A 9297 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Provides a host community benefit for customers in a host community where data centers are expanded or placed

This bill requires new or significantly expanding hyperscale data centers (over 10,000 sq ft/5+ MW) to fund residential energy upgrades that offset their electricity demand. It directs these funds toward installing cold-climate heat pumps, rooftop solar, and battery storage in New York homes with outdated systems, prioritizing low-income and disadvantaged communities. NYSERDA will administer the program, ensuring projects align with state climate goals and provide free installations. The funds flow into a dedicated "Clean Home Energy Offset Fund" managed by NYSERDA, with data center operators required to submit annual compliance reports.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Dec 10, 2025 Last action May 18, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

A9297 → A9297A · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift its focus from a specific 'Homegrown Energy Act' targeting hyperscale data centers to a broader 'Host Community Benefits' framework. The new version expands the definition of covered facilities to include any data center with a peak demand of 20 megawatts or more, rather than the previous threshold of 10,000 square feet and 5 megawatts. Crucially, the mandatory funding obligation for energy upgrades was removed and replaced with a requirement for the Public Service Commission to create a new program where data centers can choose between providing utility bill discounts or installing residential technologies in their host communities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from targeting only 'hyperscale' data centers to covering any data center with a peak demand of 20 megawatts or more, and the mandatory nature of the offset obligation was changed to a discretionary program administered by the state commission.

DEFINITION

The definition of a covered facility was changed from 'hyperscale data centers' (over 10,000 sq ft and 5 MW) to any 'data center' with a peak demand of 20 megawatts or more.

New definitions were added for 'host community' (the town or city where the data center is located) and 'utility' to clarify the program's beneficiaries.

REQUIREMENT

The mandatory requirement for data centers to directly fund specific energy-saving installations (heat pumps, solar, etc.) was removed.

A new requirement was added for the Public Service Commission to establish a program allowing data centers to fund either utility bill discounts or the installation of eligible technologies in host communities.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the program establishment provision was changed to take effect immediately, while the main act takes effect 180 days after passage.

Floor votes · Assembly May 18, 2026

How they voted

95–41

Passed · 13 other

Total votes 149

May 18, 2026

D Democratic102

90 Yea 1 Nay 11

88% Yea

R Republican47

5 Yea 40 Nay 2

85% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

PASSED ASSEMBLY

lower

Apr 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 9297A

lower

Apr 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO ENERGY

lower

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO ENERGY

lower

Dec 10, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO ENERGY

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor