N.Y. Senate Labor Committee advances eight labor bills to committees and the calendar

New York state Sen. Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Labor, presided over the committee’s third meeting of the 2025 legislative session, during which members advanced eight bills addressing minimum wage rules for employees with disabilities, workers’ compensation procedures, unemployment benefits notices and payroll deduction limits.

The measures were advanced largely by voice vote and were either reported to other committees for further consideration or placed on the calendar. Committee members offered brief bill summaries on the record; the transcript does not include roll-call vote tallies for the motions to report.

Senate Bill 28A (sponsored by Sen. Spook) would amend the Labor Law “in relation to the minimum wage for employees with disabilities,” according to remarks on the record. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the Disabilities Committee.

Senate Bill 304 (sponsored by Sen. Rhodes) was presented as a measure to "simplify the procedure by which injured workers obtain treatment for injuries covered by the workers' compensation law." The committee moved the bill and reported it to the Finance Committee.

Senate Bill 2076 (sponsored by Sen. Mayer) would amend the Labor Law to require notice of initial subordinations for unemployment benefits to be provided. Committee members moved the bill and reported it to the calendar.

Senate Bill 2234 (sponsored by Sen. Ramos) would amend the Workers' Compensation Law to clarify a party’s right to a hearing upon application to the Workers' Compensation Board and require a record of all hearings held. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the Finance Committee.

Senate Bill 2596 (sponsored by Sen. Mayer) would amend the Labor Law to establish an individual's right to request a hearing regarding an unemployment insurance benefits claim. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the calendar.

Senate Bill 3951 (sponsored by Sen. Ramos) was described as an amendment to the Workers' Compensation Law "in relation to prohibiting cases from being closed without a hearing or reinstipulation and requiring a cinematographic record of all hearings held" (transcript phrasing). The bill was moved and reported to the Finance Committee.

Senate Bill 4516 (sponsored by Sen. Ramos) would amend the Labor Law to clarify that payroll deductions should not be made from an employee's accounts if such deductions do not constitute overpayment or are dispersed at an improper time. The committee moved the bill; it was reported to the calendar.

Senate Bill 4612 (sponsored by Sen. Ramos) was presented as an amendment to the Workers' Compensation Law "in relation to improving coverage of treating rather than massage therapist" (transcript phrasing). The committee moved the bill and reported it to the calendar.

Committee business proceeded quickly; members recorded “Aye” and “Opposed?” on the record for motions, and the chair noted which bills were sent to specific committees or the calendar. The transcript records committee members joining the hearing during the session, including Sen. Mayer, Sen. Fernandez and Sen. Sanders, but does not record detailed debate or numeric roll-call vote results for the motions to report.

The measures advanced at this meeting will proceed to the listed committees or to placement on the Senate calendar for further action.