Asm. Nily Rozic

The Assembly passed the New York State Teleworking Expansion Act, requiring each state agency to establish policies allowing employees to work remotely to the maximum extent possible without diminished performance. Sponsor Assemblywoman Rozic cited federal precedent and the City of New York's successful 2023 pilot program with DC 37 workers, which improved retention and employee satisfaction. She noted the bill addresses workforce shortages, with one in five New Yorkers expected to be 60-plus by 2030. Opponents including Assemblywoman Walsh expressed concerns that the "maximum extent possible" language favors remote work over agency culture preferences, and questioned how performance would be measured and whether equipment costs would be covered. Assemblywoman Giglio raised concerns about potential favoritism in selecting eligible employees and cited student feedback preferring in-person work. The bill passed with expected mixed support.

The Assembly passed A09446, a chapter amendment addressing warning labels on addictive social media platforms. Assemblyman Norber spoke in strong support, characterizing the bill as a commonsense measure to protect New Yorkers, particularly children, from deliberately addictive digital platform features. Norber argued the bill does not ban technology or restrict speech, but rather provides transparency and informed choice through warning labels similar to those on cigarettes and alcohol. He noted that features like infinite scrolling, auto-play, and algorithmic manipulation are engineered to keep users engaged, and cited mental health professionals' concerns about rising anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders linked to excessive platform use. The bill passed without recorded opposition.

The Assembly passed legislation requiring hospitals to publicly disclose facility-level policy-based exclusions to the Department of Health on an annual basis, allowing consumers to determine what healthcare services are available before admission. Sponsored by Asm. Rozic with 30 co-sponsors, the bill applies to approximately 200 general hospitals statewide and targets facility-wide policies rather than individual provider decisions. The measure exempts restrictions based on lack of equipment, available bed space, or insurance denial. During debate, Asm. Jensen questioned the scope and implementation, expressing concern about reporting burdens on hospitals and the Department of Health, and the potential for providers to be targeted based on services they do not provide. The Republican Conference voted in opposition while the Majority Conference supported passage.

The Assembly unanimously passed legislation requiring every college and university in New York to appoint a Title VI coordinator to address discrimination on campus. Assemblywoman Rozic, the bill's sponsor, cited the alarming rise in anti-Semitic incidents and other forms of discrimination at institutions including CUNY and Columbia University. The coordinator would serve as a dedicated point of contact for students reporting discrimination and ensure timely institutional response. Several members noted that some institutions like NYU have already taken this step. The measure passed without opposition, with members emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and institutional action in response to rising hate and bias incidents on campuses.

The Assembly passed legislation requiring general hospitals to establish comprehensive language assistance programs, including designation of a language assistance coordinator and staff training on culturally competent care. Sponsor Assemblywoman Rozic clarified that the bill codifies existing Department of Health regulations and allows hospitals flexibility in implementation, including use of digital translation services. The Majority Conference voted in favor while the Minority Conference generally opposed, though some members crossed party lines. Assemblywoman Rozic cited Census data showing nearly six million New Yorkers speak a language other than English, with almost half reporting limited English proficiency. Opponents, including Assemblyman Sempolinski, raised concerns about unfunded mandates on rural hospitals in areas with minimal language diversity. The bill passed with support from members representing diverse urban communities.

The New York State Assembly passed a budget bill provision requiring businesses to disclose when they use algorithmic pricing based on personal consumer data, making New York the first state to implement such a standard. The measure, Part X of the broader budget bill A03007-C, mandates that companies inform customers when prices are set using algorithms that consider personal information such as search history, zip code, gender, or race. The provision exempts banks, insurance companies, and ride-share services like Uber and Lyft, as well as subsidiaries of financial institutions subject to federal banking regulations. During debate, Assemblymember Blumencranz questioned the bill's effectiveness and scope, arguing that major companies like Amazon and Ticketmaster could potentially avoid regulation through exemptions, and that disclosure alone may not change consumer behavior in markets with limited alternatives. Sponsor Assemblymember Pretlow defended the measure as promoting fairness and transparency. The Minority Conference voted against the bill, while the Majority Conference supported it. The bill passed with explanatory votes from Assemblymembers Rozic and Torres, who praised the consumer protections as a significant step forward in the digital marketplace.

The New York State Assembly passed a budget bill provision requiring businesses to disclose when they use algorithmic pricing based on consumers' personal data, making New York the first state to mandate such transparency. The measure, contained in Part X of the budget bill (A03007-C), sparked debate over its scope and effectiveness. Sponsor Assemblymember Pretlow defended the disclosure requirement as promoting fairness, while critics including Assemblymember Blumencranz argued the bill contained broad exemptions for financial institutions and their affiliates—potentially excluding major practitioners like Amazon and Ticketmaster—and questioned whether disclosure alone would meaningfully protect consumers in markets with limited alternatives. The Majority Conference voted in the affirmative; the Minority Conference voted in the negative. The bill passed with members including Rozic and Torres praising the consumer protections, which also include requirements for AI companions to disclose they are not human, clear return policies, and simple subscription cancellation methods.

The Assembly passed a budget bill provision requiring businesses to disclose when they use algorithmic pricing based on personal consumer data, making New York the first state to implement such a standard. The measure, part of a broader consumer protection package in the budget, mandates that companies inform customers when prices are set using algorithms that consider personal information such as search history, zip code, gender, or race. The bill exempts banks, insurance companies, and ride-share services like Uber and Lyft. During debate, Assemblymember Blumencranz questioned the bill's effectiveness, arguing that broad exemptions for financial institution affiliates—potentially including companies like Ticketmaster and Amazon—would undermine the measure's intent. He also raised concerns about vague definitions of "algorithm" and potential unintended consequences for small businesses using third-party pricing software. Sponsor Assemblymember Pretlow defended the disclosure requirement as promoting fairness and consumer awareness. The Minority Conference voted against the bill, while the Majority voted in favor. The measure passed as part of the broader budget bill.

The Assembly passed the New York State Teleworking Expansion Act (A4850), sponsored by Assemblywoman Rozic, requiring state agencies to establish policies allowing employees to work remotely to the maximum extent possible without diminishing performance. The bill aims to help state government compete with the private sector for talent amid tens of thousands of job vacancies and projected retirements of over a quarter of the state workforce within five years. However, the measure drew criticism from several members who questioned implementation details and potential impacts. Assemblyman Gandolfo and Assemblywoman Walsh expressed concerns about how agencies would handle individual employee exceptions and whether some workers would be allowed remote work while others are not, potentially creating grievance issues. Assemblyman Chang argued the bill's mandatory language should be permissive to avoid unnecessary bureaucratic burden, and multiple members raised concerns about the impact on Albany's downtown revitalization efforts if state workers remain remote. Assemblyman Jensen defended the legislation, arguing it would help ensure efficient government operations while maintaining productivity.

The Assembly passed A4850, the New York State Teleworking Expansion Act, sponsored by Asm. Rozic, requiring each State agency to establish teleworking policies allowing employees to work remotely to the maximum extent possible without diminishing performance. The bill aims to help State government compete in recruiting and retaining talent amid widespread job vacancies and anticipated retirements. Debate revealed concerns about implementation, including potential grievance disputes if policies are applied inconsistently to individual employees, lack of external oversight to verify performance standards, and possible negative economic impacts on Albany's downtown business community. Supporters argued telework is an industry standard and necessary to address State workforce shortages. The bill passed without a recorded vote tally being announced in this segment.

The Assembly engaged in extensive debate on the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act (A08148-A/S07694-A), sponsored by Assemblywoman Rozic, which would restrict minors' access to algorithmic social media feeds without parental consent. The bill prohibits platforms from sending notifications from addictive feeds to users under 18 between midnight and 6 a.m. without verifiable parental consent and authorizes the Attorney General to enforce compliance with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Assemblymember Blumencranz raised significant concerns about the bill's broad definition of "addictive feed"—any platform using algorithms to recommend content based on user data—arguing it could capture music streaming services, news apps, and book recommendation platforms like Goodreads. He questioned whether the bill adequately addresses advertising and marketplace features, and expressed concern about delegating definitional clarity to the Attorney General without legislative oversight. Rozic countered that the definition applies specifically to social media platforms and that the bill is content-neutral, targeting only the delivery mechanism. She emphasized the bill addresses a documented crisis: social media use is ten times more dangerous for children than other screen time, with studies showing direct correlation to rising rates of self-harm, anxiety, depression, and suicide. Supporters including Assemblywoman Walsh and Assemblymember Lemondes acknowledged the bill's imperfections but backed it as a necessary first step to protect children from algorithmic manipulation. The debate continued as the transcript segment ended.

The New York Assembly passed the New York Child Data Protection Act (A08149/S07695), sponsored by Assemblywoman Rozic, which prohibits online platforms from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of minors under 18 without informed consent. For users under 13, parental consent is required; users 13-18 can provide their own consent. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the law and seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. During debate, Assemblyman Goodell raised concerns about the bill's ambiguous definitions and whether platforms could adequately defend themselves when required to immediately delete age-verification data. Supporters, including Assemblyman Otis, argued the measure is necessary to protect children from addictive and seductive online content. The bill passed with strong support.

The Assembly engaged in extensive debate on the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act (A08148-A/S07694-A), sponsored by Assemblywoman Rozic, which would restrict algorithmic feeds to minors without parental consent. The bill prohibits social media platforms from sending notifications to users under 18 from addictive feeds between midnight and 6 a.m. without verifiable parental consent, and authorizes the Attorney General to enforce compliance with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Sponsor Rozic argued the bill addresses a documented public health crisis, citing studies linking social media to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among minors. She emphasized the bill's content-neutral approach, targeting only the algorithmic delivery mechanism rather than speech itself. Assemblymember Blumencranz raised significant concerns about the bill's definition of "addictive feed," arguing it is overly broad and could capture platforms like Spotify, Apple News, Netflix, Goodreads, and podcast applications that use algorithms to recommend content. He questioned whether the bill adequately addresses advertising and marketplace features, and expressed concern about delegating definitional authority to the Attorney General without legislative oversight. Assemblywoman Walsh acknowledged concerns but supported the bill as a necessary first step, though she cautioned against vesting excessive discretion in the Attorney General's office. Assemblymember Lemondes supported the bill as addressing a real crisis affecting child development and national security. The debate remained ongoing at the end of the transcript segment.

The Assembly passed the New York Child Data Protection Act (A08149/S07695), sponsored by Assemblywoman Rozic, which prohibits online sites from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of minors under 18 without informed consent. For users under 13, parental consent is required; users 13-18 can provide their own consent. The bill applies only to sites that "actually know" a user is under 18 and are "primarily directed to minors." The Office of the Attorney General is authorized to enforce the law and seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. During debate, Assemblyman Goodell praised the bill's clearer "actually known" standard compared to an earlier bill's vaguer "commercially reasonable and technically feasible" language, though he noted ambiguity around the term "primarily." Assemblywoman Rozic clarified that platforms must delete age-verification data but may retain the process used to determine age. The bill takes effect 365 days after enactment.