Greetings from Albany, NY  

In this edition, we provide an overview of recent legislative activity, response to proposed health insurance rate increases, updates on temporary protected status decisions, the alleged plot to attack the Capitol and other items.  

Post-Session Governor Action on Bills 

Since the last scheduled day of the 2026 legislative session in June, Governor Kathy Hochul has signed 144 bills into law. She currently has 21 bills on her desk awaiting action, while an additional 467 bills have passed both houses and are awaiting delivery to her desk.

Hochul has generally taken action on legislation in thematic packages, signing multiple bills on related topics at the same time. Recent packages of bills signed have included bills addressing:

• Peace officer status for certain security officers and other personnel
• Real property tax exemptions
• Naming or dedicating sections of highways to individuals
• Local occupancy, hotel and motel taxes, including permits and authorizations
• School speed-zone camera demonstration programs
• Department of Environmental Conservation’s authority to manage certain marine life
• Alcohol licenses and exemptions for sales near or at certain premises

Notable Bills Signed Post-Session

Several other bills that Hochul signed into law after the scheduled end of the legislative session include:

• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway – Adds the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad scenic byway into the state Scenic Byways System (S9057-A/A10194-A)
• Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Information – Relates to the dissemination of information about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia through the New York Connects: Choices for Long Term Care program (A4195-A/S118-A)
• Whale Awareness Act – Enacts the Whale Awareness Act (A8515-A/S2292-B)
• Physical Therapy Assistants – Extends certain provisions relating to physical therapy assistants (A11368/S10066)
• Tickets to Places of Entertainment – Extends the effectiveness of certain provisions relating to tickets to places of entertainment (A11558/S10640)

 

Post-Session New Bill Introductions 

Although the scheduled legislative session has ended and no committee meetings or votes are taking place, lawmakers continue to introduce legislation during the summer months. So far, 86 bills have been introduced since the scheduled end of session.

Even though every lawmaker is up for re-election in November and each bill will have to be reintroduced at the start of the next two-year session, the summer months give lawmakers an opportunity to respond to emerging local needs and begin building coalitions around their priorities. These bills are often personal, driven by a desire to respond to events or issues affecting their district.

Here are a few of the bills that have been introduced since the scheduled end of the legislative session:

• Grants the gaming commission the authority to develop and require racetrack operations to implement fire protection systems requirements for stables and barns (A11612/S10656)
• Relates to establishing a purple alert program to assist in the location and safe recovery of missing vulnerable persons (S10664/A11631)
• Relates to adaptive aquatic safety services for individuals with disabilities (S10660)
• Relates to the handling of tips received through the office of the Medicaid inspector general’s Medicaid fraud hotline (S10680)
• Establishes a Medicaid fraud tip board and Medicaid fraud tip reward fund (S10681)
• Establishes the literacy lifecycle management act which prohibits the destruction of rare books (S10678)
• Enacts the Social Woker Initiative for Faster Testing (SWIFT) act (S10665/A11632)
• Relates to humanoid robots and artificial intelligence avatars in instructional settings (S10671)
• Relates to disposal of radioactive waste (S10672)

 

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