Criminalizes the harassment of a child when the perpetrator intentionally or knowingly harasses, annoys or alarms a child or a child's parent or guardian; establishes a private right of action for harassment of a child.
Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.
Allows for child protective services workers to complete the required training on the fundamentals of child protection through distance learning methods beginning April 1, 2025.
Enacts the "Access to Public Services for Non-English Speakers Act"; requires state agencies to take reasonable steps to provide equal access to services through oral language services or translating documents for persons with limited English proficiency.
Requires statewide training for mandated reporters to include how to identify an abused or maltreated child with an intellectual or developmental disability.
Permits tuition assistance program awards to be made to part-time students enrolled in certain degree granting institutions chartered or authorized by the New York state board of regents.
Provides that when a housing accommodation has been vacated after continuous tenancy or occupancy of ten years or more prior to vacancy, and the owner can demonstrate restoration of the unit, the new legal regulated rent shall be the rent agreed to by the owner and first tenant after such restoration and reserved in a lease or other rental agreement; makes related provisions.
Establishes a housing court for actions and proceedings involving the enforcement of state and local laws for the establishment and maintenance of housing standards; makes related provisions.
Provides that any small property owner that owns twenty units or less shall be entitled to free legal services if such small property owner can prove a loss of at least twenty percent of rent payments in a calendar year; defines "small property owner" as any lessor in a residential real property transaction, and includes an owner of twenty units or less who lists residential real property for lease with an agent, whether or not a lease results, or who receives an offer to lease twenty units of residential real property or less.
Requires any court which holds a special proceeding to recover real property to establish an escrow account where the tenant shall submit any owed rent into such account.
Provides that any landlord that is in mortgage foreclosure due to loss of rent payments cannot enter into a state of foreclosure until a court handling a special proceeding to recover rent resolves any rent issues.
Relates to residential gas service rate discount programs for low-income and senior households; establishes the residential gas service rate discount for low-income and senior households fund; provides that an eligible household shall pay no more than six percent of such eligible household's total monthly income on gas, oil, kerosene or petroleum services and gas corporations shall offer a discount to ensure such eligible household's gas, oil, kerosene or petroleum bill or payment agreement reflect such discounted price.