Senator Cooney Finishes The 2025 Senate Session Strong

(ALBANY, NY) - Today, Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) announced the conclusion of the 2025 New York State Senate Legislative session. (The NYS Assembly will continue to hold voting days). The Senator had over 40 bills pass this session; most focused on transportation safety, better outcomes for our children, and healthcare access. 

Senator Cooney said, “I finished the 2025 senate session strong, passing the largest number of bills since I took office 5 years ago. I’m proud of the strides we made to prioritize road safety, improve healthcare outcomes for those who need it most, and support the needs of our children. I worked hard to find holistic solutions to the challenges facing our community, and I look forward to continuing my fight to address Rochester’s needs.” 

Below are some priorities of Senator Cooney that passed the Senate prior to the end of session: 

Supporting the Rochester School Modernization Program (S7157B): Senator Cooney and Assemblymember Harry Bronson previously spearheaded implementation of the final phase of the Rochester School Modernization Project in 2021 after years of delay in the state legislature. The Senator and Assemblymember’s current bill adds $125M to create greater financial flexibility for RCSD as they implement the final phase of the capital program and will prevent any disruptions to school operations as they modernize city facilities. 

Bolstering “Move Over” Laws to protect motorists and highway workers (S4649A): A recent survey found that nearly 40% of drivers fail to move over when approaching a construction site or stalled vehicle. This poses potential dangers for drivers, but especially for highway workers on the side of our roadways. This week, three NYSDOT workers were struck on the side of the road in Hornell by a driver who failed to move over. Senator Cooney’s bill would increase penalties for drivers who fail to follow the state’s “move over” laws.

Increasing penalties for snowmobiling while intoxicated in the wake of the death of Casey Eldred (S3256A): Tragedy struck in 2022 in the Adirondacks when Casey Eldred was hit head on by another snowmobiler found to be under the influence. Since then, Casey’s mother, and Senator Cooney’s constituent, Phyllis Romano-Eldred has been advocating for changes to the state’s snowmobiling laws. Senator Cooney’s bill would create the crime of aggravated snowmobiling while intoxicated and double financial penalties for those who are found to have a BAC of .18 or above.  

Expanding access to dental care for children and Medicaid recipients (S3243A): Dental care has been found to have a direct impact on a child’s success in the classroom and long-term health effects, but far too many in New York lack access to quality care. University of Rochester’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health is one of the only providers who accepts Medicaid for dental care, a vital decision that improves dental equity in Rochester. To support that work, the University has developed the SMARTeeth app to allow their providers to remotely perform diagnostic and risk-assessment services. The Senator’s bill, introduced alongside Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, would promote the expanded use of this app for University of Rochester patients, creating a five-year demonstration program to reimburse services associated with the application. 

Creating greater access to IVF treatments (S3155): With attacks on reproductive healthcare becoming more common nationwide, Senator Cooney has made it a priority to have New York take the lead on healthcare options. In 2019, the state legislature passed a landmark bill to require coverage for three cycles of IVF in cases of infertility; however, insurance companies have been requiring all embryos in a cycle be used before covering the next cycle. This is not always viable and delays the process for prospective parents. Senator Cooney’s bill would reform these insurance processes and cut down wait times for New Yorkers looking to start a family. 

Giving relief to state police officers involved in critical incidents (S2681A): Currently in New York, there is no uniform policy to assist state troopers recover from “critical incidents,” or incidents in which they were forced to use deadly force when responding to an emergency. This means that troopers can be asked to return to work within a couple days of a traumatic event. This bill would guarantee paid leave for these troopers and ensure they have the time they need before returning to work. 

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While Senator Cooney was proud to see many of his bills pass before the end of session, there were several priority areas that he was disappointed to not see move forward in the Senate. Senator Cooney said that he would help make these bills priorities in the next legislative session.  

New York for All Act (S2235A): At a time when the Trump Administration is launching an all-out witch hunt in immigrant communities, the New York for All Act would prohibit state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws, allowing them to focus on the public safety of our communities. 

New York Health Act (S3245): With healthcare costs rising and in an effort to improve affordability for New Yorkers, the New York Health Act would expand healthcare coverage for more New Yorkers and ensure adequate care statewide. This is especially crucial as the federal government continues to threaten devastating cuts to Medicaid.

HOME Act (S3150): This bill, introduced by Senator Cooney, would alleviate some of the financial burden of buying a home and make homeownership attainable for more residents of Monroe County, allowing them to make meaningful investments and build generational wealth for their families. With $10,000 payments towards down payments for first time homebuyers, Senator Cooney stated that this bill would help alleviate the housing crisis in our community. 

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