Relates to annual professional performance reviews of teachers and principals; establishes an optional system of annual professional performance review plans; repeals provisions relating to streamlined removal procedures for teachers rated ineffective.
Provides that it shall be unlawful to discharge any radiological substance into the Hudson River in connection with the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant; provides for attorney general enforcement.
Establishes a four-year demonstration project to reduce the use of temporary staffing agencies in residential healthcare facilities and a joint labor-management nursing home staffing workgroup to review and assess the impact of such demonstration project.
Provides for funding associated with the transition of the pharmacy benefit in the medical assistance program to support 340B covered entities and to offset the financial losses to all comprehensive HIV special needs plans.
Requires every railroad corporation which operates any freight train within the state to submit quarterly reports to the department of transportation detailing such railroad corporation's inspections of any train yard and freight train operated in the state by such corporation; directs the department of transportation to conduct follow up inspections.
Requires the department of transportation to establish a central registry of reports, audits, plans and public inspections regarding freight rail operators, rail cars and freight lines or routes and rights of way.
Requires railroad corporations to conduct a comprehensive safety inspection when a freight train is parked in a train yard prior to traveling on tracks within the state including, but not be limited to, a review of tracks, safety equipment, including brakes, and train cars.
Requires railroad corporations to inform the division of homeland security and emergency services, department of environmental conservation and department of transportation about freight rail trains transporting hazardous materials prior to traveling on tracks within the state.
Prohibits freight trains traveling on a track within the state from exceeding eight thousand five hundred feet in length; directs the commissioner of transportation to promulgate rules and regulations to establish a waiver process to permit the operation of freight trains in excess of eight thousand five hundred feet for situations as deemed appropriate by such commissioner.
Requires the department of transportation to conduct a follow up inspection of any freight rail train or freight rail track audit within the state conducted by the federal railroad administration that identifies safety-related deficiencies or violations.
Requires the department of transportation to promulgate rules and regulations for the installation of heat safety gauges or hot bearing detectors on freight rail tracks in the state; requires the installation of positive train control systems on all freight trains operated within the state.
Establishes the freight rail safety task force to review the state of freight rail safety in the state and make policy and budgetary recommendations related thereto.
Provides that certain purchase contracts to purchase food can be awarded to a qualified bidder who fulfills certain values based procurement standards when such bid is not more than 10% higher than the lowest responsible bidder and when the bidder makes publicly available data on where such bidder sources their food items; sets forth the criteria for values based procurement standards to include local economies, environmental sustainability, racial equity, valued workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition.
Requires the commissioner of health to develop a sustainability plan for the state university of New York downstate medical center; provides that such sustainability plan shall not limit or alter the rights of employees pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement.