Executive Orders & Actions
A chronological public record of Governor Kathy Hochul’s executive orders, the legislation she has signed or vetoed, and the state regulations advanced under her administration. Every entry links to its official source document.
Regulations
2025 Energy Code — fossil-fuel equipment ban in new buildings
Bans most fossil-fuel equipment in new buildings up to seven stories; adopted but suspended by court order.
Adult-use cannabis regulations
Final adult-use cannabis rules covering licensing, delivery, and social equity.
Advanced Clean Cars II
Requires rising zero-emission new-car sales, reaching 100% by 2035.
Advanced Clean Trucks
Rising zero-emission sales requirements for medium- and heavy-duty trucks (later subject to enforcement discretion).
Central Business District (congestion) tolling rule
Establishes congestion-pricing tolls for Manhattan's central business district; finalized 2024, paused, then launched Jan 2025.
Expanded polystyrene foam container ban
Bans expanded polystyrene foam food containers and loose-fill packing statewide.
Nursing home minimum staffing and direct-care spending
Requires 3.5 nursing hours per resident per day and 70% of revenue spent on direct care.
Private-passenger auto insurance rate filings — prior approval for any rate increase
Proposed Sept. 9, 2026, implementing the FY2027 budget's auto-insurance reforms. Current rule lets insurers take up to two overall rate increases without prior approval if the cumulative effect is within 5%; the proposal requires express DFS approval before any upward rate change and requires insurers to notify policyholders, with an explanation, of rate decreases taken without prior approval as a result of the budget reforms. 60-day public comment period from State Register publication (exact end date not stated in the release; roughly early-to-mid November). The law and regulation take effect Nov. 27, 2026.
SAFE for Kids Act implementing rules (addictive feeds and nighttime notifications)
Final rules announced Jul 28, 2026, publishing in the State Register Jul 29, 2026; the SAFE for Kids Act takes effect Jan 25, 2027. Covered platforms may not serve algorithmically personalized feeds to under-18 users or send notifications midnight-6 a.m. without parental consent. Rules define covered companies and set age-assurance and parental-consent standards. Civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, enforced by OAG. Proposed rules were announced Jan 5, 2026.
Cap-and-Invest greenhouse-gas reporting regulations
Greenhouse-gas emissions reporting rules underpinning the cap-and-invest program; reporting start delayed and court-ordered final rules.