Sen. Jeremy Cooney

Enacts the "interchange fee prohibition act"; prohibits the receipt or charge of interchange fees on the tax amount or gratuity of an electronic payment transaction if the merchant informs the acquirer bank or its designee of the tax or gratuity amount as part of the authorization or settlement process for the electronic payment transaction; establishes penalties.

Aligns utility regulation with state climate justice and emission reduction targets; provides for a statewide affordable gas transition plan and utility home energy affordable transition programs; repeals provisions relating to continuation of gas service; repeals provisions relating to the sale of indigenous natural gas for generation of electricity.

Provides for indexing of certain appropriations; provides that on and after January 1, 2027 and on each following January first, the commissioner shall index the level of such appropriations for subsequent state fiscal years based on the national highway construction cost index for the most recent twelve month period; provides that the commissioner shall increase appropriations by the rate of inflation for the most recent twelve month period that is available at the time the adjusted rate is calculated and announced using the national highway construction cost index, or a successor index as calculated by the United States federal highway administration, if such rate of inflation is greater than zero percent.

Relates to student financial aid programs; allows absence because of uniformed service, maternity/paternity, FMLA, or due to compensable injury to be creditable time.

Prohibits any motor vehicle with a manufacturers' gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand one pounds or more which utilizes autonomous vehicle technology from being operated on public highways unless a natural person holding a valid license for the operation of the motor vehicle's class is present within such vehicle.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the state Department of Education to send annual email notifications to school district data security staff by July 1st each year. The notifications must include reminders about effective cybersecurity strategies and a copy of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's cybersecurity framework. It directly affects all public school districts in the state by mandating this yearly communication to help schools address cyber threats. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3238) repeals a specific rule in New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law that previously regulated how bicycles with electric assist (e-bikes) could be operated. It directly affects e-bike riders by removing an existing restriction found in Section 1242, Subdivision 8. The key mechanism is the simple repeal of that subdivision, eliminating the outdated rule. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment, meaning e-bike operation rules revert to the standard provisions of the law without this specific limitation.

Establishes requirements for the creation and operation of limited purpose trust companies; establishes how to apply to operate as a limited purpose trust company.

Provides a non-revenue E-ZPass to every sworn officer of the metropolitan transportation police department; provides for the disposal of such E-ZPass after a police officer leaves the metropolitan transportation authority.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 246) amends New York’s Social Services Law to expand asset exemptions for people applying to or receiving public assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid. It increases the cash/liquid resource exemption from $2,500 to $10,500 for most applicants, adds new exemptions for education savings ($5,165), vehicle purchase accounts ($7,500), burial plots, funeral agreements, retirement accounts, and 529 college savings plans. The bill also clarifies that home ownership, one vehicle (with rising value limits), and specific reparations payments (for Japanese-American internment victims and Nazi persecution survivors) are not counted toward eligibility. These changes directly affect low-income households by allowing them to retain more assets while qualifying for aid. The bill updates existing exemptions under the Welfare Reform Act to align with current needs and federal guidelines.