Establishes a civil remedy for the protection of animals denied proper care by creating a special proceeding in the supreme court that will hold owners and caretakers liable if such animals under their care are mistreated.
Enacts "Tucker's law"; removes the provision that provides that any term of imprisonment for a violation of aggravated cruelty to animals may not exceed two years.
Requires that the state fund any program which imposes a mandate upon municipal corporations or school districts; establishes criteria for any exemption from such law if such mandate is ordered by the judiciary, pursuant to an executive order or requested by the locality; establishes the New York state mandate review council.
Maddy summaryS 3639, "Nick's Law," increases penalties for drivers who flee the scene of an accident resulting in death. It upgrades the offense to a class B felony (with fines of $2,000-$30,000) instead of a lower misdemeanor, directly affecting drivers who leave such accidents without reporting. The bill also adjusts court procedures for adolescent offenders charged with this specific hit-and-run, requiring additional factors to be considered before transferring cases to family court. These changes aim to strengthen accountability for leaving death-related accident scenes.
Maddy summaryS 1664 provides officers from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) with access to live scan fingerprinting systems. This change allows SPCA officers to independently complete arrests by taking fingerprints using this technology. The bill directly affects SPCA officers and individuals they arrest, enabling these officers to process arrests without needing assistance from other law enforcement agencies for fingerprinting.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies, departments, or municipalities from restricting the sale or use of motor vehicles based on their energy source (e.g., gasoline, electric, hybrid). It directly affects vehicle buyers, dealers, and local governments by blocking regulations that target specific fuel types. The key provision amends environmental conservation law to explicitly override any existing rules limiting vehicles by fuel type, applying immediately. This changes how vehicle regulations can be structured but does not create new requirements for vehicle standards.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates the laws governing wrongful death lawsuits in the state to clarify which types of financial compensation families can receive when a loved one dies due to someone else's actions. It explicitly allows juries to award damages for specific losses, including funeral costs, medical bills incurred before death, emotional grief, and the loss of financial support, guidance, and companionship. The legislation also defines exactly who is eligible to receive these funds, such as spouses, domestic partners, children, and individuals who acted as parents to the deceased, while establishing a legal process to divide the money fairly among them based on their specific relationship to the decedent. Additionally, the bill adjusts the time limit for filing these lawsuits to three years generally, with a shorter deadline for cases related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Permits the principal of any high school to allow any local fire department, upon request, to enter the school for the purpose of fire department junior recruitment, including, but not limited to: making presentations; disseminating literature; and answering questions by students.
Maddy summaryS 2655 requires health insurance plans to cover rehabilitation treatment for children diagnosed with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). Insurance companies must provide this coverage when a child's doctor certifies in writing that the treatment is medically necessary. The bill applies to all health insurance policies, including group plans, directly affecting families with children who have PANS and the insurance providers. It references an existing definition of PANS from New York's public health law to ensure consistent application.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance policies to cover outpatient services for diagnosing and treating substance use disorders without needing prior approval from the insurer. It directly affects individuals seeking addiction treatment and the insurance companies that provide these health plans. Under the new rules, insurers cannot impose stricter financial costs or treatment limits on substance use disorder care than they do for general medical services. The law also ensures that detoxification and rehabilitation services are included in this coverage.
