state laws

The first measure, House Bill 5295, is an initiative from the governor’s office and would create the Reproductive Health Privacy Act. It would require the separation of information about abortion services or diagnoses of gender dysphoria from a patient’s digital medical records if a patient chooses.

Access to those records would be restricted for out-of-state entities and could only be shared in certain circumstances and with a patient’s consent. The information would not be deleted, only shielded.

Senate lawmakers on Saturday passed the bill with a vote of 38-19. The House passed the bill Sunday with a vote of 73-39.

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that he looks forward to signing the bill “to fortify the protections around choice and consent, and that anyone receiving safe, legal abortion care here will not be criminalized.”

On Thursday night the New York State Legislature passed a one-year moratorium on data centers that would pause permits for the facilities. The law would also require new data center rules on utilities, energy efficiency goals, community benefits and labor standards.

To go into effect the law still needs to be signed by Governor Kathy Hochul.

Legislators who support the measure said a pause is needed to consider reasonable regulations to protect water and energy resources. Those opposed say individual municipalities should be able to choose on their own, and that halting data center development could make New York lose a competitive edge.

Senator Patricia Fahy said she’s heard residents concerns about the proposed site.

“The community has felt a bit caught off guard, to put it as mildly as possible,” said Fahy. “The residents are rightfully asking difficult questions. Who benefits? Who bears the cost? How do we protect the ratepayers? How do we protect our resources, natural resources and our water?”

Bills introduced in recent weeks in the legislatures of at least four Democratic-led states would impose long-term consequences on new ICE employees by rendering them ineligible for jobs in law enforcement, public education, and, in their most expansive form, the entire state civil service.