Sen. Kristen Gonzalez

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative Senate Resolution (J 1558) honoring Margaret D. Williams, a Coney Island community leader and member of the doo-wop group The Cookies, who passed away in January 2026. The resolution recognizes her musical legacy - including chart-topping hits like "Chains" and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction - and her decades of community service, including 33 years with NYC Health and her work with the Coney Island History Project. It serves as a symbolic tribute from the legislature, expressing condolences to her family and celebrating her life’s impact. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any policies.

Prohibits the sale of certain products that contain regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; requires manufacturers of products containing PFAS to provide notice of such fact to persons that offer the products for sale or distribution; provides penalties for violations.

Expands health care services provided by telehealth to include services delivered through a facility licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law that is eligible to be designated or has received a designation as a federally qualified health center, including those facilities that are also licensed under article thirty-one or article thirty-two of the mental hygiene law.

Establishes a right of action for the deprivation of constitutional rights; provides for compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive and declaratory relief, and reasonable attorney's fees.

Prohibits and regulates the discovery and disclosure of immigration status; prohibits police officers, peace officers, school resource officers, probation agencies, state entities, state employees, and municipal corporations from questioning individuals regarding their citizenship or immigration status; regulates the disclosure of information relating to immigration status; prohibits an educational agency, higher education agency, school employee, school safety personnel, or third-party contractor from collecting information about a person's citizenship, immigration status, nationality, or country of origin, unless required by law or necessary to administer a public program or benefit sought by such person.

Relates to data broker regulation; prohibits the acquisition of personally identifiable information through fraudulent means; requires a data broker to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security program; requires data brokers operating in the state of New York to register with the attorney general.

Prohibits the use of a wage-fixing algorithm in combination with personal or behavioral data to set or recommend wages or compensation; defines terms; establishes penalties for violations of such prohibition.

Relates to the reporting requirements of the statewide fiscal intermediary; requires the reporting of utilization data and financial data to protect medical assistance recipients in using the program and ensure the effective use of medical assistance funds; requires the statewide fiscal intermediary to provide consumer directed personal assistant data to ensure the availability of a workforce to meet the needs of consumers utilizing the program; requires the statewide fiscal intermediary to provide data regarding customer service requests, complaints, and accessibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends constitutional provisions governing how the governor submits state budget bills. It requires the governor to submit separate bills for each specific purpose (not multiple purposes in one bill), with clear descriptions of each appropriation's purpose that cannot include program rules or modify existing laws. The governor must also submit any proposed non-budget legislation separately from appropriation bills. This affects the governor, legislature, and state departments during budget discussions, as departments must testify on budget items upon request. The changes aim to clarify budget structure and prevent bundling unrelated provisions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (J 1535) requests Governor Kathy Hochul to officially proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month in New York State. It does not create new law but asks the Governor to issue a formal state recognition. The resolution cites historical contributions of Black Americans across civil rights, culture, science, and innovation as context for the observance. The Senate adopted the resolution on February 4, 2026, sending it to the Governor for action.