New York Assembly approves a package of bills, adopts ceremonial resolutions

The New York State Assembly on May 5, 2025, in Albany approved a package of bills on the consent calendar and adopted a set of ceremonial resolutions, voting unanimously on most measures and laying several other bills aside for later consideration.

The calendar included measures changing how some patients may access transplant listing, amendments to veterans services law, and bills affecting education, labor and public health. Assemblymember People Stokes urged colleagues to approve legislation she said would allow Medicaid recipients to apply to more than one transplant waiting list, saying, “There’s some 8,000 New Yorkers who are right now on wait list waiting for the access to get a, transplant.” The Assembly recorded roll-call tallies on the floor for multiple bills; most passed by unanimous voice or roll-call vote.

Why it matters: The bills passed on the consent calendar make incremental statutory changes across state programs (health care access, veterans services, education and labor). Several measures take effect immediately or on specified future dates noted on the floor, while other bills were formally laid aside for later action. The votes affect statewide programs and often carry implementation steps for state agencies.

Among the items the Assembly took up, sponsors and members highlighted: increased transplant-list access for Medicaid patients; placement of opioid antagonists such as Narcan in certain first-aid kits (discussed on the floor by Assemblymember Walsh, who said she would support the bill and suggested adding EpiPens as a possible future addition); and an amendment to the veterans services law that members said aims to improve veterans’ access to services.

On several items, members offered brief floor explanations of their votes. Assemblymember People Stokes explained her affirmative vote on the public health bill and described constituent and clinical input about transplant wait-list access and organ donation registration. Assemblymember Walsh explained her affirmative vote on a labor-related bill that she said requires an opioid antagonist in first-aid kits and observed the list did not mention EpiPens. Assemblymembers Chang, O’Farrell and others offered personal remarks in support of veterans-related legislation.

Votes at a glance (selected items from the calendar): - Assembly bill 563A (calendar 107), sponsor: Miss Pollan — “An act to amend the executive law and the general business law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect on the 360th day. Roll-call announced: Ayes 144, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 2725A (calendar 111), sponsor: Miss Pollan — “An act to amend the labor law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect on the 108th day. Miss Walsh explained her vote; roll-call announced: Ayes 144, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 4649A (calendar 112), sponsor: Ms. Rajkumar — “An act to amend the veteran services law.” Read the last section: this act will take effect on the 30th day. Roll-call announced: Ayes 145, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 4683 (calendar 113), sponsor: Ms. Pollan — “An act to amend the education law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Roll-call announced: Ayes 145, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 4938 (calendar 114), sponsor: Ms. Levinberg — “An act to amend the labor law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Roll-call announced: Ayes 145, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 7411 (calendar 115), sponsor: Mr. Jones — “An act to amend the county law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Roll-call announced: Ayes 145, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 7617 (calendar 116), sponsor: Miss People Stokes — “An act to amend the public health law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Assemblymember People Stokes explained her vote; roll-call announced: Ayes 146, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 7892 (calendar 117), sponsor: Mister Bronstein — “An act to amend the religious corporations law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Roll-call announced: Ayes 147, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 8087 (calendar 119), sponsor: Mr. Stern — “An act to amend the military law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect April 1. Roll-call announced: Ayes 147, Noes 0. Outcome: approved. - Assembly bill 8089 (calendar 120), sponsor: Mister Days — “An act to amend the veterans services law.” Read the last section: this act shall take effect immediately. Roll-call announced: Ayes 147, Noes 0. Outcome: approved.

A number of bills were laid aside by the clerk for later consideration, including Assembly bill 382A (calendar 106), Assembly bill 1906 (rules for calendar), Assembly bill 2332B (calendar 109) and Assembly bill 2538A (calendar 110). The clerk and the presiding officer noted those bills as “laid aside” on the record; no floor votes were recorded on them during this session.

Ceremonial resolutions: The Assembly also adopted several ceremonial resolutions by voice vote, including resolutions memorializing the governor to proclaim May observances (School Principals Day, Haitian Unity Day, Police Memorial Day, Drinking Water Week, World Wrestling Month, Hypertension Awareness Month, Guyanese Independence Day and Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month). Sponsors and members thanked families and advocates who attended; representatives of juvenile arthritis advocacy were present when the juvenile arthritis month resolution was introduced.

What’s next: The Assembly adjourned and announced it would reconvene at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Ending: The session on May 5 was dominated by consent-calendar business and ceremonial recognitions; sponsors and members used the floor to explain votes and to highlight constituent-driven items such as transplant-list access and veterans services.