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New York Assembly advances consent calendar, adopts Lunar New Year commemoration and other resolutions
Summary
On Jan. 27, 2025, the New York State Assembly in Albany adopted a package of resolutions — including recognition of Lunar New Year as a statewide school holiday — and advanced and passed multiple bills on the consent calendar, while welcoming youth delegations to the floor.
The New York State Assembly convened in Albany on Jan. 27, 2025, advanced a slate of bills on the consent calendar and adopted several ceremonial resolutions, including a commemoration of Lunar New Year and awareness-month resolutions.
A majority member opened floor proceedings with an outline of the day's calendar and committee meetings, asking members to move the Codes, Ways and Means and Rules committees to off-floor conference rooms. "Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply," she said, quoting Stephen Covey before the calendar work began (Miss People Stokes).
On the resolutions calendar the Assembly adopted a resolution memorializing Gov. Kathy Hochul to proclaim January 2025 as Blood Donor Awareness Month; the sponsor noted that "one pint of blood can save three lives." The body also approved a resolution on Thyroid Disease Awareness Month after sponsor DeStefano described personal family experience and cited state incidence rates. A separate resolution designating January 2025 as Data Privacy Week also passed on the floor.
Members took up a package of bills on the consent calendar. A Senate bill to amend the Arts and Cultural Affairs law (Rules Report 40 / Assembly No. 435) was advanced and recorded as passed, with the clerk announcing the vote (Ayes 136, Nays 0). The Assembly also advanced and passed other measures across multiple codes — including amendments to the General Business Law and the Education Law — with recorded tallies announced by the clerk. Miss Walsh, explaining her affirmative vote on an education-law chapter amendment, said the change "adds flexibility for our school districts when temperatures rise" and called the approach "pragmatic." (Miss Walsh).
Lawmakers also used the floor to introduce youth delegations from across the state, including the Schuylerville Black Horse state champion football team and Boys & Girls Club groups from Northern Westchester and Rochester; members extended the privileges of the floor to the visitors.
On a culturally significant resolution, Assembly member Ram Kim framed the Lunar New Year recognition as a historical milestone for the state and for Asian American communities, describing the proclamation and its symbolic importance. "For the first time, students across the state will have the day off to celebrate with their families," said Miss Lee, who described being the first Korean American woman elected to the legislature and her role in advancing the measure. Mister Chang and other members praised the recognition as a step toward inclusion and cultural acknowledgement on a statewide level.
The Assembly concluded the day's business by advancing an A calendar item tied to health-care finance (Assembly No. 3224, amendment to the New York State Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency Act) and recording passage of that measure and additional items. Before adjourning members announced a Majority Conference meeting to follow and set reconvening dates for Jan. 29 (legislative day) and Feb. 3 (session day).
Votes at a glance - Assembly Resolution No. 46 (Blood Donor Awareness Month): adopted (voice vote/ayes recorded). - Assembly Resolution No. 47 (Thyroid Disease Awareness Month): adopted. - Assembly Resolution No. 57 (Data Privacy Week): adopted. - Assembly No. 435 (amend Arts and Cultural Affairs law; Rules Report 40 / Senate bill before House): advanced and passed (Ayes 136, Nays 0). - Assembly No. 441 (amend General Business Law; Rules Report 43): passed (Ayes 138, Nays 0 announced). - Assembly No. 752 (amend Education Law; Rules Report 44): passed (Ayes 141; effective 09/01/2025). - Assembly No. 3224 (amend NY Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency Act; Rules Report 88): passed (Ayes 140, Noes recorded as 2 in clerk's announcement).
What happened next: the Assembly stood adjourned until Wednesday, Jan. 29 (legislative day) and reconvened at 2 p.m. on Feb. 3 (session day), with the Majority Conference scheduled to meet immediately following session.
(Quotations and attributions are drawn from floor proceedings recorded by the Assembly clerk and the presiding officer.)
