At end of session in Albany, an accounting of which bills will become law and which won't (2024)

ALBANY — In their final day of the 2024 legislative session, state lawmakers boasted of efforts to protect children from dangerous social media feeds, lessen the state’s dependence on plastics, protect rape victims from legal loopholes and allow the importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada.

As the lawmakers departed Albany and looked ahead to upcoming re-election campaigns, only some of those measures were headed to the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul to become law or face her veto pen. Other proposals died absent agreement between Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx.

And the Seneca Nation of Indians, which operates casinos in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca, remained without a new gaming compact agreement with the state as lawmakers left town. Late Thursday, Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong issued a statement, calling the pace and progress of the negotiations “painstaking, frustrating and disappointing at times.” The State Legislature would need to approve any new compact, which has been temporarily extended since December.

Asked about the status of the compact negotiations late Friday, Hochul told reporters: “My team is very engaged with them and we look forward to telling you when it’s all resolved.”

Here is a look at the status of several bills in the aftermath of the session:

Children and social media

PURPOSE: The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act is designed to prohibit young people under 18 from accessing addictive feeds and algorithms on social media without parental consent. A second bill, the New York Child Protective Data Act, would prohibit online sites from sharing or selling the personal data of anyone under 18 (unless necessary for the purpose of the website). It would require children under 13 get informed consent from a parent.

OPPOSITION: The bills, sponsored by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, D-Brooklyn, and Assembly Member Nily Rozic, D-Queens, drew fire from tech groups but gained wide consensus in Albany. Gounardes told Senate colleagues, moments before the bill passed the upper house, that social media algorithms were “heat-seeking missiles designed to target a user’s vulnerabilities and maximize user engagement at all costs.”

PROSPECTS: Done deal.

Imate Change Superfund Act

PURPOSE: The bill would require companies that have burned fossil fuels and contributed to the pollution of the atmosphere over the last 70 or more years to contribute a combined $75 billion to a fund addressing climate change. It would be accomplished through the construction of upgraded stormwater drainage systems, energy-efficient cooling systems in private and public buildings and programs to address climate-related public health challenges, supporters of the bill say.

OPPOSITION: The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan, and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx, faced opposition from the Business Council of New York State and the fuel industry, which they call costly and disruptive.

PROSPECTS: Vermont has passed a similar law. While the measure appeared dead last week, when Heastie noted concerns that corporations would pass on the costs to consumers, he acknowledged Friday morning that he had polled his conference about the bill. The Assembly passed the bill in its final hours of session.

Packaging reduction

PURPOSE: In an effort to address climate change and stop recycled plastics from ending up in landfills, the bill would require businesses to reduce their use of plastics by 30% over the next 12 years. The companies would be responsible for the cost of managing and recycling their packaging wastes. If found to be in violation, they could face fines.

OPPOSITION: The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Peter Harckham, a Westchester County Democrat, and Assembly Member Deborah Glick, D-Manhattan, faces opposition from the business lobby and, among others, America’s Plastics Makers, an industry group. During the Senate debate on the bill, State Sen. George Borrello, a Chautauqua County Republican, suggested that food companies such as Kraft Heinz would pull their products from stores. Harckham, in turn, said similar laws have existed in Europe for over a decade and that similar measures are being enacted in California, Maine, Oregon and Washington. Supporters desperately want the measure to pass, especially after dropping the proposed reduction in plastics from 50%.

PROSPECTS: The bill, which passed the Senate, appeared ready for passage after the target of the legislation was dropped from 50% to 30%. Heastie told reporters early Friday he was still speaking to Assembly members about the bill. By Friday night, it was dead, at least for now.

Drugs from Canada

PURPOSE: The bill, introduced by Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, D-Brooklyn, and State Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat, is intended to lower cost of pharmaceuticals that, according to activists, has dwarfed the rate of inflation and forced consumers to decide between paying for medicines, their rent or their food. Supporters note that federal law allows the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to certify wholesale importation from Canada if it saves consumers costs and its safety is on the same level as the United States.

OPPOSITION: PhRMA, a pharmaceutical industry group, has long opposed bills to allow Canadian drugs to be imported into the U.S. (and legally challenged the federal law allowing importation). The group contends that Canadian importation of prescription drugs would pose a risk to public health, saying medicines would not be held to the same standard as the U.S. During the Senate floor debate for the bill, Borrello, the GOP state senator from Chautauqua County, said Canadian officials have said their market is too small to impact U.S. drug prices and would fight the ability of another country to “pillage” their drug prices.

PROSPECTS: The bill passed the Senate, but its future in the Assembly was murky. On Friday afternoon, Heastie said “it’s something we’re considering.” The bill made it to the floor of the Assembly but was set aside for debate before Assembly members left Albany on Saturday morning about 7:20 a.m.

Alcohol shipments

PURPOSE: Backers of the bill, sponsored by Skoufis and Assemby Member Donna Lupardo, D-Binghamton, say businesses, such as distilleries and cideries, who sell craft alcoholic beverages, unlike wine producers, cannot ship their products directly to consumers. During the pandemic, they note, the businesses faced closure if not for an executive order allowing the temporary shipment to consumers.

OPPOSITION: Some major liquor distributors opposed the legislation as did a group of retired law enforcement officials who expressed concern the bill could lead to an increase in underage drinking.

PROSPECTS: The bill has passed both houses. Its fate rests with the governor.

York Heat Act

PURPOSE: The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan, and Assembly Member Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, is intended to help the state move away from fossil fuels that contribute to pollution of the atmosphere and transition consumers from gas to electrical energy. It would repeal an existing rule that requires utilities to hook up any would-be gas customers, free of charge, if their location is within 100 feet of an existing gas line. That cost is absorbed by fellow ratepayers. Sponsors say it could save customers more than $200 million in costs.

OPPOSITION: Utilities, such as National Fuel, labor unions and manufacturers are vehemently against the bill. Assembly Member Monica Wallace, D-Cheektowaga, expressed concern the bill could chase businesses out of state due to the cost of electricity.

PROSPECTS: The bill passed the Senate, but stalled in the Assembly. On Friday afternoon, Heastie told reporters there had been active discussions between his house and the Senate but indicated that timing was an issue. He said a bill had not been printed at that point, it would need a “message of necessity” from the governor to be able to pass. Heastie said he wanted to ensure that any transition would be affordable for people and worked out. The bill appeared dead late Friday.

Big game hunting

PURPOSE: The bill, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, a Niagara County Republican, and Assembly Member Michael Norris, R-Lockport, is at the request of the Niagara County Legislature. It would allow rifle hunters to hunt big game, such as deer and bear, between Nov. 15 and Dec. 7. Ortt argued in a bill memo that Niagara County was not listed among counties allowed to permit big game rifle hunting, which he called a critical conservation tool for the deer and bear population.

OPPOSITION: The bill passed the Senate 57-2. The two opposing votes were from Sen. Jabari Brisport, D-Brooklyn, and Sen. Monica Martinez, a Democrat from Suffolk County.

PROSPECTS: The bill has the Senate and Assembly. It awaits approval or veto from the governor.