Rep. Simcha Eichenstein

Maddy summaryThis bill caps annual rate increases for gas and electric utilities - including municipal utilities - at two percent. It prohibits utilities from raising rates by more than two percent per year without violating the law. Any proposed rate increase above this limit must be reviewed by the Department of Public Service, but the utility authority’s board is barred from approving final rate plans that exceed the two percent cap. The law requires a public hearing if a board seeks to justify an increase above the cap, though such increases remain disallowed.

Enacts the "faith-based affordable housing act" for development on residential land; defines terms; provides that each village, town, and city shall allow the construction and occupation of residential buildings on any covered site up to the specified densities; provides that all residential buildings constructed pursuant to this section in a town, village, or city with fewer than one million inhabitants shall set aside twenty percent of the residential floor area for households earning an average of eighty percent of area median income; outlines the densities for New York city; makes related provisions.

Includes certain violations involving the use of a machine-gun, firearm silencer, firearm, rifle, shotgun, disguised gun, ghost gun or assault weapon as qualifying offenses for the purpose of imposing bail.

Maddy summaryThis bill restores a 20-year service requirement for normal retirement benefits for New York City police officers, reversing a 2012 change that raised the requirement to 22 years. It directly affects NYPD police/fire members under the New York City Police Pension Fund, allowing them to qualify for normal retirement benefits after 20 years of service instead of 22. The key mechanism amends three sections of the Retirement and Social Security Law to specify that NYPD officers meet the service threshold at 20 years (for normal retirement), while other groups like correction/sanitation officers remain at 22 years. The bill makes this change effective immediately without altering age requirements or early retirement rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new licensing requirement for organizations that manage payments for personal care services (fiscal intermediaries), effective April 1, 2027. It requires these entities to apply for a license, submit annual reports on costs and service details, and register personal assistants in a confidential state registry. The law directly affects fiscal intermediaries currently contracting with social services departments or health plans, mandating they meet specific standards for compliance, cultural competency, and financial reporting. It repeals outdated provisions while establishing new oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency in how funds for personal care services are managed.

Prohibits the appointment of certain state, municipal or agency employees as impartial hearing officers to hear appeals of determinations regarding children with handicapping conditions.

Establishes "The Equity in Fertility Treatment Act"; relates to the definition of infertility and health insurance coverage for the treatment of infertility.

Removes the $250 amount of damage from cemetery desecration in the second degree; makes cemetery desecration in the second degree a class E felony to apply to any damage or theft regardless of value; adds crime of cemetery desecration in the first degree and makes such crime a class D felony.

Relates to tax abatement for rent-controlled and rent regulated property occupied by and real property owned by senior citizens or persons with disabilities.

Increases the sentencing classification of misdemeanor hate crime offenses or of an attempt or conspiracy to commit a specified offense that is a misdemeanor to a class E felony.