Facilitates appellate review of rulings that implicate issues of public concern

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Alex Bores and 4 co-sponsors

Streamlines appellate review of trial rulings that involve public concern; A 673A replaced by Senate S329A, affecting courts, litigants, and public-interest cases.

SUBSTITUTED BY S329A

Summary of Bill A 673 (Facilitates appellate review of rulings that implicate issues of public concern)

Status: Substituted by S329A

Introduced: January 8, 2025

Sponsorship
- Primary sponsor: Catalina Cruz
- Co-sponsors: Chantel Jackson, Linda Rosenthal, Alex Bores, Anna Kelles
- Related/companion: S 329 (Senate), with S329 listed as the companion bill

Legislative Actions (key timeline)
- January 8, 2025: Referred to Codes
- May 22, 2025: Amended and recommitted to Codes; print number 673A
- June 9–11, 2025: Reported and referred to Rules; Rules CAL.598 noted
- June 11, 2025: Substituted by S329A (the Assembly bill A 673A was substituted by Senate version S329A)

Purpose and intent
- The bill is intended to facilitate appellate review of trial court rulings that implicate issues of public concern. In plain terms, it seeks to improve or streamline the process by which appellate courts review judicial decisions that impact matters of broad public interest.

Key provisions and changes (high‑level)
- Broad aim: Create or enhance an appellate review pathway for rulings involving public concern.
- Nature of changes: While the exact statutory text is not provided here, the bill’s core objective suggests clarifying or expanding appellate review standards or procedures when rulings touch on public-interest issues. This could affect how appellate courts assess trial court decisions and the speed or scope of review in such cases.
- Substitution: As of June 11, 2025, A 673A has been substituted by S329A, meaning the Senate’s version (S329A) becomes the vehicle for this policy on the chamber’s side. The Assembly bill would no longer govern this measure in its original form.

Who would be affected
- Litigants and attorneys challenging or defending rulings involving public concern (e.g., matters tied to government accountability, civil rights, media/public access, or other topics deemed of public interest).
- Trial courts and appellate courts in New York State, which would implement any new or clarified review procedures.
- Public-interest organizations, journalists, and advocacy groups with stakes in rulings that implicate public concern.

Notes on related bills
- Related Assembly bills: A 5688, A 9117, A 152 (prior-session counterparts)
- Companion/Senate counterpart: S 329 (S329A is the substituted Senate version)

Observations
- The bill’s progress shows standard committee-to-chamber steps (Codes, Rules) followed by a substitution, which is a common legislative move when aligning with a companion Senate measure.
- The substantive impact will hinge on the enacted text of S329A (the substituted vehicle), including how “public concern” is defined and what standards or timelines apply to appellate review.

This summary provides the essential context and status to understand what A 673 aimed to do and how the legislative process has evolved with the substitution by S329A.