Sen. April Baskin

Provides notice of the death of an incarcerated individual occurring in the custody of the department of corrections and community supervision; requires the department to promptly notify the next kin and any other person designated as the representative of any incarcerated individual whose death takes place during custody.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 4426) removes earnings restrictions for retired sworn officers who work as investigators for district attorneys in any county. It amends retirement law to exempt these individuals from standard income limits that typically apply to retirees receiving benefits. Specifically, it adds a new provision stating that retired officers employed as sworn investigators by a district attorney are not subject to earnings caps. The change directly affects retired law enforcement officers hired in investigative roles by prosecutors’ offices statewide.

Maddy summaryS 1439 (New York) imposes a new tax on investment income from long-term capital gains, dividends, and other low-taxed federal income types. It directly affects high-income New York residents with significant investment earnings, targeting individuals and estates with taxable income above specific thresholds. The bill adds a 7.5% tax on long-term capital gains above $400,000-$500,000 (depending on filing status), gradually increasing to 15% above $800,000-$1 million. This tax phases in over defined income ranges and is administered like existing state income tax. The bill is currently referred to the Budget and Revenue committee.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands New York's existing tuition assistance program to cover short-term credential programs at public institutions like SUNY, CUNY, and community colleges. It authorizes aid for students enrolled in programs lasting 8-15 weeks (150-600 hours) that align with high-demand industries and lead to employer-recognized credentials. Aid amounts are calculated as a proportion of full-time tuition assistance based on the student's actual hours enrolled. The program does not create new funding but applies existing aid rules to these accelerated training programs.

Maddy summaryS 3633 requires correction officers supervising general population inmates at maximum security facilities to wear body-worn cameras during duty hours, recording all audio and video interactions with incarcerated individuals. The law mandates that recordings be stored for at least six months, with specific standards for equipment and privacy protections to prevent misuse as surveillance. The commissioner must issue an initial report within one year and annual updates evaluating the cameras' impact on safety metrics like assaults, injuries, and deaths. This bill directly affects correction officers and incarcerated individuals at designated facilities, focusing on transparency in officer-inmate interactions.

Maddy summarySenate Bill S 856 reorganizes the State Commission of Correction by expanding its membership from three to nine individuals. The bill diversifies the appointment process, allowing the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, Temporary President of the Senate, and the Correctional Association to each appoint members. It also mandates that the commission include members with specific professional backgrounds, such as formerly incarcerated individuals, health professionals, and attorneys. Additionally, the bill establishes a ten-year term limit for commissioners and alters the process for designating the chairperson and removing members.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts health care employers from requiring nurses or health care workers (excluding doctors, residents, and security staff) to work more than their regularly scheduled hours, except in specific emergencies or during ongoing surgical procedures. It defines "regularly scheduled work hours" to include pre-scheduled on-call time and shift report communication, and prohibits using on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. Exceptions include health care disasters, official emergency declarations, unanticipated staffing emergencies, or procedures requiring continuous presence for patient safety. The law aims to protect patient care quality by limiting excessive work hours, without affecting existing rights under other laws or collective bargaining agreements.

Establishes the contract New York program to provide tax credits to corporations contracting with emerging microbusinesses; directs the department of economic development and the empire state development corporation to create and maintain a registry of emerging microbusinesses and to biannually implement best practices for engaging corporations to utilize such registry; establishes the contract New York tax credit for New York corporations with eligible contracts with emerging microbusinesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the time limit for challenging official decisions by coroners, coroners' physicians, and medical examiners from four months to ten years. Specifically, it changes the deadline for filing Article 78 court proceedings (which review administrative decisions) to ten years after a report is finalized. This directly affects individuals or entities seeking to contest rulings related to death investigations or medical examiner findings. The change provides a longer window to pursue legal challenges without requiring court permission for extensions.

Provides for a working families tax credit; directs quarterly prepayment of the credit; provides for a sliding reduction in the credit for incomes which exceed a certain threshold.