NYS Bill Watch

Stay up to date with a priority list of legislation being considered in the New York State Legislature, posted below and updated throughout the 2025-2026 legislative session.

Click topic or subjects for a detailed analysis of how each bill will affect your constitutional rights and freedoms here in New York.

Last updated: 2/21/2025

Taxes

Increases Earned Income Tax Credit: SUPPORT

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.2498

Sponsor: Assemblyman Edward Ra (R)

Relates to: Proposes increasing the earned income tax credit, providing greater financial relief to low- and moderate-income individuals and families.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Ways and Means Committee on 1/17/25

SLI Position: SUPPORT

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2498

Tax Increases on Businesses and Individuals: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.1971 / Senate Bill S.953

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Anna Kelles (D) / Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D)

Relates to: Raises the tax rate on corporate income; increases the state conformity to federal taxation of corporate profit shifting; and imposes an additional tax on individual business income

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Ways and Means Committee on 1/14/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Budget And Revenue Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1971

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S953

Healthcare

Subsidized Healthcare for Illegal Aliens: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.300

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz (D)

Relates to: Providing medical/financial assistance to illegal aliens residing in New York.

Status: Sent to Assembly Health Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A300

firearms

Under-21 Gun Ban: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.346

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D)

Relates to: Establishes the offense of unlawful possession of firearms by persons under twenty-one.

Status: Sent to Assembly Codes Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A346

Bureaucratic Disarmament Act: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.360 / Senate Bill S.3981

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Chantel Jackson (D) / Senator Kevin S. Parker (D)

Relates to: Proposes stringent requirements for purchasing firearms, shotguns, or rifles. It mandates applicants to obtain a hunting license before purchasing a shotgun or rifle and introduces additional prerequisites for all firearms, including completing a five-hour gun safety course and exam, achieving 90% accuracy on a shooting range test, providing notarized proof of a passed drug test and mental health evaluation, showing proof of purchase of safe storage depositories for firearms and ammunition, and passing a criminal background check.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Codes Committee on 1/8/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Codes Committee on 1/31/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A360

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3981

10-Day Waiting Period: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.1210

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D)

Relates to: Establishes a ten business day waiting period from contact of the New York State National Instant Background Check System (NYS NICS) before a firearm, shotgun or rifle may be delivered to a person.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Codes Committee on 1/9/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1210

Self-"Red Flag" Gun Confiscation: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.198 / Senate Bill S.1026

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D) / Senator Brian Kavanagh (D)

Relates to: Relates to establishing a voluntary waiver of the right to purchase firearms, rifles or shotguns; requires the division of state police to maintain statewide records of individuals who have waived the right to purchase firearms, rifles, or shotguns and any revocations of such waivers.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Governmental Operations Committee on 1/8/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Finance Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A198

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1026

Allow Open Carry: SUPPORT

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.4163 / Senate Bill S.2021

Sponsor: Assemblyman Scott Gray (R) / Senator Mark Walczyk (R)

Relates to: Allows certain firearm licensees to open carry. While we support entirely abolishing restrictions to exercise our Second Amendment right, this bill pushes us in the right direction and will give New Yorkers with CCW permits more freedom.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Codes Committee on 1/31/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Codes Committee on 1/14/25

SLI Position: SUPPORT

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4163

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2021

Transportation

Repeal Congestion Pricing: SUPPORT

Bill Number: Senate Bill S.533

Sponsor: Senator Jack Martins (R)

Relates to: Repeals congestion pricing; directs the metropolitan transportation authority to contract with a certified public accounting firm for the provision of an independent, comprehensive, forensic audit of the authority.

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Transportation Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: SUPPORT

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S533

Government-Mandated "Kill Switch" in Cars: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.2299 / Senate Bill S.4045

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher (D) / Senator Andrew Gounardes

Relates to: This bill mandates the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for drivers who accumulate 11 or more points on their driving record within an 24-month period or receive six speed camera or red light camera tickets within a 12-month period.

Assembly Status: Amended and recommitted to Assembly Transportation Committee on 2/13/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Transportation Committee on 1/31/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2299

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4045

Increased Fines for Speed Camera Violations: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Senate Bill S.2504

Sponsor: Senator Andrew Gounardes (D)

Relates to: This legislation proposes escalating fines for repeat speed camera violations in New York City. Speed cameras should not exist, so anything pertaining to the program, besides reduction in cameras/fines or abolition of the program, is opposed by Save Long Island.

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Transportation Committee on 1/21/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2504

Education

Homeschool Requirements: MONITOR

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.2326 / Senate Bill S.199

Sponsor: Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D) / Senator Monica Martinez (D)

Relates to: Recognizes homeschooling as equal to public schooling, but puts stringent requirements on parents to report their child's educational curriculum to the state for evaluation, which could be deemed insufficient depending on state standards. SLI believes parents should be in complete control of their child's education.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Education Committee on 1/16/25

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Education Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: MONITOR

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2326

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S199

Student Cell Phone Ban: OPPOSE

Bill Number: N/A

Sponsor: N/A

Relates to: Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a "bell-to-bell" ban on smartphones and other internet-enabled devices in New York schools, encompassing class time, lunch, and hallway periods. This initiative is included in her executive budget plan for the fiscal year 2025-2026, which allocates $13.5 million to assist schools in implementing the ban. This issues should be dealt with between teachers, parents, and students, not bureaucrats in Albany which would also save the state $13.5 million.

Status: No Bill # Assigned Yet

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Bill: TBD

Public Safety

Stopping Violence in Jails: SUPPORT

Bill Number: Senate Bill S.1079

Sponsor: Senator Cordell Cleare (D)

Relates to: Requires every police officer, peace officer and employee of a correctional facility to intervene in incidents of violence involving incarcerated individuals. This would uphold law and order within the jail system and prevent riots, potentially stopping harm to peaceable people who are incarcerated.

Senate Status: Sent to Senate Codes Committee on 1/8/25

SLI Position: SUPPORT

Link to Senate Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1079

Technology

Regulating AI Systems: OPPOSE

Bill Number: Assembly Bill A.3265

Sponsor: Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (D)

Relates to: Expanding government control over AI and automated systems, forcing businesses to comply with vague "equity" mandates and burdensome regulations. It gives bureaucrats the power to interfere in private innovation, driving up costs and stifling free enterprise.

Assembly Status: Sent to Assembly Science and Technology Committee on 1/27/25

SLI Position: OPPOSE

Link to Assembly Bill: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3265