Enacts the "New York open water data act"

Latest action Dec 5, 2025

Enacts the "New York open water data act"; directs certain agencies, under the leadership of conveners, to identify and integrate key water data sets; provides duties and an annual plan for data to be researched and reported.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Rejected by the executive.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Vetoed

New York State Senate

Same as A5254, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A5254, the matching Assembly bill.

Committee

Environmental Conservation · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Environmental Conservation · New York State Senate, Rules · New York State Assembly, Rules · New York State Senate, Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To bring together the state's water-related agencies to collaborate on making critical water data available to the public, ensuring that water resources are managed more efficiently and giving water users access to the data they need to make informed decisions

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 10, 2025Result: passedSenate vote on A5254, the matching Assembly bill.
(58) (0) (0) (5)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 19, 2025Result: passed
(56) (0) (0) (6)
Vote: Committee vote · Finance
Senate FinanceApr 29, 2025Result: passed
(21) (1) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Environmental Conservation
Senate Environmental ConservationApr 2, 2025Result: passed
(11) (0) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Dana Levenberg, Jonathan Jacobson and 9 more on Agora

Democratic10
Republican1

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Rachel May says this is needed

New York State is blessed with abundant fresh water. From the Great Lakes and Fingers Lakes to the St. Lawrence to the Long Island aquifers, every corner of the state has its own unique watersheds. As global warm- ing dries up lakes and rivers elsewhere, New York will increasingly become a magnet for those seeking a livable climate. As a state, we must make every effort to steward our fresh water long into the future. A critical step toward creating the best long-term policies is ensuring that we have access to the best data available. In Western states like California, Arizona, and New Mexico, significant efforts are underway to modernize and standardize water data in the face of drought. Like many sources of public data, water data is managed at a variety of levels of government by many different agencies and entities. Data is not always shared widely or maintained with an eye toward inter-operability. Good data is always a key element for good policymak- ing. By following in the steps of these Western states, New York can address its own water governance issues by building better data prac- tices and by making public water data more widely available. By asking water-related agencies to come together to create a common set of water data standards for the state and a public-facing interface where such data can be shared, viewed, and used by interested parties, we will facilitate better water governance in the state. Protecting New York's public water long into the future must be a key goal of the state, and an effort to modernize our water data is a key step toward doing so.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Dec 5, 2025
Tabled
TABLED
NY Assembly
Dec 5, 2025
Vetoed
VETOED MEMO.68
NY Assembly
Dec 1, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Assembly
Jun 10, 2025
3RD Reading CAL.748
3RD READING CAL.748
NY Senate
Jun 10, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate

Show full history (21 earlier events)

Jun 10, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED BY A5254A
NY Senate
Jun 9, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO RULES
NY Senate
Jun 9, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
Rules Report CAL.501
RULES REPORT CAL.501
NY Assembly
Jun 4, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING 1211A
NY Senate
Jun 4, 2025
Recalled From Assembly
RECALLED FROM ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Jun 4, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
Jun 4, 2025
Returned to Senate
RETURNED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
May 30, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Ways and Means
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
May 19, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 19, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 19, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
May 13, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
May 1, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Apr 30, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Apr 29, 2025
1ST Report CAL.748
1ST REPORT CAL.748
NY Senate
Apr 2, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Feb 12, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
NY Assembly
Jan 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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