City Bar Committees Driving Reform: From Banking to Worker Protections

Governor Hochul has signed two bills supported by City Bar committees into law:

Uniform Special Deposits Act

The Commercial Law & Uniform State Laws Committee (Gizem Alper, Chair) led the City Bar’s advocacy for this legislation. The Uniform Special Deposits Act (A.5345 / S.4323) creates a new type of bank account—a “Special Deposit”—to provide clear statutory protections for funds held for future disbursement. By reducing litigation risk and shielding deposits from premature creditor claims or depositor bankruptcy, the Act modernizes New York law and strengthens the state’s position as a leading commercial jurisdiction.

Reasonable Accommodation Anti-Retaliation Act

The Sex and Law Committee (Natalie Birnbaum and Susan Cersovsky, Co-Chairs) championed this law to close a dangerous loophole in the New York State Human Rights Law. S.3398 / A.4898 prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who request reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, disability, religious observance, or domestic violence-related needs—ensuring that the right to accommodation is meaningful and enforceable for all New Yorkers. This bill goes into effect immediately and applies to actions filed on or after the effective date.

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For a full listing of City Bar committee legislative successes in 2025, click here. We thank the committees for their work in advancing these reforms!