New York’s 2024 legislative session concluded on June 8th, just two days after the scheduled adjournment. The Legislature passed 805 bills, with more than 600 bills passing in the last two weeks of session. Over the course of the 2024 session, NFIB weighed in on and tracked hundreds of bills during the legislative process.
Overall, NFIB was successful in defeating several pieces of unfavorable legislation including deputizing private attorneys and labor unions to enforce labor laws (the EMPIRE Worker Protection Act), mandating strict and unworkable requirements to regulate temperatures in certain outdoor and indoor worksites (the TEMP Act), increasing the MTA Payroll Tax, dramatically increasing short term disability benefits, additional EEO Reporting Requirements, and expanding the general business law to sue for “unfair” business practices. NFIB was also able to extend the law allowing small businesses to cure a first violation of certain state regulations through December 20th, 2027.
Unfortunately, despite continuous efforts from NFIB and the larger business community through the last day of session, labor unions were successful in the passage of legislation that will negatively affect small businesses, including mandated retail worker training and expansion of workers’ compensation to cover mental stress which will increase premiums for employers. NFIB will urge the Governor to veto the bills.
The legislature still did not address the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund crisis, and substantially high employer UI taxes. As we prepare for the 2025 legislative session, NFIB will continue to defend against damaging labor-related policies, prevent increased taxes, higher energy prices, and overly burdensome and costly labor mandates on Main Street. NFIB will continue to actively engage with the Governor’s office and urge an allocation of funding for UI in next year’s budget.
