What Happened
The New York General Assembly officially adjourned its 2025 legislative session—and thanks to HFA’s coordinated advocacy, three burdensome proposals that would have negatively impacted fitness facilities were successfully defeated.
✔️ Annual Cancellation Disclosure Mandate — Defeated
- Would have required fitness facilities to send annual disclosures to all members with annual agreements, reminding them of contract details and methods of cancellation.
- Would have limited operational flexibility and created significant administrative burdens for clubs.
- Imposed recurring compliance costs tied to distributing annual disclosures.
✔️ Total Price Advertising Mandate — Defeated
- Would have required facilities to advertise the full cost of membership—including all recurring and optional fees—regardless of how services are billed or structured.
- Risked confusing consumers and limiting promotional and pricing flexibility.
- Created significant compliance challenges for operators.
✔️ Biometric Surveillance Ban — Defeated
- Would have prohibited the use of biometric data such as fingerprint scans and facial recognition for member check-ins and access control.
- Risked disrupting widely used security and convenience technologies across fitness facilities.
- Threatened to undermine member experience, increase front-desk staffing needs, and create access delays during peak hours.
- Created potential compliance and legal risks tied to the elimination of biometric tools already in use.
Industry Impact
These victories preserve operational flexibility for fitness businesses and prevent unnecessary regulatory burdens. Without HFA’s engagement, operators could have faced costly compliance mandates, reduced member convenience, and limitations on marketing strategy.
What’s Next
Thanks to targeted HFA engagement, none of these bills advanced before the legislature adjourned. With no further action expected until early 2026, HFA will continue monitoring developments and engaging policymakers ahead of the next session. We remain committed to representing the health and fitness industry at every stage of the policymaking process and to advancing policies that protect operators, foster innovation, and expand access to fitness and wellness services in New York and nationwide.
Sincerely,
