Sen. Tom O'Mara

Authorizes any justice or judge in the state to obtain a license to have and carry concealed a pistol or revolver; such amendments allow such justices and judges to carry concealed in the courthouse, when read in conjunction with existing language in paragraph (g) of subdivision 3 of section 265.01-e of the penal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4461) changes how police handle arrests and releases for certain offenses. It replaces old rules allowing officers to issue "appearance tickets" instead of making arrests with new criteria, specifying 11 situations where an arrest is required (e.g., hate crimes, family violence, or outstanding warrants). It also creates standardized pre-arraignment bail amounts for release before court - up to $750 for class E felonies, $500 for misdemeanors - and allows credit card payments for traffic cases. These changes directly affect police officers, people charged with crimes, and court procedures in New York. The bill does not alter sentencing or penalties but modifies early-stage law enforcement and court processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a religious exemption allowing children to attend school without required vaccinations if their parent, guardian, or legal custodian holds genuine and sincere religious beliefs opposing the vaccines. It directly affects families seeking to exempt their children from vaccination requirements for school attendance. The key provision amends public health law to require schools to accept such religious exemptions without demanding a certificate, while still reporting immunization status for exempt children. The exemption covers vaccines for diseases like measles, polio, and pertussis, as specified in existing law. This changes school vaccination policy by adding a religious exception to the current immunization requirements.

Prohibits a person convicted of "Buster's Law" from owning or possessing a companion animal unless authorized by court order, after appropriate psychiatric or psychological testing.

Maddy summaryBill S 7021 establishes a new retirement service credit for members of New York State public retirement systems who serve as volunteer firefighters or emergency service providers. Eligible members can receive one year of service credit for every five years of volunteer service, up to a maximum of three years of credit for fifteen years of service. To qualify, members must have at least five years of existing credited service and will pay a portion of the cost, calculated as three percent of their compensation for the twelve months preceding the application. The bill requires volunteer service to be certified by the agency and applications to be submitted before retirement.

Relates to the required disclosure upon the release of a juvenile or adolescent offender from the custody of the office of children and family services of certain records that are necessary to ascertain the nature of such offender's conviction and would be beneficial in identifying and mitigating any risk that such offender could pose if released.

Maddy summaryS 58 creates a new criminal offense for making threats of violence against police officers, classifying it as a class C felony. The bill defines the crime as threatening to commit violence against an officer with the intent to intimidate civilians, influence government policy, or disrupt government operations. It explicitly states that lacking the intent or ability to carry out the threat is not a valid defense. This law directly affects individuals who make such threats, imposing felony penalties rather than lesser offenses. The bill aims to strengthen legal consequences for threats targeting law enforcement personnel.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 1943) expands New York's hate crime definition to include trespassing at religious buildings like churches, synagogues, mosques, or other houses of worship. It directly affects individuals who commit trespass at these locations while targeting someone based on their race, religion, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. The key change amends the penal law to add these locations to the list of places where a hate crime can be charged, raising the offense level if convicted. This creates a specific legal pathway for prosecuting bias-motivated trespass at religious sites.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes specific technical restrictions on crossbows used for hunting in New York. It eliminates previous requirements for minimum limb width (17 inches), minimum peak draw weight (100 pounds), maximum peak draw weight (200 pounds), and minimum overall length (24 inches). The change directly affects hunters who use crossbows, allowing them to use models that previously did not meet these specifications. The law now only requires crossbows to have a working safety trigger, without the prior size and weight limitations.

Provides for a grace period until July 1, 2025, in which former employees of the department of corrections and community supervision that participated in a strike may return to full duty without discipline.