Relates to parole eligibility for certain incarcerated persons age fifty-five or older if they have served at least fifteen years of their sentence or sentences.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands retirement service credit eligibility for various law enforcement officers in New York State, including those in the Department of Environmental Conservation, regional state park police, university police, and the New York Waterfront Commission. It requires these officers to be automatically covered by the state police retirement provisions and grants credit for their previous police service when calculating retirement benefits. The legislation also provides additional service credit for state university police officers who meet specific training and service requirements. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to officers entering or re-entering service after specified dates.
Authorizes the use of body imaging scanning equipment in certain facilities for youth and adolescent offenders placed with or committed to the office of children and family services.
Implements escalating penalties for vehicles which have been documented multiple times by a photo violation monitoring device for failure to comply with traffic-control indications up to a suspension of a vehicle's registration.
Imposes certain restrictions on catalytic converters; requires all vehicle catalytic converters to be indelibly marked or engraved with a readily observable vehicle serial number; provides a reduction in premium charges for certain motor vehicle liability, comprehensive and collision insurance rates with respect to automobiles equipped with a catalytic converter which contains the vehicle identification number of the vehicle.
Establishes confirmatory adoptions providing for the adoption of children born as a result of assisted reproduction; allows for more than two persons to be named parents of a child; establishes presumed parentage and provides for the challenge and adjudication thereof; repeals certain provisions relating thereto.
Requires school districts to provide instructional programming and services in reading and literacy which are evidence based and aligned with state standards; requires teachers in grades pre-K through five to attend professional development courses in reading education.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires state, county, and local transportation projects to prioritize safe access for all road users, including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders, by applying complete street design principles. It mandates that these design features be used during the planning, design, construction, and rehabilitation of funded projects, while also applying them to resurfacing and maintenance if the work is expected to last at least ten years. Additionally, the legislation updates the criteria for denying funding to projects, allowing officials to reject proposals that show a demonstrated lack of community support based on factors like population density and traffic volumes. The changes will take effect approximately 270 days after becoming law and will not apply to projects already approved before that date.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Access to Representation Act, would guarantee the right to legal counsel for certain low-income individuals facing immigration proceedings in New York. It directly affects non-citizens and citizens with disputed status who are detained or subject to removal, as well as those with a significant connection to the state. Under the proposed law, eligible individuals would receive ongoing legal representation from designated providers starting from their first court appearance or as soon as possible thereafter. The program would be administered by the New York State Office for New Americans, which would set income limits and oversee the delivery of legal services.
