Sen. Alexis Weik

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3508) requires New York State agencies to collect and publish specific data about bail reform's impact. The Office of Court Administration and Division of Criminal Justice Services must gather and post online: (1) how many people were charged with crimes no longer requiring bail, (2) how many released without bail re-offended before trial, and (3) the types of crimes re-offenders committed. The data must be searchable on state websites within 30 days of the bill's effective date. This aims to provide objective information on bail reform outcomes for public and legislative review.

Maddy summaryS 2714 creates a five-member Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Control Board to address the MTA's fiscal crisis. The board, appointed by the governor with input from legislative leaders, must approve all major MTA projects and financing before the authority can commit funds or incur debt. Key provisions require the board to verify sufficient funding commitments - such as revenue projections or collateral - before approving projects, and to coordinate with the state comptroller within a seven-day review window. This bill directly affects the MTA's ability to fund infrastructure projects, aiming to ensure long-term fiscal stability and protect taxpayers from unsustainable costs.

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 (S 5917) changes New York law to make **all misdemeanor and felony charges involving the use or possession of a firearm, shotgun, or rifle eligible for bail**. It directly affects defendants charged with these firearm-related offenses who would previously have been held without bail. The key provision adds a new category to existing bail rules, requiring prosecutors to show reasonable cause for the charge but allowing courts to generally permit release on bail. This expands bail eligibility beyond prior restrictions that limited it to specific firearm crimes or cases involving harm to people or property.

Requires school boards to make the final decision on whether to keep, remove, or restrict access to an instructional material in a school library; establishes a review process for formal complaints concerning instructional materials that are the subject of complaints.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 3300) repeals New York's Clean Slate Act, which previously allowed certain criminal records to be sealed or expunged. It directly affects individuals with past arrests or convictions that were dismissed, ended in a favorable termination, or resulted in sealed records under the Clean Slate Act. The repeal removes legal protections that prevented employers, landlords, and others from asking about or considering these sealed records during job applications, housing searches, or credit decisions. As a result, individuals who qualified under the Clean Slate Act would no longer have those records shielded from such inquiries.

Maddy summaryBill S 147 mandates changes to the disclosure of law enforcement disciplinary records. It requires law enforcement agencies to redact "unsubstantiated" complaints (where evidence is insufficient to determine misconduct) and "unfounded" complaints (where credible evidence shows no misconduct occurred). These redactions apply to records concerning police officers, peace officers, firefighters, and firefighter/paramedics. This bill changes the previous "may redact" option to a "shall redact" requirement for these types of complaints and technical infractions before public disclosure.

Directs the commissioner of health to conduct an investigation of the department's performance, compliance and enforcement of applicable state laws, rules, regulations, and directives or executive orders, with respect to mitigating the impact of COVID-19 in nursing homes, adult care facilities, and assisted living residences, and to propose a pandemic response plan for future disease outbreaks.

Establishes a home heating oil rebate program for residential home heating oil customers to receive a rebate of one dollar per gallon of grade number two heating oil purchased from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, of a limit up to five hundred gallons.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New York law to allow courts to issue **lifetime orders of protection** when the respondent is convicted of specific violent felonies, including sexual assault under Penal Law sections 255.25-255.27 or felonies in Penal Law articles 120, 125, 130, 135, or 263 (or attempts to commit them). Previously, such orders had fixed time limits (up to 8 years), but this change adds "lifetime" as a duration option for these high-risk cases. The law directly affects victims of domestic violence or abuse where the perpetrator received one of these felony convictions. It does not apply to lesser offenses or non-felony cases.