New York Assembly passes dozens of measures; criminalizes drones over school grounds and designates Little Yemen cultural district

The New York State Assembly met in Albany on May 21, 2025, and moved a broad slate of legislation and resolutions, including a new criminal offense for operating uncrewed aircraft over school grounds, an extension of Department of Motor Vehicles suspension authority for child-support delinquencies, a requirement that colleges name Title VI coordinators, and the designation of Little Yemen as a cultural district in the Bronx.

Why it matters: The measures cover public-safety, education and cultural recognition priorities and include both statewide policy changes (for schools and higher‑education institutions) and local designations and budget-related items. Several bills passed with unanimous or large majorities; one local-home-rule measure for the city of Yonkers drew sustained floor opposition.

Assemblymember Walsh, explaining her vote on the drone measure, said the bill creates a criminal offense for "unlawfully operating an uncrewed aircraft over school grounds or critical infrastructure," with a class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a class A misdemeanor for subsequent offenses. Walsh noted procedural questions — including a lack of statutory definition for terms such as “remain above” or “hover” and concerns about school photography clubs — but said the measure’s public-safety benefits led her to support it. Assemblymember Morinello also spoke in favor, saying increased drone traffic around schools raised safety concerns.

On a local measure allowing private sales of certain municipal bonds in Yonkers, Assemblymember Walsh explained her opposition on the floor, saying the…