The New York State Legislature concluded the work of the 2025 Legislative Session, which began on January 8, early in the morning on Tuesday, June 17, days later than scheduled. The State Senate concluded its regular session in the early morning hours of Friday, June 13. The State Assembly extended its work into the following week. In total, the Senate and Assembly passed 1,743 and 995 bills respectively; of these, 856 have passed both Houses and will await action by the Governor over the next several months.
Significant legislation approved by both houses includes the following:
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation:
o The Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act would require large AI developers to establish and publish safety protocols and report serious incidents. (S.6953-B/A.6453-B)
o Proposed requirements that advertisers disclose the use of a synthetic performer (e.g., AI-generated images or voices). (S.8420-A/A.8887-B) • Corrections System Reforms: An omnibus bill which would impose various changes to New York's corrections system intended to improve the safety of incarcerated individuals. (A.8871/S.8415)
• Fair Business Practices: The Fostering Affordability and Integrity Through Reasonable Business Practices (FAIR) Act which would expand New York's consumer protection law, broadening its scope beyond “deceptive" business practices to also include "unfair" and "abusive" acts. (A.8427-A/S.8416-A)
• Medical Aid in Dying: This bill would allow mentally capable, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to request and self administer life-ending medication, with safeguards to ensure informed and voluntary decisions. (A.136/S.138)
Despite efforts to advance them, many bills failed to achieve two house approval. Legislation passed the Senate that would have established state level amendments on GRAS and created reporting requirements; established a clean fuel standard; established the TEMP Act and enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), all of which failed to receive two house approval.
Legislative leaders and Governor Hochul have warned of potential financial shortfalls to New York State that may result from actions by the federal government. Lawmakers’ return to Albany later in the year to address federal funding cuts remains a possibility.
The following is an overview of the legislation that passed both houses of most relevance to NEAFA membership and the agribusiness industry.
AGRICULTURE AND ENVIROMENT
Chapter Amendment - New York Grown, Produced, or Harvested Milk (S795, Hinchey - A414, Lupardo)
This law amends chapter 632 of the laws of 2024, to add milk and milk products in the definition of “surplus agricultural products.” The law also removes “other farm produced beverages” from being listed as included under the definition of surplus agricultural products.
Status: Chapter 1 of the Laws of 2025
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the agriculture and markets law relating to the definitions of surplus agricultural products and processed products for the purposes of
the Nourish New York program, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.8690 and A.9259, takes effect.
Chapter Amendment - Membership on State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council (S779, Comrie - A596, Woerner)
This law amends chapter 604 of the laws of 2024 which increased the membership of the NYS Fire Prevention and Building Code Council to include an agricultural producer. This law further increases the membership by adding the Commissioner of Agriculture
and Markets, thus restoring an odd number to the membership to prevent ties in voting. The law also amends the effective date to July 1, 2025.
Status: Chapter 4 of the Laws of 2025
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the executive law relating to the appointment for agricultural representation on the state fire prevention and building code council, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.1218-B and A.1080-B, takes effect.
Chapter Amendment - Including Cannabis in Definition of Crops, Livestock, and Livestock Products (S780, Hinchey - A417, Lupardo)
This law amends chapter 605 of the laws of 2024 to expand the definition of crops, livestock, and livestock products to include cannabis when cultivated in accordance with the cannabis law. The law also amends the effective date such that it retroactively applies starting January 1, 2024.
Status: Chapter 2 of the Laws of 2025
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the agriculture and markets law relating to expanding the definition of crops, livestock and livestock products to include cannabis, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.1752 and A.1234, takes effect.
Chapter Amendment - Native Plant and Seed Supply, Development and Enhancement Program (S794, May - A442, Kelles)
This law amends chapter 630 of the laws of 2024 requiring the Commissioners of the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Agriculture and Markets to develop a list of plant seeds eligible for the NY Native Plant Seed Supply, Development, and Enhancement Program. The new law requires that the list must be updated at least once every three years. The law
also amends the definition of “native plant seed” to include certain non-invasive herbaceous and woody plant species and germinating seeds.
Status: Chapter 89 of the Laws of 2025
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the agriculture and markets law relating to establishing a native plant seed supply, development and enhancement program, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.7849 and A.9043, takes effect.
Farmers’ Markets in State/Local Parks (S1376, Serrano - A4632, Kim)
This bill would encourage the promotion of farmers’ markets at state parks if doing so would not harm the natural environment or integrity of the park.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Local Freshwater Wetlands Pesticide Prohibition (S5983-A, Harckham - A6930, Burdick)
This bill would prohibit the application of pesticides to local freshwater wetlands that are hydraulically connected to a reservoir, reservoir stem, class A waterway, or other source of public water supply. The bill would also create exemptions for controlling invasive species, pests of significant public health importance, noxious weeds designated by DEC as injurious to ecosystem health, or for the protection of critical native plant species.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
New York Native Plants Designation (S7359-A, May - A7964-A, Kelles)
This bill would establish a New York native plants designation. The bill would authorize the Department of Agriculture and DEC to establish standards and guidelines for making such designation.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Produce Security Fund (S8243, Hinchey - A8420, Ramos)
This bill would increase the allowable maximum value of the Producer Security Fund that ensures that milk producers are made whole if a milk dealer defaults on a purchase. Currently, the maximum value of the fund is capped at $4 million; this proposal would increase that maximum to $6 million.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
BUSINESS, FINANCE AND INSURANCE
Consumer Litigation Financing (S1104-A, Cooney - A804-C, Magnarelli)
This bill would establish the Consumer Litigation Funding Act (CLFA). The CLFA would create safeguards by establishing clear standards for consumer litigation funding agreements. It would mandate transparency, enforce financial limitations to prevent exploitative lending practices, and grant consumers the right of rescission. Specifically, the legislation would cap total charges at 25 percent of the gross proceeds from a claim, regardless of the amount advanced. To ensure parties are aware of the set maximum, contracts would be required to include a statement explaining it. This limit would create predictability, protect plaintiffs from excessive repayment obligations, and help ensure that those who win their cases retain most of their awards. Regulating this practice is necessary to ensure fairness in the legal system while protecting businesses and consumers from its unintended consequences.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, it shall not apply or in any way affect or invalidate any consumer litigation funding previously effectuated prior to the effective date of this act.
Plaintiff Recovery Against Third Party and Co-Defendants (S5170, Skoufis - A3351, Dinowitz)
This bill would permit a plaintiff to recover an unsatisfied judgment or portion thereof against a third-party defendant or co-defendant liable for contribution or indemnification under certain circumstances.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all judgments entered by plaintiffs on or after such date.
Retail Food Stores, Food Services Establishments, and Food Warehouse Licensing (S8388, Hinchey - A8419, Conrad)
This bill would provide the Department of Agriculture and Markets with additional licensing and enforcement authority. The amendments would provide the Department with broader enforcement authority over stores, establishments, and warehouses cited as having unsanitary conditions.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Powers of the Attorney General (S8411, Skoufis - A8869, Romero)
This bill would enhance certain powers of the State Attorney General. If enacted, these would include:
• Requiring the State Police to provide the Department of Law with real-time access to the criminal gun clearinghouse.
• Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and pursue civil actions for repeated or persistent discriminatory practices.
• Allowing the Attorney General to sue law enforcement agencies for patterns or practices that violate individuals’ rights.
• Authorizing the denial of access to certain public records related to civil investigations if they identify confidential sources or disclose confidential information.
An additional memo with more details on this bill will be provided in the weeks to come.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Fostering Affordability and Integrity Through Reasonable (FAIR) Business Practices Act (S8416-A, Comrie A8427-A, Lasher)
This bill would significantly broaden the Attorney General's power to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive, and abusive business practices. Key provisions include: • Expanded Scope of Unlawful Practices: The bill explicitly outlaws "unfair" and "abusive" acts and practices, in addition to "deceptive" ones, and provides definitions for these terms.
• Elimination of "Consumer-Oriented" Requirement: It removes a court-created limitation that previously restricted the Attorney General's enforcement actions to only those practices deemed "consumer-oriented" or having a broad public impact. This means the Attorney General can now pursue actions for harmful practices that affect businesses and non-profits, as well as individuals, even if not widely "consumer oriented."
• Broadened Enforcement Power: The Attorney General can bring actions against any person or entity conducting business in the state, regardless of whether that business is located within or outside of New York, and can seek injunctions, penalties, and restitution.
• Definition of "Abusive" Practices: An act or practice is considered "abusive" if it materially interferes with a person's understanding of product/service terms or takes unreasonable advantage of a person's lack of understanding, inability to protect their interests, or reasonable reliance.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Beneficial Owner (S8432, Hoylman-Sigal - A8662-A, Gallagher)
This bill would amend the definition of “beneficial owner” in the LLC law to mean any entity or individual who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise: (1) exercises substantial control over the entity; or (2) owns or controls not less than twenty-five percent of the ownership interests of the entity.
The bill would also amend the definition of “reporting company” in the LLC law to include an LLC that is created by the filing of a document with the secretary of state; or is authorized to do business in this state. The bill would also list who is expressly excluded from the definition of reporting company.
Finally, the bill would amend the definition of “exempt company” to include conditions that a reporting company would have to meet to qualify as exempt.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that if the provisions of chapter 772 of the laws of 2023 shall not have taken effect on or before such date then section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2023 takes effect.
LABOR RELATIONS
Paid Family Leave Benefits (S50, Comrie - A4727 Bronson)
This bill would extend paid family leave benefits to workers employed by more than one employer in the field of construction, excavation, rehabilitation, repairs, reconstruction, renovations, alterations, and improvements so long as they are employed for twenty-six of the last thirty-nine weeks with one or more covered employers.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Eligibility for Classification as Permanent Total Disability (S2537 Ramos - A2748 Bronson)
This bill would change the classification of permanent disability under Workers’ Compensation Law to match the definition by federal Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The SSDI definition would be a significantly lower threshold than that currently in Workers’ Compensation Law.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to injuries subject to the provisions of the workers' compensation law arising on and after the effective date of this act.
Use of Consumer Credit History in Hiring, Employment and Licensing Determinations (S3072, Sanders - A1316, Dinowitz)
This bill would prohibit employers or potential employers from using a job applicant or employee's consumer credit report in decisions to hire, terminate, promote, demote, discipline, compensate, or in setting the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reasonable Accommodation Anti-Retaliation Act (S3398, Gounardes - A4898, Clark)
This bill would clarify that the New York State Human Rights Law's anti-retaliation provisions extend to individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in addition to those who complain of discriminatory practices.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all actions filed on or after the effective date.
Trapped at Work Act (S4070-B, May - A584-C, Steck)
This bill, if signed into law, would enact the "Trapped at Work Act," which would prohibit employers from requiring, as a condition of employment, any worker or prospective worker to execute a promissory note. It also would render any existing note unenforceable and would establish penalties of not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000 for each violation.
The bill would also exempt agreements that require workers to repay their employer any sums advanced to the worker by the employer, unless such sums were used to pay for: training related to the worker's employment with the employer; any property it has sold or leased to the worker; relates to terms or conditions of sabbatical leaves; or is entered into through a collective bargaining representative.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Workplace Violence Evaluation and Lost Wages (S5254, Ryan - A6612, Bronson)
This bill would prevent any employee who participates in an inspection, a risk evaluation, or determination inspection, or who participates in an annual review of or as a result of the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan from being subject to a reduction in wages.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Opioid Antagonists in First Aid Kits (S5922-A, Fernandez - A2725-A, Paulin)
This bill would require that opioid antagonists are included in First Aid materials in workplaces that are federally mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to have First Aid kits.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: his act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Remedial Construction of New York Labor Law Act (S7388, Ramos - A7863, Bronson)
This bill would direct New York State courts to construe components of the New York Labor Law liberally, while exceptions and exemptions should be construed narrowly so that unlawful conduct might be deterred to the greatest extent possible. The legislative intent states that the law should be “construed liberally in favor of workers to accomplish its broad remedial purposes.”
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Workers’ Compensation Fraud Assessment Commission (S7950-A, Bailey - A8429-B, Bronson)
This bill would create a Fraud Assessment Commission that would advise the Workers' Compensation Board Chair and the Workers' Compensation Investigator General on necessary assessments and allocation of funds to support local prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of workers compensation premium fraud, no later than November 1, 2025.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately.
Discriminatory Effect Standard (S8338, Mayer - A8699-A, Bichotte Hermelyn)
This bill would clarify the standard for when a practice has a discriminatory effect as a method of establishing unlawful discrimination under the Human Rights Law. This legislation would codify disparate impact analysis for employment discrimination cases in New York State law, ensuring plaintiffs can continue to bring disparate impact cases under New York law.
Status: Passed Both Houses
Effective Date: This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all cases alleging unlawful discriminatory practices constituting employment discrimination occurring on and after such effective date. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.