Assembly adopts ceremonial resolutions designating Census Day, Autism Acceptance Month and other proclamations

The New York State Assembly adopted a set of ceremonial resolutions on the floor asking Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim commemorative days and months, including April 1, 2025 as Census Day and April 2025 as Autism Acceptance Month. Each resolution was adopted by voice vote.

The measures matter because some sponsors framed them as public-engagement prompts or recognition of communities and federal processes that affect state funding and services. Assembly sponsors used brief floor remarks to summarize why the proclamations matter; there was no extended debate and no roll-call recorded votes during the proceedings captured in the transcript.

Assemblymember Days offered the lead floor remarks on the resolution memorializing the governor to proclaim April 1, 2025 as Census Day. Days said the census "is personal for me" and argued the census affects federal funding, telling colleagues, "If 500,000 people are not counted in the next census, that will cost our state $1,400,000,000 in funding." He urged outreach to ensure "every New Yorker is counted from the rural areas to the urban areas." The resolution (Assembly No. 277) was adopted by voice vote.

Assemblymember Santa Barbara spoke when the Assembly considered a resolution memorializing the governor to proclaim April 2025 as Autism Acceptance Month (Assembly No. 278). Santa Barbara, chair of the Assembly's Committee on People with Disabilities, said the observance signals a shift "from awareness to acceptance," adding, "Autism acceptance means embracing people as they are and ensuring they have access to the same opportunities as everyone else." Assemblymember Burdick also spoke in support, commending the sponsor and urging continued legislative work on housing, education and employment for people on the autism spectrum. The resolution was adopted by voice vote.

The Assembly also adopted the following ceremonial resolutions by voice vote: a resolution designating June 20, 2025 as Take Your Dog to Work Day (Assembly No. 281); a resolution designating April 2025 as Fair Housing Month (Assembly No. 280), which Assemblymember Raga described as "a recommitment" to ending housing discrimination and affirming the right to equitable housing; and a resolution designating April 2025 as Month of the Military Child (Assembly No. 279). Each of those resolutions was called, brief sponsor remarks were offered or none were made on the floor transcript, and each measure was adopted by voice vote with the clerk announcing adoption.

Procedural notes from the floor during and after the proclamations indicated committee and conference-room activity following the floor session; the majority leader announced that Ways and Means and Rules committee members should meet in the Speaker's conference room to prepare an eight-item calendar for the day's work.

Votes at a glance

- Assembly No. 277 — Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 1, 2025 as Census Day in the state of New York. Sponsor: Assemblymember Days. Outcome: adopted by voice vote. Notes: sponsor cited projected fiscal impact if residents are undercounted.

- Assembly No. 278 — Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2025 as Autism Acceptance Month in the state of New York. Sponsor: Assemblymember Santa Barbara. Outcome: adopted by voice vote. Notes: sponsor framed the observance as advancing inclusion and access.

- Assembly No. 279 — Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2025 as Month of the Military Child in the state of New York. Sponsor: Ms. Hunter (introduced on the floor). Outcome: adopted by voice vote.

- Assembly No. 280 — Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2025 as Fair Housing Month in the state of New York. Sponsor: Assemblymember Raga. Outcome: adopted by voice vote. Notes: sponsor tied the proclamation to the Fair Housing Act anniversary and a renewed commitment to equity.

- Assembly No. 281 — Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 20, 2025 as Take Your Dog to Work Day in the state of New York. Sponsor: Ms. Jackson. Outcome: adopted by voice vote.

Discussion vs. decision

The transcript records sponsor remarks in support of the ceremonial resolutions and brief expressions of endorsement; there is no record of sustained debate, formal amendments, or recorded roll-call votes on these items in the provided transcript. All five resolutions were adopted on the floor by voice vote during the same session.