New York Passes ‘Larry David Law’ Just In Time for Heatwave

New York just passed some prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ay good legislation.

Late last week, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that could have been ripped right from the pages of a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. The new legislation comes just as a heatwave hits much of the state, placing 32 counties under a state of emergency.

'Larry David Law' Passed in New York State

In season 12 of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm,  Larry travels to Atlanta to make an appearance at a fan's birthday party. While in Georgia, Larry has a run-in with his friend Leon's Aunt. Needing to get something from her before returning to the airport, he stops at the Aunt's polling place, where she is waiting in a long line under the hot sun to vote.

Larry unwittingly becomes the face of a political movement after handing a bottle of water to Leon's Aunt, breaking a real Georgia law that makes it illegal to provide water or snacks to people who are waiting in line to cast their ballot.

Unaware of the law, Larry's kind gesture of handing a cold bottle of water to a voter gets him arrested by police, setting off a hilarious series of events that continue throughout season 12.

New York Legislation Repeals Outdated Law

It turns out that Georgia isn't the only state where it's illegal to give water to voters. Until Saturday, New York State Election Law Section 17-140 made it a crime to provide items of small value to voters at polling sites, including food and water.

In an announcement about the repeal of the law, Hochul says the simple act of providing water to voters waiting in line is "a common-sense way to ensure New Yorkers have an easy, safe and secure experience in the voting booth". The legislation comes just days before New York's 2025 primary elections, which will take place during a heatwave with temperatures expected to be in the triple digits throughout much of the state.