Six New Pieces of Legislation Just Passed in New York

Since January of 2025, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has approved several bills that will become laws.

These bills deal with a variety of topics, such as funding for housing projects and help for families needing childcare.

Expansion of Agricultural Representation

S779/A596 includes a new person who represents agriculture in New York's State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council, making the total members 17. This change is meant to make sure that the agricultural industry has a voice in making decisions about building and fire safety rules.

Expansion of Housing Project Funding

One of the new laws, S735/A420, allows the New York State Housing Finance Agency to provide more money (up to $36.28 billion) for housing projects immediately. This change hopes to make it easier to build and keep affordable housing in New York.

Inclusion of Agriculture in Legislation

S780/A417 adds cannabis cultivation to New York's agriculture laws, treating it like other farm products. This change happens right away and shows that cannabis is now seen as a legal agricultural item.

Nourish New York Program Enhancement

S795/A414 makes a change to New York's Nourish New York program so that milk and dairy products can now be included as "surplus agricultural products" and given to people who need food. This is an important step in fighting hunger in the state.

SEE ALSO: Do You Know About These 18 New Laws for New York in 2025?

Providing Support for Adoptive Parents

S784/A917 stops giving financial support to adoptive parents of children with disabilities or those who are hard to place if the parents stop taking care of the child or if the child is not living with them. It also changes how the payments are made if the child comes back or becomes an adult.

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Support for Child Care

S757/A915 lets local social services districts use a special type of funding for childcare while they check if families qualify for help. This new rule should start working on July 26, about 6 months after it's passed. The goal is to offer more adaptable help to families who need childcare support.