2025 NY Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the New York State Legislature in 2025 and ranks state assemblymen and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
For detailed bill descriptions and thorough explanations of their constitutional merits or violations, scan the QR code above or visit thefreedomindex.org/ny/.
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S4045 mandates that drivers who accumulate 11 or more points on their driving record within 24 months, or receive six speed-camera or red-light-camera tickets in 12 months, must have an "intelligent speed assistance" device—also known as a "speed limiter"—installed in any vehicle they own or operate. This device caps the car's speed at approximately five miles per hour above posted limits. The court can require the device be installed for at least 12 months or for the duration of any license suspension—whichever is longer.
The New York State Senate passed S4045 on June 12, 2025 by a vote of 44 to 15. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill blatantly violates multiple constitutional protections. By mandating speed-limiting devices, the state tramples upon the Ninth Amendment's protection of individual liberty and the Fifth Amendment's protection of property rights, depriving individuals of the full use of their own vehicles without due process. Moreover, speed and red-light cameras themselves are unconstitutional, as they subject citizens to constant surveillance and penalties in violation of the Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and 14th Amendments. These enforcement mechanisms presume guilt, deny equal protection, and strip away fundamental liberties. Legislation such as S4045 only compounds these violations, further invading privacy, eroding due process, and transforming property ownership into government-controlled privilege rather than a constitutionally protected right.
S5059 helps individuals leaving correctional facilities enroll in vital safety-net programs, such as SNAP, WIC, HEAP, public assistance, or Supplemental Security Income, by having a "benefits navigator" assist with applications within 72 hours after parole approval.
The New York State Senate passed S5059 on June 10, 2025 by a vote of 45 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the nays because SNAP, WIC, HEAP, public assistance, and Supplemental Security Income are socialist, unconstitutional, federally funded schemes that erode personal responsibility and foster government dependency among an already government-dependent segment of the population. Such programs always come with strings attached, deepening state reliance on federal oversight while diminishing individual liberty and accountability. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution grants no authority for Congress to establish social-welfare programs, and states should not cooperate in advancing unconstitutional federal welfare initiatives.
S1026 introduces an optional self-imposed waiver allowing individuals to voluntarily give up their right to purchase firearms, rifles, or shotguns. Once filed with the Division of State Police, the waiver is recorded, and the person is added to state and national background-check systems to block firearm purchases. Individuals can revoke the waiver anytime; revocations take effect 21 days after submission.
The New York State Senate passed S1026 on June 9, 2025 by a vote of 47 to 15. We have assigned pluses to the nays because it is impossible for an individual to lawfully waive a right that is God-given and unalienable. The Second Amendment clearly affirms that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." By promoting the idea that citizens may voluntarily surrender this and their Ninth Amendment rights, S1026 undermines the very nature of unalienable rights—which exist independent of government and cannot be stripped away by personal declaration. This measure subtly conditions citizens to believe their rights are mere privileges granted by the state, rather than protections rooted in natural law and secured by the Constitution. In reality, once government begins legitimizing the surrender of God-given rights, it erodes the foundation of liberty and opens the door for broader infringements in the future.
S1529 establishes a tax credit for farmers who adopt land-management practices aimed at maximizing carbon sequestration, such as those that store greenhouse gases in soil and vegetation using tools like USDA's COMET‑Planner. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, will develop regulations and issue eligibility certificates to determine the amount of carbon sequestered and emissions reduced—thereby determining the tax-credit value. If the credit exceeds a farmer's tax liability, farmers with New York adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less can receive a refund (without interest); those above that threshold can carry over the excess credit to future years.
The New York State Senate passed S1529 on May 6, 2025 by a vote of 61 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation expands government power by propping up certain industries through selective tax credits, distorting the free market. Instead of allowing farmers to make decisions based on productivity and stewardship, the state manipulates behavior by rewarding only those who adopt carbon-sequestration practices tied to the United Nations' Agenda 2030. This scheme favors some farmers over others, violating the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection, while also redistributing tax burdens in ways that undermine the Fifth Amendment's protections of property rights. The program relies on USDA tools such as COMET-Planner—yet Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress no authority to create agencies like the USDA or impose federal climate programs on the states. Far from reducing government's role, S1529 entangles agriculture in unconstitutional regulation, advancing global climate goals at the expense of private property, sovereignty, and free enterprise.
S135 expands support for individuals seeking an abortion by allowing financial assistance for access costs—such as transportation (ground and air), lodging, meals, childcare, translation services, and doula support. It enhances the existing "Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Program" funded solely through state appropriations to help cover abortion costs.
The New York State Senate passed S135 on January 21, 2025 by a vote of 39 to 20. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the care of human life—not its destruction—is the highest responsibility of government. No one has a right to kill a preborn child under the guise of "reproductive freedom," much less force his neighbor to finance it through taxation. New York ought not only to forbid abortion entirely, upholding the sanctity of life for every person, but also to end all immoral and unconstitutional forms of government-imposed theft that seize the wages of citizens. The right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right—secured by the Fifth, Ninth, and 14th Amendments and affirmed in the Declaration of Independence's statement that all are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," with Life as the first and most essential.
S88 establishes automatic voter registration (AVR) and pre-registration in New York. Individuals applying for eligible Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) documentation, as well as those applying for or re-enrolling in Medicaid, would automatically be registered or pre-registered to vote, unless they explicitly opt out.
The New York State Senate passed S88 on January 13, 2025 by a vote of 40 to 21. We have assigned pluses to the nays because automatic voter registration undermines election integrity by risking the registration of noncitizens and other ineligible individuals, inflating voter rolls, and making fraud easier to commit. This partisan scheme is designed to keep government-dependent individuals—particularly Medicaid recipients—on the rolls to secure votes for one party. Moreover, by tying voter registration to Medicaid, the bill further entrenches that socialist program, which itself is unconstitutional, as Article I, Section 8 grants Congress no authority to create or fund such welfare schemes. Voter registration is a personal civic duty, not a function to be manipulated by government in order to manufacture votes and tilt elections.
