Sen. Pam Helming

Maddy summaryThis bill allows hunters to use crossbows for taking wildlife under specific conditions. It removes the prior ban on 12- to 13-year-olds hunting with crossbows (previously prohibited under §11-0929), while maintaining age requirements for other hunting methods. The bill sets technical standards for crossbows, including a minimum 100-pound draw weight, 14-inch arrow length, and 24-inch overall length. It affects all hunters in New York who use crossbows for deer, bear, or small game, requiring a bowhunting privilege and compliance with these equipment rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits individuals convicted of certain sex offenses (under Penal Law Article 130) from voting if they are both on parole/conditional release and in civil commitment at a hospital or institution. It directly affects people meeting both conditions during their period of civil confinement. The law amends voting rights provisions in the Executive Law and Election Law to bar voting in all elections held while the person remains confined. The restriction applies only during the time of civil confinement, not for the entire parole period. The bill takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryS 1427 proposes changes to how non-commercial driver's licenses and learner's permits are issued, specifically for those that do not meet federal identification standards. The bill creates different requirements for counties designated as "boundary land" compared to other counties. In counties *without* boundary land, applicants could use certain foreign documents, like passports or consular IDs, as proof of identity and provide an affidavit if they lack a social security number. However, these alternative forms of identification and the social security number affidavit would not be accepted for these specific license types in "boundary land" counties.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows public access defibrillation providers (such as trained community volunteers or first responders) to legally carry automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in their personal vehicles. It amends health law to explicitly authorize these individuals to possess and transport AEDs while traveling in their cars. The change removes a prior legal barrier, enabling faster access to life-saving equipment during cardiac emergencies outside of formal medical settings.

Maddy summaryS 480 eliminates a $10 one-time application fee for veterans' special license plates in New York. It directly affects veterans who apply for plates through veterans organizations, removing the additional charge while keeping the standard registration fee. The bill amends multiple sections of the vehicle and traffic law (including 404-h, 404-j, and 404-v) to remove the $10 fee provision. This is a concrete policy change that reduces costs for veterans obtaining these plates.

Relates to providing a tax credit for qualified expenses relating to healthy living; provides such credit shall equal, up to one thousand dollars, the amount paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year for qualified expenses relating to healthy living.

Maddy summaryS 209 establishes a tax credit for businesses that create new full-time jobs in the state. It provides a credit equal to 6.85% of a new employee's gross wages (capped at $5,000 per employee annually for three consecutive years), with an additional $3,000 credit for hires who were receiving unemployment benefits during 2027-2028. The credit applies only to employees hired after July 1, 2026, who increase a business's total workforce above its 2025 employment level (defined as "base employment"). Businesses can use the credit to offset quarterly tax payments, and the credit cannot be claimed if other employment-based credits apply for the same hire.

Directs the department of financial services to conduct a study examining the increasing costs of insurance premiums, the lack of availability of insurance coverage for losses from flooding, and the possibility of supporting a private flood insurance market in the state.

Requires the commissioner of corrections and community supervision to permanently terminate the conjugal visit program, commonly known as the family reunion program; directs such commissioner to prohibit the establishment of any program designed to provide selected inmates and their families the opportunity to privately meet for an extended period of time.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 7415) allows individuals aged 60 and older to hunt deer using a crossbow during a designated special archery season. It amends hunting regulations to add a new eligibility category for crossbow hunting, specifically for seniors, replacing previous restrictions that limited crossbow use to younger hunters. The law requires the state environmental department to create regulations for this season and establish documentation rules to verify a hunter's age eligibility. The policy takes effect June 1, 2026, and directly affects older adult hunters in New York State.