Addabbo: Know the new laws of the land that will go into effect in 2023

As the calendar rolls into the New Year, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. wants his constituents to know about some of the 200 new state laws that will go into effect starting on January 1, 2023.

One of the new laws that will take effect on the first day of the New Year is Addabbo’s bill (S.2928A) that adds siblings to the definition of “family member” for the purposes of paid family leave. Paid family leave became the law of the land in New York back in 2016, and Governor Kathy Hochul signed Addabbo’s bill to add siblings — which includes biological or adopted sibling, half-sibling or stepsibling — to the list of family members you can take time off to care for in 2021 to go into effect next year.

“Many times a sibling may be the only family a person has left, and I am proud to say that starting in 2023 you will be able to take time off from work to care for a sibling and know that you will still get paid a portion of your salary,” Addabbo said. “This will ease the burden on thousands of New York families and allow people to be with their loved ones in times of need.”

Other laws that will go into effect on January 1, 2023 are:

• A law that will allow the counting of an affidavit ballot of an eligible voter if the voter appeared at a polling place in the correct county but in the incorrect election district. It also allows a ballot to be cast and canvassed where a person was entitled to vote, but the ballot envelope was invalid on its face due to ministerial error by the board of elections. 
• Establishing a task force and annual report to examine social media and violent extremism. 
• On January 11, 2023, a new law will require instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course. 
• The Electric Vehicle Rights Act prevents a homeowners association from adopting or enforcing any rules or regulations that would effectively prohibit, or impose unreasonable limitations on the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station. This goes into effect on January 21, 2023. 
• A new law goes into effect on March 6, 2023 that will require that telemarketers and robocallers give customers the option to be added to their company's do-not-call list right after the telemarketer's name and the person on whose behalf the solicitation is being made are provided. 
• The New York Collegiate Athletic Participation Compensation Act goes into effect which allows student-athletes to receive endorsement compensation, prohibiting New York schools from taking away the scholarships or eligibility of any athlete making money from such endorsements.  
• A new law starting January 1 would require airports in New York State to provide a nursing space for breast-feeding mothers behind the security screening area equipped with a chair and an electrical outlet away from public view. 
• Prohibits the making of selling cosmetics which are tested on animals. 
• The New York Textile Act which looks to accelerate the growth of the animal and plant fiber growing, processing, and textile manufacturing industry in New York by supporting it through economic development programs, including expanding annual farm recognition awards, state procurement process training for small businesses, and the Excelsior jobs program to include such New York products and processes. 
• A new section of Brianna’s Law will go into effect on January 1 that mandates boat safety instructional courses as a prerequisite for obtaining boating licenses for all operators born on or after January 1, 1978. Current law only requires boating classes to be taken by individuals born after May 1, 1996. 
  
   

“I think it is important that constituents know the laws that could possibly impact their lives,” Addabbo explained. “These new laws that will go into effect in 2023 will go to benefit a wide range of New Yorkers. As we prepare for the 2023 legislative session, we will work to implement even more laws to better the lives of all New Yorkers.”