Bill > S01977

This bill establishes a temporary three-year moratorium on unfunded mandates and creates ten regional mandate relief councils across New York State. An unfunded mandate is defined as a state law that requires local governments (counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts) to implement new programs, increase service levels, or grant new tax exemptions that would result in additional annual costs exceeding $10,000 for a single local government or $1 million statewide. The bill creates regional councils with members appointed by various state and local government leaders, who will review and recommend modifications or repeals of existing mandates that are deemed overly burdensome or costly. Each regional council must hold public hearings, issue reports, and can refer mandates for potential elimination or reform. The councils can recommend changes to the governor, who is then required to either direct state agencies to modify regulations or prepare legislative bills to repeal or modify statutes identified as problematic. Local governments can also request mandate reviews through their regional council. The goal of the bill is to provide relief to local governments from state-imposed requirements that create significant financial strain without providing corresponding funding, ultimately aiming to reduce the financial burden on local municipalities.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1977