New York Times: Hochul Weighs Legislation Limiting A.I. and More Than 100 Other Bills

By: Benjamin Oreskes

Expanding wrongful-death lawsuit provisions

Will the third time be the charm? A bill that would allow families involved in wrongful-death lawsuits to sue for emotional damages has been vetoed twice by Ms. Hochul, who argued that it could end up costing too much and could create “unintended consequences.”

She has said, though, that she would like to see the state’s wrongful-death statute, which was first written in 1847, updated. A less far-reaching version of the bill was passed by the Legislature this year, but it, too, drew a barrage of opposition.

“Allowing for unlimited wrongful-death damages would make it more difficult to recruit and retain providers, make it harder for New Yorkers to access care and exacerbate existing health inequities, all while increasing costs,” Bea Grause, the president of the Healthcare Association of New York State, said in a statement.

“The latest version of the bill fails to address the governor’s previously stated concerns,” she added.

The bill’s supporters, including the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, suggest that Ms. Hochul is being influenced by a multimillion-dollar lobbying campaign. They said they believe the legislation will not raise insurance premiums, and noted that this year’s version of the bill shortened the statute of limitations and limited which members of a family could sue.

It is not clear if these changes have won over Ms. Hochul. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who sponsored the bill, said neither Ms. Hochul nor her aides had come forward with alternative proposals or signaled her view of the bill’s current language.

“We are way out of line with the rest of that nation, and part of it is because of the power of various lobbying groups that has have blocked any consideration,” he said. “This bill is one of the few that remains on the governor’s desk that has bipartisan support.”