Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

June 20, 2025

What’s Inside

End of 2025 Legislative Session
Governor Announces Investment in SUNY Downstate Hospital
Attorney General Celebrates Passage of FAIR Business Practices Act
Assembly Minority Leader to Make a Nomination for COELIG
New Lieutenant Governor Reports
In the News
Coming Up

End of 2025 Legislative Session

The New York State Assembly concluded the 2025 Legislative Session early Wednesday morning. The Assembly took up several pieces of legislation, already passed by the Senate, before it concluded late last week.

Some of the passed legislation was highlighted this week by the Assembly and includes:

High-profile legislation passed by both houses includes the following measures:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation;
Corrections System Reforms;
Fair Business Practices;
Judicial District Expansion;
Medical Aid in Dying; and
The Grieving Families Act.

Lastly, this week, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins wrote an article in the Empire Report recapping the Senate’s 2025 Legislative Session, priorities, and achievements. The article can be read here.

Although it is likely that the Legislature will reconvene later this year to address matters arising from Congress’ reconciliation bill, no official date has been scheduled at this time.

Governor Announces Investment in SUNY Downstate Hospital

The Governor, joined by local officials, SUNY Downstate leadership, community leaders, and labor and hospital groups, convened to announce the $1 billion investment in SUNY Downstate’s hospital. The SUNY Downstate Advisory Board developed a plan to make infrastructure improvements and renovations that will modernize hospital care for this community.

The 2024-25 and 2025-26 Enacted State Budgets included $750 million in capital funding for SUNY Downstate’s hospital. Further, the Governor directed SUNY to dedicate its anticipated $50 million annual capital allocations in each of the next seven years to bring the total investment to more than $1 billion.

The Advisory Board’s report recommends the following improvements:

Retaining all current inpatient and outpatient services, including maternity and kidney transplant services
Converting all double occupancy rooms to private rooms with showers and add additional rooms, resulting in 225 operational beds (with the goal of increasing the current 165 average daily census)
Modernizing and expanding the emergency department to 45 stations
Establishing and renovating dedicated inpatient specialty units for cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics
Building a new hospital annex, including a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center that expands services in oncology and cardiology
Addressing the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure issues that have resulted in repeated system failures
Improving leadership and operations to work towards operational sustainability

Attorney General Celebrates Passage of FAIR Business Practices Act

Attorney General James applauded the passage of legislation known as the “Fostering Affordability and Integrity through Reasonable Business Practices Act”, or FAIR Business Practices Act, sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and Assemblymember Micah Lasher, and advanced by Attorney General James in March 2025.

According to the Attorney General, “the FAIR Business Practices Act would help stop lenders, including auto lenders, mortgage servicers, and student loan servicers, from deceptively steering people into higher cost loans. It would reduce unnecessary and hidden fees, stop unfair billing practices by health care companies, and prevent companies from taking advantage of New Yorkers with limited English proficiency. New York’s current consumer protection law, GBL §349, was passed in 1970 and only prohibits deceptive business acts and practices, leaving consumers vulnerable to unfair or abusive acts by companies.”

Attorney General James said:

Too many New Yorkers are being taken advantage of by mortgage servicers charging unnecessary high fees, debt collectors stealing Social Security benefits, and health insurance companies with unfair billing practices. The FAIR Business Practices Act will close loopholes that make it easy for New Yorkers to be cheated out of their time and hard-earned money. This legislation advanced by Senator Comrie and Assemblymember Lasher will help us protect working families and their wallets from predatory lenders, abusive debt collectors, scammers, and more. I applaud Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for their support in passing this legislation at a time when the federal government is abandoning its responsibility to protect consumers and small businesses.

Assembly Minority Leader to Make a Nomination for CELIG

On Wednesday, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay announced his intention to nominate Gary J. Lavine to the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG). The commission, formed in 2022, is tasked with providing oversight, transparency, and accountability in state government.

Mr. Lavine has practiced law for more than 30 years, both in private practice and as counsel in the New York State Legislature.

Minority Leader Barclay said:

Few people are more qualified than Gary Lavine to serve on the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. His knowledge and experience in state government will be invaluable. His prior public service has demonstrated a deep understanding of Albany and the rules that guide state government. I’m proud to nominate him and confident he will be an asset in this role.

More information can be found in the Minority Leader’s press release here.

New Lieutenant Governor Reports

According to several reports, Governor Kathy Hochul is considering Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for Lieutenant Governor.

As previously reported, current Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado has announced that he will be running for Governor in the 2026 Gubernatorial Election against Governor Hochul. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is currently running for New York City Mayor, and the Primary Election is June 24. It’s also been reported that the City Council Speaker is in the process of opening a fourth Council office to help bolster her popularity and name recognition, should she be on the ticket next year for Lieutenant Governor of New York State.