Gov. Kathy Hochul has 101 bills left to sign into law — or veto — by Dec. 31. Over the weekend, Hochul made a dent, approving 38 out of 60 bills sent to her office. 

Hochul signed a measure into law aimed at making it easier for crime victims to access money or counseling services.

“We have no more important job as elected officials than to keep our community safe,” State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, the legislation’s sponsor, told NY1.

Myrie took a look at how New York’s Office of Victim Compensation already doles out financial assistance and other services, like counseling.

The office assessed over 8,300 compensation claims related to personal injury, death and personal property between 2021 and 2022, according to a report. Of that total, over 7,900 were accepted.

The analysis explains that in order “to verify crime and expense information submitted to OVS, the agency routinely requests needed information from police agencies, district attorneys’ offices, child protective services, courts and other criminal justice agencies and authorities.”

Myrie’s bill removes a current requirement that says victims must give documentation of an incident to law enforcement, to help prove a crime happened.

It’s aimed at expanding the number of claims an individual is able to file with the state’s Crime Victim’s Fund.

“Someone may not die from a bullet, but they can have their entire life changed from that shot,” said Myrie, who said he worked with community members while penning the law in an effort to make it easier for victims to get the help they deserve. “Whether that is a permanent disability or whether that is just grief and trauma from the injury, we’re hoping this is but a first step in us giving adequate resources to all victims and survivors, regardless of how they found themselves in that circumstance.”

The new law will take effect on Dec. 31, 2025, according to Hochul’s approval memo released on Dec. 8.

The governor wrote that she supports the measure because “too often” individuals don’t file claims due to fear of retaliation or mistrust of law enforcement.

Hochul also green-lit a bill that changes New York’s definition of “mass shooting.”

The legislation was introduced in the wake of the horrific Buffalo massacre that took the lives of 10 Black shoppers.

It’s designed to make sure New York gets federal funding and services, should another horrific incident happen, by making it consistent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s definition.

Hochul still must act on 101 bills by Dec. 31.

“If you saw my calendar, you’d see that you’re lucky I’m here today because I spend most of my hours now looking at and working on the budget, working on the State of the State and the remaining 125 bills or so we have to do, all before the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.” Hochul said, overestimating the number of bills she has yet to act on, during an unrelated press conference in Albany on Monday.

State Sen. Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris also said the legislature must decide how they’ll help the fiscal crisis plaguing New York City and Mayor Eric Adams.

Back in June, Hochul and the legislature failed to make a last-minute deal on how to deliver more affordable housing options to New Yorkers. Democrats want to give it another try.

“This is an urgent matter that cannot wait any longer. I will certainly be advocating that we come together on something that encourages and subsidizes the development of affordable housing units, which we desperately need, but also takes care of tenants in their existing homes,” said Gianaris in an interview Monday.

Hochul will reveal a formal plan in early January during her State of the State address.