Week of January 17, 2026

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, which means it automatically became law. The law requires developers receiving $1.5M+ in city funding for housing projects to meet community hiring standards and pay construction workers competitive wages with benefits. It aims to ensure local workers benefit from city-subsidized development projects.

The Mayor returned this cooling bill unsigned on January 20, making it law without their approval. The law requires landlords to provide air conditioning in tenant apartments—specifically, cooling systems that maintain indoor temperatures at 78°F or lower in bedrooms and living spaces. Requirements phase in starting June 2030, with different timelines for rent-stabilized units versus market-rate apartments.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law without signing it this week. The NYPD must now post detailed data on all criminal complaints and arrests dating back to 2007 on its website, including offense type, suspect/victim demographics, location, and arrest outcomes. The data will be updated every six months.

The Mayor allowed a bill protecting app-based delivery workers to become law this week without signing it. The law expands protections against wrongful deactivation by delivery apps, requiring companies to provide written notice and an opportunity to respond before permanently removing workers from their platforms, and increasing penalties on companies that violate these rules.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, making it law automatically. The bill requires the NYPD to create a policy for providing access to encrypted police radio communications—critical incidents will be broadcast unencrypted and in real-time, while credentialed journalists can access precinct and borough channels (except sensitive information). The NYPD has one year to implement the final policy after a public comment period.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, making it law automatically. The measure requires the city to plant trees and vegetation on new medians that separate bike lanes from car traffic, when feasible. The Department of Transportation must consult with Parks and other agencies to determine if planting is possible, prioritize trees, and maintain a public list of which medians have been planted.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, which means it automatically became law. The bill requires borough presidents to provide annual equal employment opportunity trainings—including anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training—to all community board members and staff, with both daytime and evening options available starting April 2026.

A bill requiring the Department of Education to report on student home internet and device access became law this week after the Mayor did not sign it. Starting January 2027, DOE must report every two years on how many students have broadband at home, electronic devices, and access to virtual learning—broken down by school district—to identify and help close the digital divide.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without signing it. The law requires the Department of Environmental Protection to inspect catch basins on a risk-based schedule, clear clogged ones within 8 business days, and submit annual reports to track performance by neighborhood.

The Mayor did not sign this bill, so it automatically became law this week. The law requires the city to study whether affordable housing can be built on Wards Island by July 2027, examining current uses, potential development sites, needed services and infrastructure, costs, and legal restrictions.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without a signature. The law prohibits mobile syringe service programs from distributing needles and syringes in playgrounds, within 50 feet of playgrounds, on school grounds, or on sidewalks directly next to schools.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without signing it. The measure creates a one-year pilot program allowing Uber, Lyft, and other for-hire vehicles to park in commercial metered parking areas if they pay the meter and don't stay longer than 3 hours. The Department of Transportation will study how this affects traffic flow, parking enforcement, and driver conditions before deciding whether to make it permanent.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, allowing it to become law without their signature. The law expands ferry discounts to include middle school students (grades 6-8) alongside high school students, making contracted ferry service more affordable for younger riders starting September 2026.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, which means it automatically became law. The law requires NYC ferry terminals to post service information—including schedules, fares, and notices about free rides on the Staten Island Ferry—in multiple languages, with QR codes linking to details in the city's designated languages. This applies to both city-operated ferries at Whitehall and St. George terminals and private contracted ferry services.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without signing it. The law requires the Fire Department to submit annual reports detailing the condition, age, and maintenance history of all vehicles and equipment (like trucks, gear, and medical supplies) at every firehouse and EMS station citywide, starting one year from now.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, allowing it to become law automatically. The bill requires syringe service programs across NYC to provide participants with safe needle disposal containers and guidance on proper disposal practices, and mandates the city report every six months on needle collection efforts in public spaces.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, allowing it to become law without their signature. The law requires the Department of Transportation to study New York City's commuter van industry starting by July 1, 2027, and every four years after that. The study will examine the number of licensed and unlicensed vans operating, passenger counts, routes, impacts on streets and pedestrians, and enforcement strategies.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without signing it. The law requires the Department of Education to report on 'manifestation determination reviews'—the process schools use to decide whether a student's misbehavior is caused by their disability. The bill establishes definitions and reporting requirements to ensure disabled students receive proper protections before facing discipline.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law without signing it this week. The law requires the NYPD to create and distribute information about its youth programs to schools and the public, starting July 1, 2026. The Police Department must list program times, enrollment details, and make materials available in multiple languages, while the Department of Education will help distribute them to schools.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, which means it automatically became law. The law requires the city's small business resources center to provide expanded guidance on loans and grants, including a directory of local community development financial institutions (CDFIs), information about fees and interest rates, and new 'loan readiness' resources to help small businesses prepare applications and understand the lending process.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned on January 20, making it law without their signature. The law requires the Fire Department to notify firefighters when their protective gear contains PFAS chemicals (forever chemicals linked to health risks) and to provide PFAS-free equipment whenever possible starting in 2028.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law without signing it this week. The law requires NYC to create a standardized form asking companies bidding for city contracts to voluntarily disclose their efforts to prevent child labor, forced labor, wage theft, and unsafe working conditions in their operations and supply chains. Contractors are not penalized for refusing to submit the disclosure.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned this week, and it became law automatically. The law requires the Fire Department to collect firefighting gear containing PFAS chemicals (toxic "forever chemicals" used in protective coatings) from firefighters starting in 2028, exchange it for safer equipment when possible, and report annually on progress. PFAS chemicals are linked to health risks and persist in the environment.

The Mayor allowed this bill to become law this week without signing it. The law requires the city to notify condominium boards when tax liens on their properties are about to be sold, giving condo owners the same advance warning as other property owners. Condo boards will now receive four notices (90, 60, 30, and 10 days before sale) about unpaid taxes and the upcoming lien sale, and notices must be available in multiple languages.

The Mayor returned this bill unsigned, allowing it to become law this week. The bill establishes the Coney Island Business Improvement District in Brooklyn, a special zone where property owners can fund improvements like street cleaning, security, and marketing to boost the neighborhood's commercial vitality.

The Mayor's budget extender became law this week after being returned unsigned by City Hall, automatically passing the Council. The bill delays the 2027 budget submission timeline by roughly two weeks, pushing the preliminary budget deadline from early February to February 17, 2026, and cascading other budget-related deadlines through March.

The Mayor did not sign this bill, so it became law this week without their signature. The City Council enacted a ceremonial bill naming 77 streets and public places across all five boroughs after community members, public servants, historical figures, and organizations—including firefighters, police officers, educators, activists, and local businesses.