2026 End-of-Session Legislative Summary

The One Fair Price Act

SB 8623-B (Sen. May) /
AB 9349-B (AM Torres)

Senate (Y: 39 / N: 21)  |  Assembly (Y: 100 / N: 42)

The One Fair Price Act was a major priority for Attorney General Letitia James this year. The Office of the Attorney General, along with a broad coalition including the AFL-CIO, RWDSU, UFCW, and AARP, engaged heavily with the Legislature to limit the practice of “surveillance pricing.” This bill prohibits surveillance pricing, meaning a retailer cannot use a customer’s personal data to set targeted, individualized prices on a consumer-to-consumer basis. It also gives enforcement authority to the Attorney General, and carves out common discount programs, such as loyalty programs and senior and veteran discounts. There will likely be a chapter amendment discussion with the Governor’s Office to address industry concerns, including a financial services carve-out.

Data Center Moratorium

S.10642 (Sen. Gonzalez) /
A.11560 (AM Barrett)

Assembly (Y: 102 / N: 39)  |  Senate (Y: 44 / N: 16)

The expansion of data center infrastructure throughout New York State was a major discussion throughout the year, with several bills introduced before the Legislature. In the last week of session, both Houses of the Legislature introduced and passed omnibus data center legislation that combines components of these different data center bills introduced earlier this year. Notably, it establishes a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers—ones with peak electrical demand of 20 megawatts or more—and includes grandfathering for existing construction projects. Conversations surrounding data centers have been rife with debate in recent months, and the proposed one-year moratorium headed to the Governor’s desk intends to balance concerns from construction unions with the time necessary to evaluate the environmental impacts of these computing behemoths, which power generative AI.

Health Information Privacy Act “NYSHIPA 2.0”

S.9269 (Sen. Krueger) /
A.10357 (AM Rosenthal)

Senate (Y: 48 / N: 13)  |  Assembly (Y: 96 / N: 45)

Last year, Governor Hochul vetoed one of the top-lobbied bills of the session aimed at strengthening protections for New Yorkers’ digital health data. Opponents cited overly broad provisions that could have unintended consequences. Lawmakers are making another attempt this year, with both chambers having approved a revised, narrower version of the legislation they hope can make it past the Governor’s desk. Supporters argue the measure is needed because much of this data falls outside existing federal privacy protections and could be used to track individuals seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care.

Constitutional Amendment on Mid-Decade Redistricting

SB 10637-A (Sen. Stewart-Cousins) /
AB 11553-A (AM Heastie)

Senate (Y: 38 / N: 22)  |  Assembly (Y: 90 / N: 48)

Amidst movement across the nation on redistricting, this bill represents the first step in changing New York State’s constitution to allow for mid-decade redistricting. The proposal removes the 2/3 majority requirement to override Independent Redistricting Commission Maps and removes language in the Constitution prohibiting gerrymandering, while also giving the Legislature the power to redraw districts in the middle of a decade. As a constitutional amendment, the bill will need to be passed again by the Legislature in the next session before going to voters.

Constitutional Amendment on Even-Year Elections Outside NYC

SB 5711 (Sen. Skoufis) /
AB 5036 (AM Jacobsen)

Senate (Y: 38 / N: 22)  |  Assembly (Y: 88 / N: 46)

A 2023 constitutional amendment already moved some County and Town elections to even years, when federal and state elections take place, and turnout is higher. The move was championed by Democrats and opposed by Republicans, who spent three years trying to stop it in the Courts, a battle which ended last March when the Supreme Court declined to hear it. This bill is the next step in moving more local elections to even years, including city mayors and councils, county clerks, sheriffs, district attorneys, and judges. Notably, the amendment excludes New York City elections. Lawmakers will now have to pass the bill again next year and put it before voters the following November.

The Stop Deepfakes Act: Content Provenance & Authenticity

S.6954 (Sen. Gounardes) /
A.6540 (AM Bores)

Senate (Y: 60 / N: 1)  |  Assembly (Y: 141 / N: 0)

Based on a similar law in California, the Stop Deepfakes Act seeks to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of AI by requiring the attachment and preservation of metadata by systems which create synthetic content, large online platforms, and state agencies. Advocates, namely the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), have raised concerns that the rapid advancement of AI technologies has made it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish between human-created and AI-generated content, raising concerns about misinformation, manipulation, and the erosion of trust in digital media. The Stop Deepfakes Act aims to address these concerns by mandating that AI providers include clear provenance data and requiring that large online platforms surface such provenance data to their users.

Requiring Businesses to Report Hiring Impacts of AI

S.8706 (Sen. Hinchey) /
A.9581 (AM Bronson)

Assembly (Y: 102 / N: 38)  |  Senate (Y: 38 / N: 22)

Chief on this year’s radar—both state and nationwide—has been the evolution of AI, and this bill, sponsored by Assembly Member Harry Bronson and Senator Michelle Hinchey, reins in the focus on AI’s impact on the workforce. If enacted, the bill would require large companies (50 employees or more) and publicly traded companies to annually report to the Department of Labor on the impact of AI use, which would include data on layoffs or other hiring changes. Sponsors argue the bill is about having a handle on how AI is impacting the workforce to make sure it is being used appropriately—not on whether it is a negative force per se. A similar bill is being considered on the federal level that would require companies to disclose this data on a quarterly basis.

New York State FAIR News Act

S.8451-B (Sen. Fahy) /
A.8962-B (AM Rozic)

Assembly (Y: 131 / N: 1)  |  Senate (Y: 53 / N: 7)

The New York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act (“FAIR News Act”) mandates that news organizations operating in New York fully disclose to the public when they use generative AI to create news content, articles, or media. The NY FAIR News Act was supported by a broad coalition from labor and broadcasting, including the NYS AFL-CIO, Writers Guild of America East, SAG-AFTRA, the NewsGuild of New York, The NewsGuild-CWA, CWA District 1, Directors Guild of America, Freelancers Union, the Writers Guild of America West, and workers at local and national newsrooms operating across New York State.

Inmate Visitation

S.5037 (Sen. Sepulveda) /
A.4603 (AM Weprin)

Assembly (Y: 91 / N: 48)  |  Senate (Y: 39 / N: 21)

After passing the Senate six times, legislation that would codify a standard of in-person visitation for incarcerated individuals passed both houses this session. Since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, switching from in-person visits to videoconferencing has become a trend in correctional facilities. The most recent unauthorized prison work stoppage that took place in 2025 was a large motivation for the bill, which emphasizes that in-person visitation is an essential step towards the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals and their families. If enacted, these policies would include visiting hours in the evening and on weekends.

CREEP Act

S.3394 (Sen. Gounardes) /
A.3226 (AM Gonzalez-Rojas)

Senate (Y: 59 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 140 / N: 0)

The CREEP—Ceasing Repeated and Extremely Egregious Predatory Behavior—Act passed unanimously in both Houses, effectively closing what legislators deemed a loophole in the State’s laws against stalking and harassment: one that previously only allowed New Yorkers to obtain a civil order of protection against a family member or romantic partner. Likewise, advocates have claimed that current anti-stalking laws fail to keep up with the digital age. Without proof of physical escalation, many victims of digital stalking have been left with little State recourse to help them. New York is the latest of 43 other states to enact similar laws to the CREEP Act and expand the scope of stalking to digital forms.

Elijah’s Law Amendments

S.8587 (Sen. Gounardes) /
A.9245 (AM Rosenthal)

Assembly (Y: 139 / N: 0)  |  Senate (Y: 60 / N: 1)

A bill mandating that epinephrine devices be stocked in child day care centers passed unanimously in both Houses, excluding a single vote in the Senate. Its passage is an ode to the mission of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation, who have helped advance a total of nine pieces of legislation focused on strengthening anaphylaxis preparedness and child safety nationwide in child day care facilities. OD&A is proud to have helped advance this important piece of legislation, working in tandem with the Foundation named in honor of Elijah-Alavi Silvera, a three-year-old boy who tragically lost his life due to a preventable anaphylactic reaction after being exposed to an allergen at his childcare center.

Artificial Intelligence Training Data Transparency Act

S.6955 (Sen. Gounardes) /
A.6578 (AM Bores)

Assembly (Y: 137 / N: 1)  |  Senate (Y: 53 / N: 7)

The Artificial Intelligence Training Data Transparency Act, sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Alex Bores—two staunch advocates for responsible AI use—requires developers of AI models to disclose the sources of their training data. Large language models (LLMs) generate responses that mimic human speech as a direct byproduct of being fed massive amounts of text data, a practice that has raised concern among authors who argue that their works have been used to train these models without their consent. As a result, several copyright infringement lawsuits have been filed against OpenAI and other major developers. In addition to disclosing the sources of their input data, developers would need to flag whether they purchased or licensed the datasets.

NYSERDA EV Charging Stations

S.5189 (Sen. Comrie) /
A.1012 (AM Barrett)

Assembly (Y: 107 / N: 36)  |  Senate (Y: 54 / N: 6)

Sponsored by Assembly Member Didi Barrett and Senator Leroy Comrie, this bill provides a comprehensive and ongoing approach to electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging station implementation planning across the State. If enacted, a working group composed of utility and environmental representatives will partner with NYSERDA to establish a streamlined, statewide approach to EV fast charging that will make EV travel more efficient. While opponents contended that the bill could place an undue financial burden on ratepayers, sponsors have emphasized that it is budget-neutral. Similar versions of this bill have been introduced and passed in the Assembly over the past three years, and a 2024 version was vetoed by the Governor because it formed part of a series of legislation she considered to be study bills. This time around, supporters hope its individuality will stand out.

Low Impact Landscaping

S.9133 (Sen. May) /
A.10102 (AM Glick)

Assembly (Y: 94 / N: 46)  |  Senate (Y: 39 / N: 22)

The Low Impact Landscaping Rights Act—sponsored by Assembly Member Deborah Glick and Senator Rachel May—would limit Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs) from imposing unreasonable limitations on the installation or maintenance of low-impact landscaping, such as solar power systems, EV charging stations, natural gardening, and pollinator gardens. HOAs would have permission to deny such projects if they impede on neighboring properties or are located in common areas. Governor Hochul vetoed this bill last year, saying that while low-impact landscaping has potential benefits, it encroaches on existing private contracts between property owners and HOAs. However, supporters point to the evolution of New York’s climate, arguing that many of these contracts are outdated and fail to reflect a growing need for healthier residential lawns—ones that double as protection for homeowners’ properties and the environment.

Industrial Octopus Farming Ban

S.7421 (Sen. Martinez) /
A.8043 (AM Simone)

Senate (Y: 55 / N: 5)  |  Assembly (Y: 129 / N: 13)

Sponsored by Senator Monica Martinez and Assembly Member Tony Simone, this bill is a big win for one of our oceans’ most clever creatures. If enacted, the bill would ban aquaculture—the farming and breeding of octopuses for human consumption—in the state. It would also prohibit businesses from selling, possessing, or transporting farmed octopus. The legislation does not apply to wild-caught octopuses or those raised for research or educational purposes.

Non-Covered Dental Services and Fees

S.5313 (Sen. Bailey) /
A.3687 (AM Weprin)

Assembly (Y: 141 / N: 0)  |  Senate (Y: 60 / N: 0)

Another bill that passed unanimously in both Houses addresses non-covered dental services. Sponsored by both Houses’ Insurance Chairs, Assembly Member David Weprin and Senator Jamaal Bailey, the legislation requires dental insurance policies to include clear cost estimates and disclosures stating that participating providers may charge their normal fees for non-covered treatments, preventing insurance plans from determining costs for procedures they deny as uncovered services.

Renaming Agency Buildings

S.9685 (Sen. Fahy) /
A.10653 (AM Paulin)

Assembly (Y: 135 / N: 0)  |  Senate (Y: 45 / N: 16)

A bill sponsored by Assembly Member Amy Paulin and Senator Pat Fahy passed this session that would rename the four numbered agency buildings at Albany’s Empire State Plaza to honor New York’s historical events and natural resources. If enacted, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) would compile a list of suggested names and recommend them to the Governor. Then, taking NYSCA’s recommendations into consideration and following a robust public engagement process—the lack of which was the reason Governor Hochul vetoed the bill last year—the Governor would have sixty days to select the new names. Once renamed, the buildings would join other Empire State Plaza landmarks that already bear historic names, including the Robert Abrams Building for Law and Justice and the Corning Tower.

New Yorkers for Common Cents Act

S.8580 (Sen. Skoufis) /
A.9274 (AM McDonald)

Assembly (Y: 132 / N: 0)  |  Senate (Y: 59 / N: 2)

In May 2025, the U.S. Treasury placed its final order for blank pennies, and in November 2025, the U.S. Mint produced its very last one, marking the beginning of the end for the coin that was once a fixture of everyday commerce. According to the Treasury, it costs the government roughly 3.7 cents to manufacture and distribute each 1-cent penny. The phaseout of the penny has sparked criticism from some retailers because there was little to no federal guidance on how they should handle transactions, resulting in businesses implementing their own policies on how to handle the “change,” and potential confusion down the road in return. The New Yorkers for Common Cents Act—sponsored by Assembly Member John McDonald and Senator James Skoufis—would require merchants to round cash purchases to the nearest five-cent denomination in order to reduce the circulation of pennies within the State. The rounding system is based on Canada’s federal policy when it abolished the country’s penny in 2013.

Breast and Chest Wall Reconstruction Information

S.1305-A (Sen. Salazar) /
A.4591-A (AM Jackson)

Senate (Y: 59 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 140 / N: 0)

In an effort to expand women’s healthcare services, this bill would require hospitals that provide lymph node dissection, lumpectomy, and mastectomy surgeries to provide patients with information about breast and chest wall reconstruction surgery, as well as the availability of coverage for said reconstructions.

Domestic Violence Awareness in Cosmetology Businesses

S.7547 (Sen. Ramos) /
A.7301 (AM Tapia)

Senate (Y: 59 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 140 / N: 0)

This bill would see the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence design and distribute informational posters to cosmetology businesses, free of charge. These posters would provide information on how to recognize signs of domestic and other gender-based violence. With 60 votes in favor and none against, it passed the Senate in mid-May and is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

Summer Camp Vaccination Requirements

S.3958 (Sen. Skoufis) /
A.3254 (AM Dinowitz)

Senate (Y: 39 / N: 20)  |  Assembly (Y: 90 / N: 47)

Similarly to the vaccination requirements found in New York State public schools, this bill would amend public health law to require that children attending summer camp be vaccinated against a list of common and preventable diseases. Vaccination requirements have been a contentious topic in recent years, and this bill passed the Senate in late May with 39 votes in favor and 20 against.

NYSERDA Annual Reporting Requirements

S.8019 (Sen. Comrie) /
A.8410 (AM Barrett)

Senate (Y: 55 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 143 / N: 0)

This bill requires the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to submit annual reports to a greater number of entities and requires that these reports include a summary of all proceeds collected and administered. It passed in March with 55 votes in favor and none against.

The Whale Awareness Act

S.2292 (Sen. Harckham) /
A.8515 (AM Kassay)

Senate (Y: 59 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 132 / N: 0)

The Whale Awareness Act would direct the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to establish and distribute recommendations and educational materials to decrease the frequency of whale strikes. It passed easily in early March with 59 votes in favor and none against, and Governor Hochul will soon have it on her desk.

The PFAS Discharge Disclosure Act

S.4574-B (Sen. May) /
A.5832 (AM Kelles)

Senate (Y: 62 / N: 0)  |  Assembly (Y: 107 / N: 32)

The PFAS Discharge Disclosure Act would create a testing and reporting protocol for the discharge of PFAS, a class of “forever chemicals,” and would mandate discharge disclosures from industrial producers of wastewater. It passed the Senate first in April of 2025 and again this past February with 62 votes in favor and none against. After having died in the Assembly earlier this year, it was finally passed on June 1st.

The Solar Up Now NY Act (SUNNY Act)

S.8512-C (Sen. Krueger) /
A.9111-C (AM Gallagher)

Senate (Y: 58 / N: 1)  |  Assembly (Y: 90 / N: 47)

The Solar Up Now NY Act would remove regulatory barriers that prevent the use of small plug-in solar electricity devices, providing New Yorkers with the opportunity to lower their utility costs and enter the “solar economy.” It passed in late May, with a notable 59 votes in favor and one against—Senator Walczyk.

Gender Neutral Language

S.9316 (Sen. Sepúlveda) /
A.8382-A (AM Paulin)

Senate (Y: 49 / N: 15)  |  Assembly (Y: 109 / N: 28)

This bill would replace gendered legal terms throughout New York’s family law statutes, substituting “parentage” for “paternity” and “filiation,” and swapping “mother” and “father” for “gestating parent” and “non-gestating parent,” to make the law consistent for families formed through adoption, surrogacy, assisted reproduction, and same-sex parenting. The Assembly passed the bill in March, and the Senate approved the measure in June as the legislative session closed.

340B Prescription Drug Anti-Discrimination Act

S.1913 (Sen. Rivera) /
A.6222 (AM Paulin)

This legislation sought to prevent drug makers, pharmacy benefit managers, and other third-party groups from putting up barriers that keep safety-net health providers enrolled in the Federal program from obtaining medications at reduced prices. The bill would have also empowered the health commissioner to levy civil fines against violators. The bill passed the Senate but was not able to get through the Assembly before the end of session.

Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act

S.1464-A (Sen. Harckham) /
A.1749 (AM Glick)

This bill would create an extended producer responsibility program that makes plastic companies and other major corporations, rather than municipalities, pay for the cost of recycling their packaging. It would also require a 30% reduction in single-use packaging over twelve years and phase out toxic chemicals like PFAS, lead, and mercury from packaging materials. This bill stalled in both the Assembly and Senate and was not passed by either house during this session.

REST Act

S.4659-D (Sen. Kavanagh) /
A.4877-D (AM Shrestha)

This bill would make it simpler for cities, towns, and villages outside of New York City to opt in to rent stabilization, allowing them to declare a housing emergency based on data such as rent burdens, housing supply, and homelessness rates instead of having to conduct a vacancy survey proving a rate below 5%. It would also let smaller municipalities extend coverage to buildings with as few as four units, though buildings built or substantially rehabbed in the last fifteen years would be exempt. The REST Act was unable to pass either house of the Legislature during this session.

Essential Plan

S.9589 (Sen. Rivera) /
A.10926 (AM Paulin)

With an estimated 450,000 New Yorkers set to lose their Essential Plan health coverage due to Federal cuts, this bill sought to have New York State begin covering many of these individuals and paying for the coverage in its entirety. In the end, this bill did not move through either house, with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins suggesting that Governor Hochul had indicated that she would not be supportive.

New York Privacy Act

S.3044 (Sen. Gonzalez) /
A.8158 (AM Rozic)

The New York Privacy Act would have given consumers new rights over their personal data, including the ability to access, correct, delete, and transfer information that companies hold about them, and to opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and automated profiling. It would also require opt-in consent before businesses can process sensitive data, like health, biometric, or precise location information, mandate that data brokers register with the state, and give the Attorney General enforcement power. This bill was not able to advance through both the Assembly and Senate during this session.

Protecting Consumers and Jobs from Discriminatory Pricing Act

S.8616 (Sen. Gianaris) /
A.9396 (AM Solages)

This bill would have banned electronic shelf labels in grocery stores and pharmacies, requiring them to stick with paper price tags. It would also prohibit those retailers from using surveillance pricing and would establish penalties for retailers who are not in compliance. This bill passed the Senate this session but did not make it through the Assembly.

New York AI Act

S.1169 (Sen. Gonzalez) /
A.8884 (AM Solages)

States are just coming around to comprehensive AI regulations—this bill comes on the heels of a heavy amendment in Colorado to their first-in-the-nation comprehensive AI framework. The New York AI Act would regulate “high-risk AI systems” or those that make “consequential decisions” in housing, healthcare, lending, employment, education, or legal services. It seeks to address “algorithmic discrimination” in these systems through mandating human review, third-party audits, and reporting to the Department of Financial Services. The bill was amended in the final weeks of session to address a number of industry concerns by removing private rights of action and creating a safe harbor for companies with documented risk management programs in line with NIST or ISO 42001.