New York Senate adopts a slate of bills; lawmakers add Middle Eastern/North African classification to state data

The New York State Senate met in session on Jan. 27, 2025, and took up its legislative calendar, voting to pass a series of bills across education, social services, business and other state laws. Senators completed roll-call votes on multiple calendar items; several measures passed unanimously by voice or roll call, and a handful drew recorded no votes.

Why it matters: The calendar included routine enactments that amend state codes and one notable policy change: a bill to recognize Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) as a distinct classification in New York State data and forms. Senate consideration and passage of these measures will affect statutory language, state reporting and program administration once enacted.

Senate action and key outcomes

Votes at a glance (as announced on the floor): - Calendar No. 11 (Assembly Bill A1020, read as substituted for identical Senate bill): Passed. Clerk announced “Ayes, 61.” - Calendar No. 22 (Senate print 747; education law enactment): Passed. Clerk announced “Ayes, 61.” - Calendar No. 24 (Assembly Bill A519; executive law enactment): Passed. Clerk announced “Ayes, 61.” - Calendar No. 25 (Senate print 750; enactment of social services law): Passed. Clerk announced the result as “I, 60, nays 1” (one negative vote recorded by the clerk as Senator Walzick). - Calendar No. 28 (Senate print 753; general business law enactment): Passed. The clerk read a list of senators voting in the negative: Ashby, Baralo (as transcribed), Fitzpatrick, Brisital (as transcribed), Ort (or Ortiz, as transcribed), Steck, and Weber; the clerk announced the results to the chamber immediately afterward. - Calendar No. 40 (senate print linked to social services law): Passed. Clerk announced “Ayes, 61.” - Calendar Nos. 44, 51, 52, 71, 72, 78, 84, 85 and other items on the calendar: Passed as announced; many were recorded as “Ayes, 61” in the clerk’s announcements. Specific bill subjects included amendments to the executive law, social services law, general business law, real property tax law and election law sections; the clerk read the last section before calling the roll on each item.

Noted floor statement

When the clerk called the roll on Senate print 811 (announced on the floor as a measure changing how state demographic data are collected), Senator Giannares spoke on the measure’s intent, saying the change will allow New York State data to reflect Middle Eastern and North African New Yorkers as a distinct category rather than classifying them as white. The senator described the measure as a data and equity step intended to improve service and outreach to communities that do not identify as white.

Procedure and next steps

Most bills took effect either immediately or “on the same date and in the same manner as” companion chapters enacted in 2024, as specified in the last section read for each bill. The clerk filed the roll-call results in the journal; the presiding officer adjourned the Senate until the chamber’s next scheduled session.

Votes and records

All roll-call results announced on the floor were recorded in the official journal; the clerk announced vote totals aloud after each roll call. Where the clerk’s announcement included a numbered tally, that count is reported above. Where the transcript lists senators voting ‘‘no’’ by name, those names are reported above exactly as the clerk read them during the session.

Ending

The Senate concluded its calendar business and adjourned to its next scheduled meeting. Formal bill texts, exact vote tallies and any enrolled-session dates will be available in the official Senate journal and the Legislative Retrieval System for final verification.