Environment

Enacts the low impact landscaping rights act, preventing homeowners' associations from adopting or enforcing any rules or regulations that would effectively prohibit, or impose unreasonable limitations on, the installation or maintenance of low impact landscaping.

This bill defines "portable solar generation devices" (moveable solar panels connecting via standard outlets, max 1,200 watts, certified by labs) and exempts them from utility interconnection and net metering requirements. It directly affects residential customers using these small solar devices and electric utilities. Key provisions prevent utilities from requiring approval, charging fees, or demanding extra equipment for these devices, while also shielding utilities from liability for device-related damage. The law takes immediate effect.

This bill requires new or significantly expanding hyperscale data centers (over 10,000 sq ft/5+ MW) to fund residential energy upgrades that offset their electricity demand. It directs these funds toward installing cold-climate heat pumps, rooftop solar, and battery storage in New York homes with outdated systems, prioritizing low-income and disadvantaged communities. NYSERDA will administer the program, ensuring projects align with state climate goals and provide free installations. The funds flow into a dedicated "Clean Home Energy Offset Fund" managed by NYSERDA, with data center operators required to submit annual compliance reports.

Establishes the electric landscaping equipment rebate program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and reduce noise pollution by promoting the adoption of quieter, zero-emission landscaping equipment; provides for rebates at the point of sale for applicants purchasing or leasing certain equipment; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof.

Provides that the assignment, transfer, or modification of leases for exploration, development, and production of gas or oil in state forests, reforestation areas and wildlife management areas shall not allow expansion or extension of such provisions.

This bill amends New York's environmental conservation law to establish requirements for recycling rechargeable batteries. It directly affects battery manufacturers (who must create approved recycling plans), retailers (who must accept used batteries), and consumers (who must return batteries instead of discarding them). Key provisions require retailers to accept up to 10 batteries daily (5 for e-scooter/bike batteries), display clear signage about battery recycling, and provide return options for online purchases. Manufacturers must operate under commissioner-approved collection and recycling plans, which retailers must verify before selling batteries. The law aims to keep batteries out of landfills by creating a structured take-back system.

S 1069 prohibits the leasing of state-owned forests, reforestation areas, wildlife management areas, and unique natural areas for gas and oil production. The bill amends environmental conservation law to specifically ban these leases, protecting these lands from energy extraction. It directly affects state land management decisions and energy companies seeking to drill on these protected properties. The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Relates to rechargeable battery recycling; adds a battery used as the principal electric power source for an electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist to the definition of "rechargeable battery"; provides that a battery manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute rechargeable batteries in the state unless the battery manufacturer is implementing or participating under an approved plan; allows a city with a population of one million or more to enforce through its own agencies.

Enacts the low impact landscaping rights act, preventing homeowners' associations from adopting or enforcing any rules or regulations that would effectively prohibit, or impose unreasonable limitations on, the installation or maintenance of low impact landscaping.

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2025-2026 state fiscal year; relates to the waterfront commission act; makes amendments to change "applicant" to "licensee or registrant" (Part A); provides for mass transportation payments to the Central New York Regional Transportation District; adds Cortland county to such district (Part B); relates to extending the authorization for a pre-licensing course internet program (Part C); increases the value of a motor vehicle considered abandoned which can become property of the local authority the vehicle is abandoned in (Part D); extends provisions of law relating to certain tax increment financing provisions (Part I); relates to certain provisions regarding labor disputes involving the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Part J); relates to the acquisitions or transfers of property for certain transit projects; extends the effectiveness of certain provisions of law relating thereto (Part K); relates to funding for net paratransit operating expenses for the city of New York and the metropolitan transportation authority and makes permanent certain provisions of law relating thereto (Part L); provides funding for the metropolitan transportation authority 2025-2029 capital program (Part M); establishes a demonstration program on certain covered locations to enforce vehicle weight restriction on such interstate by means of mobile or stationary weigh in motion systems (Part N); authorizes a photo monitoring program for the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority and New York state bridge authority; extends provisions relating to certain notices of liability (Part Q); relates to the effectiveness of the New York state health insurance continuation assistance demonstration project (Part S); authorizes the Olympic regional development authority to enter into agreements for membership of one or more of its ski venues in reciprocal ski pass programs where such members are required to guarantee contractual indemnity up to a capped amount (Part T); regulates artificial intelligence companion models; establishes a suicide prevention fund (Part U); relates to refund policies for online retailers (Part V); enhances disclosure requirements for automatic renewals (Part W); requires disclosure of algorithmically set prices for goods and services (Part X); relates to the regulation of buy-now-pay-later lenders; requires such lenders to be licensed or authorized; establishes prohibited acts, limitations on loans, and consumer protections (Part Y); establishes reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers about the rebate contracts between pharmacy benefit managers and drug manufacturers (Part Z); provides for rate increases for hire motor vehicle insurance (Part CC); extends the authority of the New York state urban development to administer the empire state economic development fund (Part EE); extends the power of the New York state urban development corporation to make loans to 07/01/2026 (Part FF); extends the authority of the dormitory authority to enter into certain design and construction management agreements (Part GG); expands certain provisions of the state finance law and the New York state infrastructure trust fund; directs a policy study analyzing ways to improve the effectiveness of the minority and women-owned business enterprise program (Part KK); increases the cap on the amount of money authorized to be on deposit pursuant to the excelsior linked deposit program at any given time (Part LL); relates to purchasing thresholds for minority- or women-owned businesses or service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (Part MM); authorizes the New York convention center operating corporation to establish a subsidiary for the purposes of forming a pure captive insurance company (Part NN); extends the waste tire management fee until December 31, 2027; requires notice of the waste tire management and recycling program to be provided to customers; removes the exclusion for mail order sales (Part PP); extends provisions of the deer hunting program to 2028 (Part QQ); relates to financial responsibility, recovery of response costs and natural resource damages, and abatement actions relating to disposal of inactive hazardous waste (Part RR); relates to the recall of a class B firefighting foam; prohibits the sale or distribution of firefighting personal protective equipment that contains intentionally added PFAS; directs the department of environmental conservation to make a recommendation to the legislature on whether to postpone the effectiveness of such provisions (Part SS); exempts conveyances of real property for open space, parks, or historic preservation purposes to any not-for-profit corporation operated for conservation, environmental, parks or historic preservation purposes (Part TT); authorizes the New York state energy research and development authority to finance a portion of its research, development and demonstration, policy and planning, Fuel NY program, climate change related expenses of the department of environmental conservation from an assessment on gas and electric corporations (Part VV); relates to utility and cable television assessments that provide funds to the department of health from cable television assessment revenues and to the department of agriculture and markets, department of state, the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, and the department of environmental conservation from utility assessment revenues; requires accountings be submitted of such funds (Part XX); increases and redirects civil penalties for failing to comply with the department of public service's prescribed rules and regulations established for the protection of underground facilities; amends the effectiveness of certain provisions relating to establishing the underground facilities safety training account (Part YY); authorizes the department of taxation and finance to disclose certain information to the department of environmental conservation or the New York state energy research and development authority for the purpose of implementing the New York state climate leadership and community protection act (Part ZZ); establishes a commission to replace the statue of Robert R. Livingston in the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol with a statue of Harriet Tubman; provides that such commission shall consist of the governor or a designee, the temporary president of the senate or a designee, the speaker of the assembly or a designee, the executive director of the council on the arts or a designee, and the commissioner of the office of general services or a designee (Part BBB); extends certain rebates to municipalities for clean vehicle projects (Part CCC); relates to appointments to the cannabis board, removes provisions of law deeming a person acting as chairperson of the cannabis control board as a state officer; relates to agreements of such board with the New York state Indian nations and tribes (Part DDD); relates to a special license fee for a licensee allowed to engage in the cultivation, processing, distribution and retail of both medical cannabis and adult use cannabis; makes a conforming technical change; and provides for the repeal of certain provisions of the cannabis law (Part EEE).