New York Assembly Bill A08422

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/15/25
• Refer: 5/15/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Updates the fee collected by county clerks and clerks for the city of New York for deposit into the cultural education account from $15 to $30; increases the amount retained by the county or city from $0.75 to $1.00.

Summary

This bill increases the additional fee collected by county clerks, and by the New York City register, for recording certain instruments that must be recorded under state law. Under current law, part of that fee is deposited into the state’s cultural education account; the bill raises that deposit amount from $15 to $30 for each qualifying recording, while also increasing the amount retained by the clerk or city from $0.75 to $1.00. The bill also makes corresponding updates to the Civil Practice Law and Rules and the Administrative Code of the City of New York to reflect the new fee amounts. In practical terms, the measure would generate more revenue for the cultural education account, which supports cultural and educational purposes in New York State, while slightly increasing the administrative retention for clerks handling the transactions. The bill applies to fees collected for recording instruments required by statute to be recorded, including in New York City, and would take effect 60 days after becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends section 8021 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules and section 7-604 of the New York City Administrative Code. It changes the fee schedule for recording instruments by increasing the cultural education account portion from $15 to $30 and the clerk-retained amount from $0.75 to $1.00, while leaving the separate $5 contribution to the local government records management improvement fund unchanged. The result is a higher mandatory fee on covered recordings statewide and in New York City, with additional revenue directed to state education-related accounts.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears routine and fiscally directed rather than controversial. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating opposition or debate, and the bill’s purpose is straightforward: update an outdated fee amount to increase funding for the cultural education account. The overall sentiment is best characterized as neutral to supportive, with the bill framed as an administrative revenue adjustment.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. The main policy issue inherent in the bill is the higher cost imposed on parties recording instruments, such as property-related or other legally required filings, but there is no evidence of organized opposition, amendments reflecting dispute, or committee debate in the record provided. Any concern would likely center on the increased fee burden on filers versus the benefit of additional funding for cultural education.