Wrongful deaths, stickball and more: The bills NY Gov. Hochul has to act on soon

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s reading list is set for the rest of the year.

State lawmakers approved more than 800 bills during this year’s legislative session, and the Democratic governor has already approved 600 and vetoed 100.

That leaves Hochul with 106 pieces of legislation to sign or veto in 2024, as of this writing — with a Christmas Eve deadline looming for all but five. And she prides herself on reading all of them.

“Some of them take a little longer, and I ask a lot of questions,” the governor said in June. “I read every single one of them.”

A measure that would make it easier for family members to seek damages when their loved one dies of negligence is among the bills Hochul still has to act on. Another bill would force fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change projects.

Others have lower stakes, like a bill to promote stickball, the baseball-like game with a rich history in New York City’s streets.

Here’s a look at some of the bills that remain on Hochul’s reading list.

The Grieving Families Act

This bill would overhaul the state’s wrongful death statute, which dates back to the mid-1800s. As it stands, the law only allows surviving family members to sue for what’s known as pecuniary damages — quantifiable economic costs, like lost income.

The Grieving Families Act would change that by opening up the existing law to allow family members to sue whoever is liable for their loved one’s death for a broader array of damages, like pain and suffering.

It’s not the first time the bill's gone before Hochul. She’s vetoed similar versions twice before, citing the bills' potential for skyrocketing insurance rates and dissuading people from going into the medical field.

But this year, the bill’s sponsors — state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Manhattan Democrat, and Assemblymember Helene Weinstein, a Brooklyn Democrat — are hopeful they’ve made enough tweaks to garner the governor’s support. The bill now generally limits family members who can sue to parents, children, domestic partners and spouses, with certain exceptions.

Hochul isn’t making any promises. She said last week she was willing to compromise on changes to the bill, but she hasn’t been able to strike a deal with lawmakers.

“We've not been able to achieve that thus far in past years, but it is still being looked at as we speak,” said Hochul.

She has until Dec. 24 to act.

The Climate Change Superfund Act

The concept behind the Climate Change Superfund Act is relatively simple: It would require fossil fuel companies that have contributed to climate change to pay for some of the state’s costs for dealing with it.

If Hochul signs the measure, it would require major companies that extract fossil fuels or refine crude oil to pay up to $75 billion over 25 years. That money would go into a fund to pay for infrastructure projects meant to mitigate rising sea levels and other effects of climate change.

The bill is sponsored by Manhattan state Sen. Liz Krueger and Bronx state Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, who are both Democrats. The state’s major environmental organizations support it, while oil and gas companies oppose it — and could sue if it’s signed.

Hochul up to now has signaled a willingness to negotiate through a process known as a “chapter amendment," where the governor signs the bill, but only after the state Legislature agrees to make certain changes. But so far, no deal has been struck.

The governor has until the end of the year to sign or veto the bill, but she could maneuver to buy herself an extra 30 days if she chooses.

Stickball promotion bill

Remember stickball? It’s like baseball, but with a rubber ball and a broomstick for a bat — a game made for city streets where a real baseball could do some damage.

If Hochul signs this bill, the state would essentially set aside money to promote the game, which rose to prominence in the streets of New York City.

The legislation, sponsored by Bronx state Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs and Manhattan state Sen. Cordell Cleare, would require the state’s economic development authority to give a “preference” to local tourism agencies that are promoting stickball.

The state did a similar thing for cricket a few years back, freeing up grants of up to $10,000 for local agencies to promote the sport. Nassau County earlier this year hosted the T20 Cricket World Cup at a temporary stadium built specifically for the event.

Hochul hasn’t signaled whether she supports the bill. It’s due Dec. 24.

The LOADinG Act

This bill with a tortured acronym — its full name is the Legislative Oversight of Automated Decision-Making in Government Act — is aimed at the state’s use of artificial intelligence and automated decisions.

If Hochul signs it, any automated system that makes decisions regarding public benefits, civil liberties and citizen rights would have to be subject to “meaningful human review” on a regular basis.

State agencies would also have to conduct “impact assessments” that analyze the decisions doled out by each automated system, at least once every two years.

Hochul hasn’t taken a public position on the bill. It’s one of the five bills that state legislators have not yet formally sent to the governor’s office, meaning she has until the end of the year to sign or veto them.

It’s sponsored by state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez of Brooklyn and state Assemblymember Steve Otis of Westchester, who are both Democrats.

The SAFE Shelter Act

New York’s domestic violence shelters are generally configured to house families, such as a woman and her child fleeing an abusive partner, according to shelter advocates. And the state reimburses the shelters based on how many people are staying there.

Supporters of the SAFE Shelter Act say this creates a situation where the shelter faces a potential financial crunch to house individuals seeking emergency housing, since those individuals often have to be housed in a room meant for multiple people.

This bill tries to remedy that situation by making clear the state will pick up the difference in cost. If Hochul signs the bill, the state would pay the double-occupancy rate if a single person is housed in a two-person room at an emergency domestic violence shelter.

Hochul hasn’t spoken publicly about the bill, but often speaks about the importance of combating domestic violence. The measure would also have some financial implications for the state — which Hochul generally prefers to deal with in the state budget process beginning in January.