• Environmental Protection: Forever Wild Amendment, which created the state’s first environmental preservation law – protecting the Adirondacks from deforestation.
• Civil Service: The state civil service system was codified in the hope of abolishing political nepotism and patronage.
• Education: Established the public school system.
• Apportionment: Increased Assembly from 128 to 150 members and the Senate from 32 to 50.
• Legislature: All bills must be printed and placed the desks of each member for three days before a vote is cast on said proposal.
• Horse Racing: Prohibited gambling at horse tracks.
• Judicial: Creation of the Appellate Court system and consolidation of the State Supreme Court.
• Ethics: prohibited public officials from accepting certain gifts from special interests.

 
Home Rule:  Created three classes of municipalities, giving the Mayor of New York City additional local power.

• Social Welfare: Gave the state broad powers to create social welfare programs.
• Low Income Housing: Permitted public funds to be spent to provide low-income housing for families in need.
• Workers’ Rights: Granted workers the right to organize and set hours and prevailing wages for people who worked on public works projects.
• Parochial Schools: Authorized public transportation for parochial school students between school and home.
• New York City Transit: Removed the debt limits, allowing the city to finance the development of a rapid transit system.

 
Rail Road Crossings:  Granted the state legislature the authority to eliminate rail road crossings, eliminating private rail roads from the financial responsibility and transferring the burden to local governments.