As the New Year begins, major changes are taking effect across the state. From worker rights to education and health, Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed 730 bills into law, with 87 more currently awaiting her review.
In one big change, the minimum wage in NYC and Westchester increased to $16 per hour. The rest of the state remains at $15 per hour.
Another change is making it easier for voters to cast their ballots. Under new legislation, a ballot will count even if it isn’t completely filled in – as long as the voter has correctly identified their county, assembly district and state representative.
The city is also tackling some serious issues like fentanyl and a lack of drug testing resources. Under a bill called “Matthew’s Law,” local pharmacies can now give out life-saving fentanyl and drug adulterant testing supplies for free. The law is named for a local man who died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2020.
This new law makes it more difficult for governors to declare a state of emergency. It requires a group of state executive officials to support a declaration for it to last more than 30 days. It’s a move that comes after North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper allowed a state of emergency to last for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There’s also a new law that makes it more clear how a city agency should disclose security breaches involving personal information. Under this law, City agencies will have to promptly disclose a breach involving a person’s private identifying information to the city’s chief privacy officer and to affected persons.
The new law also makes it easier for people to access victim compensation funds if they have been affected by a crime. The law will allow victims to provide alternative forms of proof of their loss and eliminate some requirements that would have made it harder for them to receive a grant.
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