S 6975: Prohibits a court from denying class certification for purposes of class action lawsuits solely because the action involves governmental operations.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6975 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 27, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. GONZALEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary AN ACT to amend the civil practice law and rules, in relation to certif- ication of class actions in cases involving governmental operations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 902 of the civil practice law and rules, as amended 2 by chapter 474 of the laws of 1975, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 902. Order allowing class action. Within sixty days after the time 4 to serve a responsive pleading has expired for all persons named as 5 defendants in an action brought as a class action, the plaintiff shall 6 move for an order to determine whether it is to be so maintained. An 7 order under this section may be conditional, and may be altered or 8 amended before the decision on the merits on the court's own motion or 9 on motion of the parties. The action may be maintained as a class 10 action only if the court finds that the prerequisites under section 901 11 have been satisfied. Among the matters which the court shall consider 12 in determining whether the action may proceed as a class action are: 13 1. the interest of members of the class in individually controlling 14 the prosecution or defense of separate actions; 15 2. the impracticability or inefficiency of prosecuting or defending 16 separate actions; 17 3. the extent and nature of any litigation concerning the controversy 18 already commenced by or against members of the class; 19 4. the desirability or undesirability of concentrating the litigation 20 of the claim in the particular forum; 21 5. the difficulties likely to be encountered in the management of a 22 class action. 23 However, a court shall not deny or withhold class certification solely 24 because the action involves governmental operations. 25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03313-01-5