On October 9, 2025, Governor Hochul vetoed New York Senate Bill S7782A, which would have required the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to enter into a contract for the digitization and indexing of certain New York vital records.
In response to the bill’s veto, NYG&B President & CEO D. Joshua Taylor sent a letter to Governor Hochul, expressing disappointment at the veto. Mr. Taylor also reiterated that the NYG&B stands ready to work with the State, the DOH, and all other stakeholders to facilitate a solution for digitizing New York’s vital records and making them accessible to the public. Mr. Taylor also called for more transparency from the DOH regarding this matter. See the full letter here.
In May 2025, at the invitation of members of the New York Legislature, the NYG&B submitted a letter of support for the bill that was introduced by the New York State Assembly. This letter of support followed on the heels of a successful advocacy and education campaign by the NYG&B earlier this spring in response to an item in the proposed 2025-26 New York Executive Budget Proposal that would have negatively impacted New York vital records access, which was ultimately removed.
In 2026, the NYG&B will continue to monitor this evolving issue; advocate for the protection and preservation of vital records; and educate individuals and organizations on how they can continue to take action.