Covering the politics, policies and people of New York State government.
Child welfare advocacy groups are criticizing the governor for proposing to defund the Close to Home juvenile justice placement program and cap New York City’s child welfare services funding stream. The New York State Child Welfare Coalition (NYSCWC) views these potential policy changes, proposed in the Executive Budget, as a considerable step backwards. […]
Senate Democrats are pushing a package of nine bills that would, among other things, restrict gun ownership for individuals who have committed hate crimes or who may be a danger to themselves or others. The bills would also create an institute to study gun violence, extend the time frame to […]
The National Transportation Safety Board has recently issued a recommendation to states to lower the blood alcohol content that constitutes drunk driving. Assistant Assembly Speaker Felix Ortiz, D-Brooklyn, has introduced legislation (A.2302-a) to lower a driver’s blood alcohol concentration level from .08 percent to .05 percent when determining if the […]
A top leader of the New York State Senate, John DeFrancisco, is putting himself forward to run for governor against Andrew Cuomo. If he succeeds in winning the Republican nomination he will have a very tough row to hoe. After all, Cuomo has over $30 million dollars in his campaign […]
A coalition of lawmakers and gun control groups are coordinating their efforts this session to pass a law that would create “extreme risk” orders of protection to take guns away from dangerous individuals, at least temporarily, by a court order. State Senators Brian Kavanagh and Brad Hoylman, along with Assemblywoman […]
Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, abruptly issued a statement dropping his gubernatorial bid Friday evening. Kolb announced his withdrawal with “a heavy heart,” leaving incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Sen. John Defrancisco, R-Syracuse, and Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, R-Buffalo, as the major candidates left in the 2018 election at […]
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is encouraging New Yorkers to cheer on the 22 athletes from New York who are compete in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. New York’s own Erin Hamlin will be the Team USA flag bearer during the opening ceremonies and more […]
Following the announcement of several election-related reform proposals last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pledging approximately $7 million in state funding towards his goal of instituting early voting. The trio of proposals — which Gov. Cuomo outlined in his annual state of the state address— include the introduction of early […]