New York Assembly Bill A01343

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Establishes the definition for legislation; provides that such proposed language shall be presented in a clear and concise manner, be limited to 50 pages and use words that have common everyday meanings.

Summary

This bill amends the General Construction Law to add a new definition of “legislation.” Under the proposal, “legislation” would mean proposed language prepared by the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission for introduction and passage by the Legislature, whether the language is consolidated or unconsolidated. The bill also sets drafting standards for such language, requiring it to be clear and concise, no more than 50 pages, and written using words with common everyday meanings. In addition to defining legislation, the bill would require the introducer’s memorandum of support to disclose any organizations, associations, or other non-governmental individuals who contributed to drafting the legislation. It would also require that memorandum to explain the financial cost of the legislation and identify expected funding sources. The bill would take effect immediately if enacted.

Impact

If enacted, this bill would create a statutory definition of “legislation” in the General Construction Law and impose new drafting and disclosure requirements on bills introduced in the New York State Legislature. It would affect the Legislative Bill Drafting Commission’s preparation of bill language, as well as legislators and sponsors who would need to ensure memoranda of support identify outside contributors and include fiscal information. The measure would not directly change substantive policy areas, but it would alter legislative drafting practices and transparency requirements for proposed laws.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote information is available, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a government-operations and transparency reform aimed at simplifying legislative drafting and increasing disclosure about bill preparation and fiscal impacts.

Contention

The likely points of contention are the bill’s limits on legislative drafting and the new disclosure obligations. Supporters would likely favor the clarity, brevity, and transparency requirements, while critics may argue that a 50-page cap and “common everyday meanings” standard could be too restrictive for complex policy matters. Another possible area of dispute is the requirement to identify outside contributors and funding sources in the sponsor’s memorandum, which could raise concerns about administrative burden, privacy, or the scope of disclosure.