ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — After New Year’s Day, several more laws take effect in New York in January and February 2026. These updates change requirements for schools, hospitals, and businesses, targeting faster emergency responses and clearer protections for consumers.
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Starting January 14, S6413/A7845 requires doctors and hospitals to report every case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease—to the New York State Department of Health. Meanwhile, S598B/A1985C creates a separate registry for frontotemporal degeneration disorders. These lists are supposed to help track the spread of these brain conditions to improve medical research and find better treatments while keeping patient names private.
On January 20, Desha’s Law requires all schools to create cardiac emergency response plans to handle sudden cardiac arrest on campus or at school games. S5539A/A785A makes them train staff and maintain equipment for such life-threatening events.
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On the same day, S1314/A4575 outlaws ads that falsely claim or imply approval from any state or local government agency. But it also protects businesses from being sued by job seekers who, while duped, didn’t actually lose any money because of the fake posting. An employer could avoid any liability by giving them a full and accurate written job description before there’s any financial damage.
Divorce also changes in New York as of January 20, with S8270/A8299 clarifying “automatic orders” for separating couples. If someone getting divorced receives notice of a tax lien, foreclosure, or lawsuit that could damage the family’s shared assets, they have 10 days to notify the other spouse in writing. The legislation is supposed to prevent either one from hiding money or changing insurance beneficiaries, keeping both sides informed about any financial threats to their property before the case ends. The automatic order requirement stays in effect until the court officially enters the judgment of divorce or dismisses the case.
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S8373/A8300 changes how a trustee, the person or bank managing a fund, gets paid. Starting January 20, it requires that annual commissions for trustees of charitable trusts consist of one-third from the trust’s income, like interest or dividends, and two-thirds from its principal, the original property or cash in the account. The law prevents a large corporate trustee from charging extra for paying out the principal in the form of a donation…