Weekly Legislative Update - January 31, 2025

Floor News

Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Assembly adopted a resolution (K.45) proclaiming January 27, 2025, as Holocaust Remembrance Day in the State of New York.

DASNY Bond Cap Increase for Hospitals and Nursing Homes

The Assembly passed a bill (A.3224) to increase, from $18.2 billion to $20 billion, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) bond cap authorization to continue the issuance of not-for profit hospital and nursing home project bonds and notes (vote: 141-2).

Committee News

Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

Despite unanimous Republican opposition, the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee reported a bill (A.2430) that directs every waterworks corporation and municipal water system serving 1,000-plus customers to annually calculate the average single family household’s annual water cost for submission to the Public Service Commission (PSC). This is an undertaking that, year after year, could prove burdensome on these utilities as well as gradually boost PSC oversight. This bill was reported to the Floor.

Codes

Despite unanimous Republican opposition, the Codes Committee reported the following bills:

A.356: Limits the type of criminal convictions that DCJS may report when it conducts a search of its criminal history records for civil purposes, such as employment, licensing, and adoption, to exclude convictions for violations (e.g., disorderly conduct, harassment, exposure, etc.). Furthermore, eliminates the requirement to report criminal arrests and criminal actions for specified offenses that are pending and have been followed by an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACOD), unless the ACOD is revoked and the case is restored to the calendar for further prosecution.This bill was reported to the Floor.

A.1191: Enacts the “Safer Weapons, Safer Homes Act.” Directs DCJS to complete an investigation to certify (or decline to certify) the technological viability of personalized handguns. Defines personalized handgun to mean a pistol or revolver that incorporates within its design a permanent programmable feature that cannot be deactivated and renders it resistant to being fired except when activated by the lawful owner or other authorized user. This bill was reported to Ways and Means.

A.1809: Requires every law enforcement agency in New York State to keep all physical or other evidence it maintains within a fireproof container or within a fireproof storage area located within a state-of-the-art facility utilizing modern and advanced technology. Prior to storing such evidence, directs every law enforcement agency to photograph and document this evidence and store such photographs and documentation in a location separate from where the evidence is being stored. This bill was reported to Ways and Means.

Election Law

Despite unanimous Republican opposition, the Election Law Committee reported the following bills:

A.1014: Amends Chapter 500 of the Laws of 2024, which authorized boards of elections to establish absentee ballot drop-off locations. This chapter amendment allows early mail ballots to be returned by being deposited in a ballot drop box and provides that the failure of a board of elections to time stamp early mail ballots received in this manner on or before election day does not prohibit the ballots from being canvassed.This bill was reported to Rules and subsequently to the Floor.

A.1015: Amends Chapter 639 of the Laws of 2024, which prohibited board of elections employees from remaining on the board’s payroll if they maintain outside employment or run for an elected position that causes a conflict of interest. This chapter amendment allows a board of elections employee running as a candidate for office to remain on a board’s payroll if he or she receives authorization to do so by a majority vote from the board’s commissioners and restricts their scope of work if authorized to remain. This bill was reported to Rules and subsequently to the Floor.

Labor

The Labor Committee reported the following chapter amendments:

A.1677: Amends Chapter 546 of the Laws of 2024, which expanded to all workers coverage under New York State Workers' Compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) identified as work-related stress. This chapter amendment changes the scope of provisions from “all workers”to police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, other person certified to provide medical care in emergencies, or emergency dispatcher and from “extraordinary work-related stress incurred at work” to “in a work-related emergency”. This bill was reported to Rules and subsequently to the Floor.

A.1678: Amends Chapter 308 of the Laws of 2024, which established the Retail Worker Safety Act requiring retail employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence.This chapter amendment removes the term and definition of “panic button”, replacing it with“silent response button” but with no subsequent definition. This chapter amendment also removes the mandate that the aforementioned “panic buttons” alert law enforcement and instead requires that they alert internal staff. Finally, this chapter amendment also directs employers employing fewer than 50 retail employees to provide workplace violence prevention training upon hire and once every two years and requires “silent response buttons” at retail businesses with 500 or more employees statewide rather than nationwide.This bill was reported to Codes and subsequently to Rules and the Floor.

The Labor Committee reported a bill (A.2747), which provides that contractors or subcontractors engaged in custom fabrication on a public works project will not be regarded as material suppliers.This legislation further specifies that it shall be a condition of the contract concerning all such custom fabrication work that the contractor or employer awarded the public work contract, and any subcontractor, shall pay the on-site prevailing wage required for workers at the site of the public work project to those workers performing off-site custom fabrication. This bill was reported to Ways and Means.

Week in Focus

On January 28, Assemblyman Smullen, along with Members of the Assembly Republican

Conference, hosted a press conference to support allowing school districts to opt-out of the zero-emission school bus mandate (A.2005). To view CLICK HERE.

This week’s Joint Legislative Budget Hearings were Agriculture & Markets/Parks & Recreation (1/27), Environmental Conservation/Energy (1/28), and Elementary Education/Secondary Education (1/29). For archived footage of the hearings, CLICK HERE.

Next week’s Joint Legislative Budget Hearings are Local Government/General Government (2/4), Mental Hygiene (2/5), and Transportation (2/6).