Over the past decade, New York has undergone several significant legislative changes across a diverse array of different social issues. As one of the most dynamic regions of the United States, the state is at the forefront of new laws and legislation, often being the inspiration for more wholesale change across the nation. Let’s take a look at some of these key legislative changes and address the impact they have had.
Marriage Equality Act
The Marriage Equality Act was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on June 24th, 2011, coming into effect a month later. The act legalised same-sex marriage in the state, making New York the sixth, and most populous US state to do so. The act was seen as a progressive move for the state ending marriage discrimination and allowing anyone to marry regardless of their sexual preference. The passing of the bill came after a two-year period filled with protests and civil disobedience by LGBTQ activists following the unsuccessful marriage equality reforms of 2009 that failed to pass through the Republican-controlled Senate. Following New York State’s decision, several major European countries followed suit, with both the United Kingdom and Germany legalizing same-sex marriage in 2013 and 2017 respectively. However, the greatest impact of this bill could be how it helped to inspire the Supreme Court ruling of 2015, which made same-sex marriage federally legal in all fifty US states.
Police Reform Bill
Another important legislative change that has come in recent years has been the sweeping bills for police reform, initiated by Executive Order 203 in 2020. The order followed multiple high-profile incidents of police brutality in the United States, including the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 and Eric Garner on Staten Island in 2014. The order focused on the excessive use of force by police officers, particularly against black people. The reform package outlined in the 2020 document introduced six new bills including the requirement for office badge numbers to always be visible, a penalty system for officers with repeated disciplinary issues, a system to intervene with officers deemed problematic, as well as the right to record police interactions coming into law. However, the key aspect of the legislation was the official ban on chokeholds and other restrictive manoeuvres by police, the cause of Eric Garner’s death in 2014. The bill was seen as a positive step for the state in trying to develop a greater relationship between the police force and the public, however, the success of the reforms is still up for debate. In 2022, the current New York City mayor brought the controversial anti-crime unit back, which was disbanded as part of the 2020 reforms. Many will be assessing whether more U-turns are on the horizon.
Gambling Legalisation
New York has undergone a huge shift in the legality of gambling in the last decade with multiple legislative changes being made. Before 2013, gambling activities in the state were severely limited, with only some forms of horserace betting, charitable raffles and lotteries, and Native American tribal casinos being permitted. In 2013, the people of New York voted to change the constitution, allowing the creation of up to seven new commercial casinos. Following this we saw the opening of several casinos in the state including Resorts World Catskills, Del Lago Resort and Casino and Rivers Casino and Resort. More importantly, since then, the state has experienced constantly evolving regulations surrounding gambling. In 2021, online sports betting was legalized which was quickly followed by the legalization of mobile sports betting. This move has proved incredibly successful bringing in over $2 billion in wagers within five weeks of legalization. Following the rapid development of online casino platforms, the next stage in New York’s gambling evolution will be whether or not online casinos should become legal much like that of online social casinos. There remains much discussion about this point however as things stand, online casinos remain illegal in New York. Due to these waves of legalization across much of the US, gaming affiliate companies have become prevalent as a way for customers to find where is trustworthy, or gives them the best value for money. Online players can look at sites like those analyzed by Casino.org to find where has positive customer service reviews, lists informing them about casino bonuses, and where to avoid. As with any growing sector (and especially newer ones), customers are always cautious of whom they can trust.
Climate Action Act
The impact of climate change and the long-term consequences that global warming will have on our societies has become a global issue in recent years, with all countries now having to consider how they can limit their contribution. With New York City the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the United States, there are few places where updated climate legislation is of such vital importance. In 2019, the state signed into law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) to address the continuing issue regarding climate change. The act defined two key targets, the first to reduce emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and the second, to reach 85% below this level by 2050. With the ultimate goal to reach net zero, the remaining 15% would be offset by reforestation in the state and maximising renewable energy sources. Following this, the act outlines that by 2040, 100% of the state’s electricity supply should be emissions-free with multiple renewable energy production aims being defined. The CLCPA is the culmination of years of advocacy by environmental organizations in New York that have campaigned tirelessly for climate reform. The result is a nation-leading piece of legislation, with bold targets that present an effective plan to achieve environmental sustainability. Whether these ambitious goals are met on time remains to be seen, however, it is clear that the state is on the right path.
New York remains assertive when it comes to legislative changes. Decision makers at the top continue to be aware of the current issues facing New Yorkers and are not afraid to make progressive changes to address these issues. The state continues to provide solid legal frameworks for others to follow while identifying the challenges of the future. While not all reforms of the past decade have been completely successful, it is evident that the state government will continue to make bold decisions.
