Sen. Jack Martins

Establishes a housing infrastructure tax credit to provide a credit of up to ten percent of costs for infrastructure projects related to the construction of new homes or multiple dwellings commenced and completed within a specific time period.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the maximum daily pay for commissioners of improvement districts from $100 to $120 per day. It directly affects local commissioners who serve on improvement districts, which manage specific community projects like parks or infrastructure. The key change amends the town law to update the compensation cap, allowing districts to pay commissioners up to $120 for each day spent on district duties. The bill does not alter eligibility or duties - only the maximum allowable payment amount.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special "No Hate NY" license plate, requiring a $25 annual fee from vehicle owners who choose it. The entire fee funds the "No Hate NY fund," managed by the state division of human rights, to support hate crime awareness and prevention programs. Counties can request these funds for local initiatives, and unclaimed money after five years is redirected to hate crime victim compensation. The fund requires annual reporting on how money is spent and ensures all collected fees directly support hate crime prevention efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new criminal offense called "vehicular homicide" for drivers who cause another person's death through reckless conduct showing extreme disregard for human life. It directly affects drivers whose actions - like severe speeding or ignoring traffic signals - result in fatalities, even if they didn’t intend to cause death. The law classifies vehicular homicide as a class B felony, the same penalty as second-degree murder in New York, making it a serious criminal charge. This change would replace or add to existing laws for deaths caused by negligent or reckless driving.

Permits villages located in counties with a population between one million and one million five hundred thirty thousand to adopt local laws to implement a demonstration program imposing monetary liability not to exceed fifty dollars on the owner of a vehicle for failure of an operator to comply with stop signs; permits such villages to install and operate stop sign photo violation monitoring systems as part of such demonstration program.

Establishes the shovel-ready housing program under which certain municipalities, at their option, may pre-authorize parcels of property for the construction of housing; establishes a shovel-ready community tax rebate for taxpayers residing in municipalities that opt-in to the shovel-ready housing program; provides for annual apportionment to municipalities that have certified participation in the shovel-ready housing program.

Establishes the crimes of deceptive wearing of a mask and aggravated deceptive wearing of a mask; makes such crimes a class B misdemeanor and a class A misdemeanor, respectively.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits the New York State Insurance Superintendent's authority to create or enforce suitability requirements for term life insurance policies (which have no cash value). It requires that suitability assessments for such policies only consider a consumer's age and annual income, prohibiting any additional factors. The bill nullifies existing regulations (like 11 NYCRR Part 224) that conflict with this rule, directly affecting insurance agents, companies selling term life insurance, and consumers purchasing these policies in New York. It aims to increase term life insurance availability by reducing regulatory barriers.

Maddy summaryS 2603 expands the definition of "aggravated cruelty to animals" to include intentionally causing injury with a deadly weapon (like a gun or knife) or a dangerous instrument (like a broken bottle). This specifically targets individuals who use such objects to harm companion animals, making it a more severe offense. The law defines "aggravated cruelty" as conduct meant to cause extreme pain or carried out in a depraved, sadistic way. It directly affects people convicted of animal cruelty involving weapons, increasing penalties for those acts. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Excludes the five state-run veterans homes from assessments on their gross receipts received from all patient care services and other operating income; directs the Commissioner of Health to apply to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for any necessary waivers pursuant to federal law and regulation.