Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

Maddy summaryThe Nationwide Right To Unionize Act (S 2729) would repeal a federal law provision allowing states to enact "right-to-work" laws, which typically prevent unions from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment. By removing this state-level exception, the bill would make it illegal for any state to have right-to-work laws, meaning workers in unionized workplaces across all 50 states could be required to pay union dues if their union and employer agree. This directly affects workers, unions, and employers in every state, particularly in the 27 states currently with right-to-work laws. The bill does not change existing union security agreements but eliminates state-level alternatives that restrict union dues collection.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds a new tax deduction for student loan payments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. It allows households to deduct monthly student loan payments made by any household member, covering both federal loans under the Higher Education Act and qualifying private loans. The deduction applies at household certification or recertification points for programs like SNAP, but only for payments not covered by third parties. It directly affects households with student loan debt seeking to reduce their taxable income through this specific tax provision. The change takes effect 180 days after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Telehealth Modernization Act extends Medicare telehealth flexibilities through 2027, allowing more patients to access care remotely without geographic restrictions. It expands who can provide telehealth services (including audio-only visits), extends telehealth use for hospice recertification, and updates coverage for in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. The bill also extends "acute hospital care at home" program flexibilities through 2030 and requires a study on this program's effectiveness. Additionally, it includes provisions to improve telehealth access for patients with limited English proficiency and enhances Medicare coverage for virtual diabetes prevention programs. These changes primarily affect Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth service companies.

Maddy summaryS 2703, the Protecting Older Americans Act of 2025, prevents employers from requiring workers aged 40 or older to use pre-employment arbitration agreements or joint-action waivers in age discrimination cases. The bill makes such agreements invalid and unenforceable for disputes alleging age discrimination under federal, tribal, or state law. This means workers can choose to pursue age discrimination claims in court instead of binding arbitration. The law applies to all claims arising on or after its enactment date and ensures courts - not arbitrators - decide if the provision applies to specific agreements.

Maddy summaryS 1155 amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to correct outdated reference numbers in Section 103. It updates two specific provisions (paragraphs 16 and 17) by replacing references to outdated subsections (9, 10) with current ones (11, 12). This technical correction ensures legal documents and enforcement actions accurately cite the correct sections of the law. The bill does not change protections or programs for trafficking survivors but maintains clarity in how the law is applied. It directly affects legal references within the TVPA framework and related government documents.

Maddy summaryThe Lowering Electric Bills Act extends federal tax credits for clean energy adoption through 2034, directly affecting homeowners installing solar panels or heat pumps and businesses producing clean electricity. It modifies three key tax provisions: (1) extends the residential clean energy credit deadline from 2025 to 2034, (2) adjusts the clean electricity production credit to expire based on U.S. emissions reaching 25% of 2022 levels or 2032 (whichever comes later), and (3) simplifies the clean electricity investment credit rules. These changes aim to maintain financial incentives for clean energy projects beyond current law, reducing administrative complexity. The bill does not create new programs but prolongs existing tax benefits to support ongoing adoption.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act to require the U.S. Department of State to include detailed reporting on reproductive rights in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Specifically, it mandates that reports describe each country’s policies on access to contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive reproductive health care, including rates of pregnancy-related deaths, discrimination against women/LGBTQI+ individuals, and disparities based on race, disability, or other factors. The bill also requires consultation with civil society organizations and experts during report preparation. This affects how the U.S. government documents and assesses reproductive rights policies in other countries, without altering domestic U.S. law or funding.

Maddy summaryThe West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 imposes U.S. sanctions on foreign individuals or entities responsible for specific actions threatening peace in the West Bank. It targets those who commit violence against civilians, threaten violence to force relocation, destroy private property without consent, or engage in terrorism. Sanctions include freezing U.S. assets, banning visas, and restricting entry for designated individuals. Exceptions cover humanitarian aid (food, medicine, agricultural commodities) and activities required for U.S. intelligence or international obligations. The law requires regular reports to Congress on implementation and West Bank violence assessments.

Maddy summaryThe Access to Birth Control Act (S 2302) requires pharmacies to provide contraception without delay when available and to help customers obtain it if out of stock - either by referring to another pharmacy or expediting an order. It prohibits pharmacies from intimidating customers, misrepresenting availability, breaching confidentiality, or refusing to return valid prescriptions for contraception. Exceptions allow pharmacists to decline service only if a prescription is missing, the customer cannot pay, or they use professional clinical judgment. Violations may result in civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day or private lawsuits by affected individuals.

Maddy summaryS 2589, the Expanding the VOTE Act, strengthens language access in elections by updating the Voting Rights Act. It clarifies that "voting materials" include digital and printed content (like ballots and instructions) and requires states to provide these in minority languages when populations meet specific thresholds. The bill adds new notice requirements for states near language access thresholds and creates grants to help jurisdictions provide materials for languages not currently covered under Section 203, while establishing special provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native languages. It also directs a study on lowering language minority thresholds and expanding covered languages. This directly affects states, localities, and language minority communities participating in federal elections.