on the line.

Requires sex offenders who fail to register or verify their registration on two or more occasions to wear a location-tracking device while on probation, parole, conditional release or post-release supervision; establishes failure to wear such device shall be a class D felony and grounds for revocation of parole and probation.

Maddy summaryNew York State bill S 313 expands the powers of the state Industrial Development Agency (IDA) by adding new authority to provide loans, grants, and equity funding to qualifying businesses. Specifically, it allows the IDA to offer seed and early-stage equity investments to private companies or legal entities in the seed, early-stage, or venture phase, located in or planning to locate within a municipality that created the IDA. A key condition requires businesses to repay funds if they leave the benefiting municipality within a timeframe set by the IDA. This directly affects early-stage businesses seeking capital in New York and municipalities that established their local IDAs, with the goal of generating additional economic activity. The bill amends Section 858 of the General Municipal Law to include these new provisions.

Maddy summaryS 3382 amends New York's environmental conservation law to allow the transfer of unused lifetime hunting licenses to family members under specific conditions. It permits transfer if the original license holder dies within one year of issuance or before age 12, with applications required within three years of issuance or the child's death. The bill directly affects families of deceased license holders who held licenses that were never used. It creates a clear administrative process for transferring licenses without requiring new purchases, effective immediately upon enactment.