Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119) is pleased to announce a package of co-sponsored legislative achievements have gone into effect this month, strengthening public health and consumer safety, increasing utility bill transparency, and establishing the first comprehensive regulatory framework for protecting consumers in litigation funding transactions in New York State.

“Whether it is protecting our youth from the dangers of unregulated substances, increasing litigation protections and service cost transparency, or ensuring the comprehensive provision of emergency medical care, together these legislative accomplishments will serve to strengthen and protect public health and safety, while bolstering transparency and legal protections for consumers.”

The following bills have taken effect in the months of June & July 2026:

Public Health & Safety

Prohibiting the Sale of Kratom Products to Individuals Under the Age of 21 (A.2340-A & A.9472)

Impact: Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Buttenschon and introduced by Assemblymember John McDonald (D-108), the new laws, now Chapter 690 of the Laws of 2025 and Chapter 81 of the Laws of 2026, officially prohibits the sale of kratom and kratom products to individuals under the age of twenty-one.

Purpose: This legislation protects our youth and young adults from exposure to unregulated and potentially dangerous kratom substances. Colloquially known as ‘gas station heroin’, kratom is a substance derived from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree, often sold in powders, capsules, or drinks and marketed as a natural remedy for pain or insomnia. However, while some forms are used traditionally, many products sold in the U.S., despite “herbal & all-natural” labeling, are chemically concentrated to significantly increase their potency, and are known to produce a stimulant or opioid-like effect, leading the Food and Drug Administration, which has not approved kratom for any medical or recreational uses, to compare kratom to morphine in its risks for severe side effects, addiction, abuse, dependence, and death. Chapter 81 of the Laws of 2026 further strengthened these protections by expanding signage requirements to cover online sales and clarified that kratom derivatives, such as 7-hydroxymitragynine, are additionally subject to the same purchasing age restrictions.

“Kratom carries real and significant risks, especially for young people,” Buttenschon stated. “It has increasingly caused severe addiction, dependence, and in some tragic cases death among its users regardless of age, and yet it has been sold openly as a ‘natural & safe remedy’ to anyone who walks through the door without any form of meaningful protection. That stops now. With this law, we will protect our young people from this substance the FDA itself compares to the danger of morphine, and will hold any retailer responsible for underage sales wholly accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Key provisions of the new laws include:

• The prohibition of kratom product sales to individuals under the age of twenty-one (A. 2340A).
• Requiring purchasers to show identification to retailers confirming their adult status (A.2340A).
• Requiring retailers and sellers to post clear signage, both in-store and online, about the prohibition of kratom (A2340A/A.9472).
• Establishing a civil penalty of up to $500 per individual violation of the new purchase age requirements (A2340A).

The new purchasing age restrictions went into full effect June 17th, 2026, with further co-sponsored restrictions on the sale of kratom and kratom derived 7-hydroxymitragynine products, soon set to be enacted by the Governor.

Requires All Non-Public Schools to Possess and Maintain On-Site AED Equipment, In-Line With Current Public School Requirements (A.6486 & Part G §2-c of A.10007-C)

Impact: Expanding upon the life-saving Louis Acompora AEDs in Schools Act of 2002, this legislation adds a new section to the Education Law, § 917-a, to require all nonpublic schools to provide and maintain on-site automatic external defibrillator (AED) equipment on school grounds and assure that AED equipment is available for off-site curricular events, extracurricular events or school-sponsored athletic events.

Purpose: New York State public schools have been required to have AEDs available in all school buildings and at school sponsored curricular, extracurricular, and school-sponsored athletic events since 2002. This long-awaited legislation, proudly co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, extends these previously established and proven to be life-saving requirements to private academic institutions.

“This legislation will undoubtedly save lives,” stated Assemblywoman Buttenschon. “As a first responder family, and the former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College, I know just how essential it is to be prepared for emergency situations where every second makes a difference. Building upon Louis’ Law, the landmark legislation which has saved countless lives since its implementation in 2002, this new law will ensure our private institutions, just like our public ones, have the essential equipment and training necessary to immediately respond to a life-threatening cardiac emergency.”

This act took full-effect on July 1st, 2026.

(A.8086-A & A.9440) Directs Counties to Develop and Maintain Comprehensive County Emergency Medical System Plans Ch.703 of 2025 & Ch.93 of 2026 §§1-2

Impact: Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Buttenschon, the new legislation requires counties, in coordination with regional EMS councils, to develop and maintain comprehensive emergency medical system plans, and directs the Department of Health to provide guidance and review those plans to improve coordination of emergency medical services statewide

Purpose: New York is facing a growing crisis in emergency medical services, with programs closing, staffing shortages mounting, and response times increasing in communities across the state. While reform has been a subject of discussion for years, this legislation moves the process forward by establishing a concrete local planning framework. Under the new law, each county must convene a planning process with cities, towns, and villages to assess existing EMS service levels, identify gaps, determine the organizational structure needed to address them, and develop cost estimates for doing so. Plans must be submitted to the Department of Health and the State EMS Council for review within six months of the law's effective date. The goal is a county-by-county roadmap that will drive statewide improvements and ensure that every New Yorker, regardless of where they live, has access to reliable emergency medical care.

“Across the State, EMS providers are facing challenges and are stretched thin. This legislation takes an essential step in ensuring services are acceptable and towards strengthening their provision of care.”

This act took effect on June 19, 2026.

Consumer Protection

(A.804-C) Regulates Consumer Litigation Funding Transactions, and Strengthens Consumer Protections Ch. 645 of 2025

Impact: Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Buttenschon, this legislation, now Chapter 645 of the Laws of 2025 and known as the Consumer Litigation Funding Act, establishes the first comprehensive regulatory framework for consumer litigation funding transactions in New York State, ensuring contract transparency, capping charges on gross settlement proceeds, and prohibiting the predatory practices that have long allowed these companies to exploit New Yorkers at their most vulnerable moments.

Purpose: Consumer litigation funding, in which a company offers an immediate cash advance to someone awaiting a legal settlement in exchange for a portion of their future recovery, has operated as an industry in New York since the 1990s, entirely without regulation. In the absence of oversight, bad actors entered the market and began charging exorbitant fees, burying exploitative terms in nontransparent contracts, and levying penalties on consumers who attempted to repay early. This legislation closes that regulatory gap, as under the new law, funding companies must register with the Department of State and demonstrate their fitness to operate. Contracts must be written in plain language, fully completed before a consumer signs, and accompanied by clear disclosures of all charges and repayment terms. Consumers are protected by a ten-day right of rescission and a hard cap limiting funding companies' total recovery to 25% of the gross proceeds of the legal claim, regardless of the funded amount. Prepayment penalties are prohibited outright. By bringing this long-unregulated industry under state oversight, the law ensures that New Yorkers who need financial relief while awaiting a settlement can access it without fear of being exploited in the process.

“Transparency is not a burden, it is the baseline,” said Buttenschon. “This law brings long-overdue accountability to an industry that for too long has operated in the shadows, and will ensure that anyone who seeks litigation funding receives honest disclosures, fair terms, and a genuine right to reconsider.”

This act took effect on June 17, 2026

(A3875) Requires Energy Service Companies to Provide Side-By Side Cost Comparisons Between the Company and Local Utility Costs Ch. 685 of 2025

Purpose: Supported by Assemblywoman Buttenschon, the new law, now Chapter 685 of the Laws of 2025, requires energy service companies (ECOS) to provide their customers with side-by-side price comparisons on billing statements and annual notices, showing what the ESCO charged for goods and services versus what local utility costs would have cost had the consumer received service from their local utility service provider.

Impact: Since the 1990s, when the State began allowing ESCOs to sell energy to customers, the companies have often promised that customers will see benefits such as a reduced energy bill, greener energy, and other benefits. Despite these promises, the industry has been rife with fraud, abuse, and deceptive business practices, prompting the Department of Public Service to take steps to more closely regulate the industry throughout the past decade. In 2010, the Legislature passed a law to create standards for ESCOs practices. However, evidence continues to show that the average ESCO customer consistently pays more for their electric and gas service than they would otherwise have paid if they received service from their local utility. ESCOs, while frequently promising enticing sign-up benefits, often tend to then hike up the rates over the long term, unbeknownst to customers. This bill would protect New Yorkers by requiring ESCOs to provide clear side-by-side comparisons to local utility costs, preventing customers from being overcharged. The bill would also require ESCOs to provide an itemized list of the prices they charge for additional value-added products, separate from base commodity and delivery charges.

“New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what they are paying for when it comes to their energy bills. This law gives consumers the transparency they need to make informed decisions by clearly comparing ESCO charges with the costs of their local utility service. By shining a light on pricing and requiring greater disclosure, we are helping protect families from hidden costs, deceptive practices, and unnecessary financial burdens while ensuring they have the information needed to choose the option that best meets their needs.”

This act took effect on June 17, 2026