Here are the major bills awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature

Gov. Kathy Hochul is making progress addressing the 805 bills that the state Legislature approved this year. With just two weeks left in the year, she has 109 bills that still await her action. Five of those bills have not yet been delivered to her.

That means that 104 bills are currently in the governor’s office, and Hochul will only have until Christmas Eve to sign or veto each piece of legislation. If she doesn’t take any action, the bills will automatically become law. 

On Friday, Hochul acted on nearly 100 bills that were on her desk. Of those, she vetoed 40 of them. She received backlash from lawmakers and childcare advocates for her rejection of legislation that would have removed a minimum salary requirement for low-income parents to qualify for state assistance with childcare, and a similar bill that would have removed minimum work hour requirements. She also notably vetoed legislation that would have prevented insurance companies charging patients higher costs for physical therapy. Both vetoes come as Hochul has touted ways to make New York more affordable, including by reducing patients’ healthcare costs. 

Last week, Hochul signed a bill that will require insurers to cover EpiPens, while capping out-of-pocket costs at $100. “By signing this bill, we are putting people over profit and giving New Yorkers peace of mind by ensuring equitable access to this lifesaving emergency treatment,” Hochul said in a statement last week.  The governor also recently claimed victory when Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reversed a plan that would have placed limits on insurance coverage of anesthesia.

All told, Hochul has signed 597 bills so far this year and vetoed another 98. With 104 bills currently on her desk that require action by Dec. 24, that leaves just five bills that could potentially roll over into the new year. Hochul will then have 30 days to act on any leftover bills at the start of the new year. At the end of that period, anything she hasn’t taken action on will automatically get vetoed, which is referred to as a “pocket veto.” Hochul didn’t make any pocket vetoes at the start of this year, signing all three bills that were left over from 2023.

Here is some of the notable legislation still awaiting action from Hochul and significant items that she has already acted on.

PENDING BILLS

Grieving Families Act (S8485/A9232)

This past legislative session is the third time that lawmakers have passed this bill, which would update the state’s 177-year-old wrongful death statute to allow families to sue for emotional damages. Hochul has vetoed it twice before, citing concerns over unintended financial consequences on health care facilities. After the first veto, lawmakers made changes to the bill meant to address some of the governor’s reservations, but she rejected it a second time. This year, legislators made additional changes, but they may still not go far enough to convince Hochul to get on board. Assembly Member Helene Weinstein has spent three decades trying to update the state’s wrongful death law, and this is the last chance for her to see that happen before she retires from the Legislature. The bill is currently on Hochul’s desk, and she has until Dec. 24 to make a decision on it.

Climate Change Superfund Act (S2129/A3351)

A major priority for climate activists, especially with the incoming Trump administration, the legislation would require major polluters to pay a combined $3 billion a year into a fund to pay for resiliency projects for the next quarter century. It passed at the end of this year’s legislative session as lawmakers debated a series of high-profile environmental measures. Bill sponsor state Sen. Liz Krueger recently told City & State that she is “cautiously optimistic” that it will get signed. As it stands, the state is struggling to hit its statutory climate goals as advocates push for measures that will help move projects along quicker. This is one of the last bills that lawmakers have not yet delivered to the governor.

TREES Act (S8898/A9711)

Krueger and former Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski are trying again to get Hochul’s approval on a bill she vetoed last year, this time with a handy new acronym name. The Tropical Rainforest Economic and Environmental Sustainability – or TREES – Act amends last year’s New York Deforestation-Free Procurement Act to address some of the concerns that Hochul cited in her veto. The bill is meant to ensure that anyone the state contracts with does not contribute to the deforestation of rainforests.

MENA disaggregation (S6584/A6219)

A priority for sponsors state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, this legislation would require the state to collect separate demographic data for Middle Eastern and North African New Yorkers. Right now, the community is grouped together with white residents in state data. The intent of the legislation is to better serve the historically underserved group with the aid of improved state data.

Fashion Workers Act (S9832/A5631)

New York is a labor state, and the fashion industry is no different. The Fashion Workers Act from Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Karines Reyes aims to extend labor protections to models working in the fashion industry. Namely, it would close a loophole for management companies that hire models that allows them to avoid the regulations that govern talent agencies by enacting new baseline requirements for transparency and accountability for those companies.

Jury of Our Peers Act (S206/A1432)

The state has done a lot to return the rights of formerly incarcerated people upon their release, but Cleare and Assembly Member Jeffrion Aubry are looking to return one major right that people with felony convictions don’t have. Right now, anyone who has been convicted of a felony is banned from serving on a jury for the rest of their life. The Jury of Our Peers Act would return that right to those who have served their sentence and completed all of their post-release conditions, such as probation. If signed, New York would join 21 other states and Washington, D.C., in allowing people with past felony convictions to serve on juries.

AI oversight (LOADinG Act) (S7543/A9430)

New York would be a national leader if this AI legislation from state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Member Steven Otis gets signed. The Legislative Oversight of Automated Decision-making in Government (or LOADinG) Act would limit and regulate how state agencies can use AI when making decisions and require disclosure by any agencies using such technology. It would also prohibit the replacement of human workers with AI. Although other states have passed laws regulating the use of AI decision-making in the private sector, New York would be the first to approve such oversight for the public sector. This is one of just five bills that lawmakers have not yet delivered to the governor.

Natural disaster-related tax abatements (S7515/A7748)

This is a rare piece of legislation sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, as legislative leaders usually are not the prime sponsors of bills unless they impact their district directly. In the lower chamber, the bill is sponsored by Assembly Member MaryJane Shimsky, who like Stewart-Cousins represents Westchester. The legislation would allow municipalities to offer property tax abatements to homeowners who have suffered damages from natural disasters. It’s meant to give localities the flexibility to move more quickly to assist homeowners as devastating climate events become more common without needing to wait for event-specific action from the state Legislature. The bill has not yet been delivered to the governor.

After-school busing fees (S9349/A10274)

This legislation from state Sen. Julia Salazar and Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein aims to increase the reimbursement rate for the state’s “after 4 p.m.” bus program, which is meant to provide transportation to students whose days end later than others. As it stands, the state reimburses school districts at a rate of $16 per student, per day. But according to a memo from the sponsors, New York City is spending over twice that much to provide the bus services. So the bill would permit an increase of $1 per student, per day, and then tie future increases to the personal income growth index. Lawmakers estimate that it would cost the state an additional $2.5 million a year. The legislation is one of the five bills that Hochul has not yet received from legislators.

Prevailing wage at brownfield remediation sites (S5868/A749)

A bill from state Sen. Peter Harckham and Assembly Member Harry Bronson would bring prevailing wage requirements to brownfield remediation work completed under a private contract. Brownfield remediation work is often eligible for public subsidies and property tax benefits, but – unlike many other types of privately contracted work eligible for public benefits – there are currently no specific labor standards for brownfield decontamination projects. This legislation would change that by mandating that in order for a brownfield remediation project to receive tax benefits, workers must be paid the prevailing wage – though there’s an exception for projects that build affordable housing. The bill has not yet been delivered to the governor.

SIGNED BILLS

Legalizing adultery (S8744/A4714)

It may come as a surprise, but adultery was technically illegal in New York up until Hochul signed this legislation. It’s one of those laws passed in the distant past that still technically exists. Krueger and Assembly Member Charles Lavine wanted to change that with this legislation, which passed nearly unanimously in both chambers. A handful of naysayers voted to keep adultery illegal in New York, but overall lawmakers were ready to turn the page on criminalizing cheating. The happily married governor (40 years and counting) said it was “somewhat ironic” for her to sign the bill, but said the statute was “silly (and) outdated.”

Absentee ballot drop boxes (S610/A7243)

After failing to pass in the Assembly last year, both chambers approved a bill that would authorize secure drop boxes for absentee and mail-in ballots during elections. Drop boxes are used in other states with widespread mail-in voting options. They’ve been in the news recently after fires were set in ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon during the presidential election, raising concerns about the security of drop-off locations. Hochul included a chapter amendment to the legislation to authorize their use from state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Tony Simone. Specifically, she said that the language of the law will be updated to clarify that the boxes can be used for both absentee and early mail-in ballots, which are technically two separate ways to vote.

Parole Board qualifications (S126/A586)

The state Board of Parole is pretty consistently missing members, putting an enormous amount of work on the board members who are serving as they make crucial determinations on the futures of incarcerated individuals. This bill from state Sen. Sean Ryan and former Assembly Member Kenny Burgos aims to widen the pool of potential candidates by introducing alternate qualifications. Right now, appointees to the board need at least an undergraduate degree along with five years of relevant experience. The legislation would allow people without a degree who instead have 10 years of relevant experience to become eligible candidates for nomination as well. Hochul agreed with the idea, signing the bill without any chapter amendments.

Melanie’s Law (S6288/A6026)

Hochul held a bill-signing ceremony with the mother of Melanie Chianese, for whom the legislation is named, on Nov. 25. The new law will permit courts to issue orders of protection for family and household members of named victims regardless of the person’s age. The impetus for the legislation was the murder of Chianese by her mother’s abusive ex-boyfriend after he pleaded guilty to a domestic violence felony, but had not yet been sentenced. While her mother Cheryl – the victim – and her son – permitted due to his age – were granted orders of protection, Chianese was not. The newly signed bill from state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assembly Member Brian Cunnhingham aims to close the loophole to prevent similar future tragedies.

Coverage for EpiPens (S7114/A6425)

Hochul celebrated her signing of legislation from state Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assembly Member Danny O’Donnell that will require health insurance companies to cover EpiPens, while capping out of pocket costs for patients at $100. The cost of the emergency allergy medicine has skyrocketed in recent years, a phenomenon that has received significant media attention across the country. Hochul framed her decision to sign the bill as part of her affordability agenda for New Yorkers, announcing it in a press release bearing her new “Money in Your Pockets” slogan that she has been using recently. According to an approval message from Hochul, she and lawmakers agreed to “technical changes” to the legislation in the form of a chapter amendment to “prevent limitations on policies that currently provide more generous benefits.”

Limiting classroom temperatures (S3397/A9011)

A priority for teachers unions, Hochul signed legislation from state Sen. James Skoufis and Assembly Member Chris Eachus that will set a maximum temperature of 88 degrees in classrooms, with requirements for schools to relieve heat-related discomfort starting at 82 degrees. When classrooms get too hot, schools will need to have plans to either mitigate the heat or remove students and teachers from the environment. “Children simply can’t learn when temperatures reach as high as 88 degrees, and at worst can suffer from a health crisis,” Eachus, a former teacher, said in a statement. According to an approval message from the governor, lawmakers will enact “technical changes” at the start of the new year to provide school districts with greater flexibility to develop their response plans.

VETOED BILLS

Specialized state police pension (S8472/A8918)

Hochul’s first veto of the year gained some attention, as the governor rejected this bill that would have amended the retirement system for various law enforcement officers to align with those for most other police agencies in the state. The veto came shortly after the union representing those officers put up billboards critical of the governor. And union leaders charge that a top aide to the governor threatened the veto if the billboards didn’t come down. It’s also the fourth time that Hochul has rejected the legislation, even if this latest action had the appearance of political motivation. “This bill has been vetoed four times over the past five years because this pension enhancement would impose substantial unbudgeted costs on the State,” she wrote in a veto memo.

Downstate casino licensing acceleration (S9673/A10572)

This bill from state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. and Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow was more than a little moot when Hochul issued her veto. It would have sped up the bidding process for three new downstate casino licenses, requiring all applications to be submitted by Aug. 31. In theory, it was possible that Hochul could have negotiated chapter amendments to put in place a new deadline that would actually be effective. The state Gaming Commission set an application due date of June next year, with December 2025 as the deadline for the commission to make its final decisions. Amending the legislation could have made the regulatory decision binding in statute, or created a different deadline. But Hochul rejected that idea in her veto memo. “I cannot support a bill that aims to change the rules in the middle of the process,” she wrote.

Task forces and commissions

As she implied with the pension veto, Hochul does not like bills that will impose unbudgeted costs on the state. So she has a habit of blanket vetoing large batches of bills that would create various task forces and commissions that carry with them a fiscal burden not included as part of the state budget. This year, Hochul vetoed 29 bills that fall under that umbrella with a single veto memo. “I share a strong desire in addressing the problems and issues identified in this legislation, and I commend the Legislature for seeking to address such a broad array of problems,” she wrote. “However, enactment of this package of legislation would collectively cost the state approximately $24 million.” Hochul noted that this is the third year in a row that she has vetoed dozens of similar bills.

Lithium-ion battery safety (S6809/A6811)

Following a spate of deadly fires attributed to lithium-ion batteries, state Sen. Cordell Cleare and Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia introduced legislation meant to curb such fires as e-bikes become increasingly common in New York City. The bill would have created a “safety program” to allow New Yorkers to exchange old and potentially faulty batteries for new ones or rebates. Hochul signed a series of bills in July meant to improve e-bike and lithium-ion battery safety, but this one was not included. She has now vetoed the legislation, citing the earlier package of bills in a veto memo. Hochul called the bill “well intentioned,” but cited financial concerns as the reason for not signing it. She said it “would be more appropriately considered” during budget negotiations.

Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S3185A/A10140)

A priority for Assembly Member Deborah Glick, chair of her chamber’s Environmental Conservation Committee, this legislation aimed at protecting horseshoe crabs even scored the enforcement of a big-name conservationist. In November, Jane Goodall wrote a letter to Hochul urging the governor to sign the bill. Why should we care about horseshoe crabs? As environmentalists point out, the species has been around for over 350 million years but is now endangered in New York state due to commercial fishing.  The legislation would have made it illegal to take horseshoe crabs from New York waters for commercial or biomedical purposes. Despite support from environmentalists, Hochul vetoed the bill. She said in a veto memo that the regulation of marine life is “better left to the experts” at the state Department of Environmental Conservations, citing measures the agency has already taken to combat the overharvesting of horseshoe crabs.

Child care assistance expansion (S4924/A1303)

Under current law, parents and caregivers need to earn the equivalent of minimum wage in order to qualify for state assistance with child care. This legislation from state Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member Sarah Clark would have removed that minimum salary requirement, opening eligibility to parents who are gig workers or earning less than the minimum wage who are currently being excluded. Hochul vetoed the legislation, citing her commitment to expanding the child care assistance program in the state while saying that such a change will have significant costs and therefore should be decided as part of budget negotiations. The governor’s decision drew swift backlash from legislators and child care advocates. “We have done so much excellent work with the first mom Governor to

expand child care access to more middle class families, which makes this veto profoundly disappointing,” Ramos said in a statement.

Child care assistance expansion, pt. 2 (S8152/A8878)

Hochul also vetoed, for a second time,a bill that would have decoupled child care assistance from the number of hours the parents work. State Sen. Jabari Brisport and Assembly Member Andrew Hevisi introduced the legislation to clarify a 2022 law meant to decouple to the two, which they said has been interpreted too narrowly. In a veto memo, Hochul wrote that she had “significant fiscal and operational concerns” about the legislation. The sponsors wrote in a memo that they had amended the bill to have a May 2025 effective date in order to address the fiscal impact in next year’s budget – but the tweak was not enough to get Hochul’s support.

Caps on physical therapy insurance costs (S1470/A6345)

State Sen. Neil Breslin and Assembly Member David Weprin introduced legislation meant to address high cost-sharing amounts that insurers charge New Yorkers seeking occupational and physical therapy. Although state law requires that health insurers cover physical and occupational therapy, a memo from the sponsors asserts that companies use a loophole to shift the cost to patients through high co-payments and co-insurance costs that can at times exceed the reimbursement rates for the actual services. The bill would have capped co-pays at 20% of the reimbursement rate, no higher than the co-pays or co-insurance for similar services from a primary care physician or osteopath. Hochul rejected the legislation, writing in a veto memo that while she supports “the goal of protecting consumers,” the bill “would prevent health plans from designing their plans in a way that encourages insureds to seek care first from their primary care provider or osteopath.” In a statement, Weprin said he is “disappointed” with the veto because the bill was a “top priority” for him last session. “A high co-pay can be cost-prohibitive and result in New Yorkers forgoing these medically necessary services,” he said.