Law new describes changes to laws and rules made by the New York City Council or the Mayor. It also covers laws and rules that are newly signed by the Mayor or passed by Congress, but not yet added to the New York Consolidated Laws.
New laws and rules are passed at many levels: constitutional, statutory and regulatory. The New York State Constitution and laws passed by the legislature are called “state law.” The New York City Charter and laws passed by the Council are called “city law.”
A law that’s been passed is often referred to as “a bill.” When the legislature passes a bill, it becomes a law, and the Mayor either signs the bill into effect or vetoes it. If the Mayor vetoes a bill, it is sent back to the Council, which can override the veto with a 2/3 vote. If the Mayor doesn’t sign or veto a bill within 30 days, it becomes law without the Mayor’s signature.
The City’s data breach notification laws are being amended to make them more consistent with state laws and to add requirements for the City to disclose certain types of personal information to affected persons in cases where the personal information was accessed, disclosed or used by an unauthorized person.
A change to the law governing a person’s ability to recover attorney fees from a spouse or former spouse for services provided during contested divorce proceedings. This bill would require courts to consider the financial status of both parties in awarding attorneys’ fees, and to take into account the reasonable expenses of both parties to a case, as well as the amount of time spent by the judge hearing the case.
New York City’s laws and rules regulating sidewalk cafes are being amended to improve consumer and worker protection, clarify application procedures, and reform small business regulations without jeopardizing public safety and access to food. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection is adding new rules and updating the penalty schedule for violations of the new laws.