ALBANY, N.Y. \u2014 A new year means new laws in New York State. Here\u2019s a look at some of the laws that are now in effect, including those relating to minimum wage, tax exemptions, and health care. <\/p>\n
Minimum wage increase<\/p>\n
Employees across the state who make minimum wage can expect to earn 50 cents more per hour starting on New Year\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
For most of the state, including the Rochester area, the state minimum wage will increase to $16 per hour. That translates to $640 of earnings a week and about $33,000 a year. For New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island, the minimum wage will increase to $17 per hour.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Local business owners weigh in on impact of minimum wage increase <\/a><\/p>\n The state agreed to raise the minimum wage as\u00a0part of the budget<\/a>\u00a0that lawmakers passed for the 2024 fiscal year. The minimum wage rose to $15 per hour in Upstate New York in 2024, followed by a 50-cent increase this year. For the New York City area, the minimum wage rose to $16 per hour in 2024.<\/p>\n In 2027, the minimum wage increase will depend on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region. The state says that\u2019s the best regional measure of inflation.<\/p>\n State and federal tax exemptions<\/p>\n Next tax season in New York State, people 65 or older could get a property tax exemption of up to 65%. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation in December to give older adults deductions if they live below a certain income level, set by local governments. <\/p>\n Before the bill passed, older adults were eligible for only a 50% exemption. State officials say the bill could translate to savings of up to $300 annually per person. You can learn more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are also some recent changes to federal tax policy, including the \u201cNo Tax on Tips\u201d, \u201cNo Tax on Overtime\u201d, and \u201cNo Tax on Car Loan Interest\u201d provisions. In addition, older adults can get a deduction of $6,000 for federal taxes through 2028. You can learn more about those deductions on the IRS\u2019s website<\/a>. <\/p>\n Styrofoam cooler ban<\/p>\n The sale, creation, and distribution of coolers made of polystyrene, a substance sold as Styrofoam in coolers, is now banned in 2026, according to reports.<\/p>\n This comes after the state regulates the substance due to the long absorption timeframe. It takes hundreds of years to decompose in the environment. Since it takes years to disintegrate, pieces of Styrofoam end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are direct benefits to New York waterways and some indirect benefits for people who are living near production facilities of polystyrene,\u201d said Judith Enck, a member of the Beyond Plastics advocacy group. <\/p>\n Expanding organ donations beyond family<\/p>\n Close friends of a deceased person are now allowed to give consent to have their late friend\u2019s body be used for organ and tissue donation. Before, only some health care officials, spouses, adult children, and parents of deceased loved ones would be allowed to authorize donations.<\/p>\n \u201cClose friends often serve as caregivers, decision-makers, and are the people who know an individual\u2019s values more than anyone else. It\u2019s only right that they be trusted with this responsibility when no family member is available,\u201d said Assemblymember Amy Paulin, who sponsored the bill. <\/p>\n A different law allows people to be asked if they want to be added to the organ donation registry when they sign an insurance policy.<\/p>\n EpiPen coverage<\/p>\n The new law aims to expand access to EpiPens, used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions caused by insect stings, foods, medications, and environmental exposures. The state says the cost of the\u00a0EpiPen has far outpaced the rate of inflation, with some reports citing a 600% increase in price since 2007. While\u00a0EpiPens\u00a0once cost $60 per device, they can now sell for upwards of $600 for a pack of two pens.<\/p>\n EpiPens typically expire after 12 months, meaning people with allergies still need to buy new ones even if their current EpiPen hasn\u2019t been used. The new EpiPen coverage law applies to all insurers in individual and group markets, including non-profit insurers and HMOs.<\/p>\n Breast cancer screening coverage<\/p>\n The new law requires individual, group, and non-profit (including HMO) health insurance plans to cover breast cancer screening and diagnostic imaging. This coverage applies if a doctor recommends screening based on nationally recognized clinical guidelines.<\/p>\n The screenings include diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and MRIs. The new law also clarifies that cost-sharing won\u2019t apply to these screenings, except to the extent it would result in health savings account ineligibility under IRS guidelines.<\/p>\n Each year, at least 17,000 women in New York State are diagnosed with breast cancer and\u00a0nearly 2,400 women die from the disease. It\u2019s estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their life.<\/p>\n Scalp cooling systems coverage<\/p>\n The new law requires health insurers in the large group market to cover scalp cooling systems used to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy treatment. As part of the treatment, patients wear a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session. That reduces the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles, which helps to preserve hair.<\/p>\n Scalp cooling is covered by Medicaid and Medicare and three different cooling systems have been approved by the FDA. Without insurance coverage, patients must pay out of pocket for cooling, which ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per round of chemotherapy.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor Related Stories:\u00a0healthcare access<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Minimum wage increase<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0regulations<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ALBANY, N.Y. \u2014 A new year means new laws in New York State. 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