Covering the politics, policies and people of New York State government.
The Senate has passed a bill that would prohibit cities in New York from flouting federal laws regarding sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. However, the legislation could face an uphill battle in the Assembly, according to the chair of the Governmental Operations Committee, where the bill resides. The New Yorkers Combating […]
Make the Road New York, an organization of 22,000 that advocates for the rights of immigrants, say they are “deeply disappointed” by the state budget they say fails undocumented New Yorkers. “Make the Road is committed to continue organizing and fighting through the end of the legislative session to make […]
On a recent Tuesday morning inside the beloved Saratoga Performing Arts Center, two police officers stand ready at the top of a service road, surrounded by tall pines, fully dressed in bullet proof vests and face masks over their eyes. A slight breeze moves through the trees as a radio […]
The balance in the Senate could be decided by a single race in next week’s special elections. The race for Senate District 37 in Westchester — between Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer, D-Yonkers, and Republican candidate Julie Killian — is getting a lot of attention from the media, sitting legislators and state […]
For the third straight year, the state Assembly has passed a bill that would require expanded training for organizations that care for runaway and homeless youths. The bill (A.2662) was introduced by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, D-Brooklyn. It would require all employees of organizations that provide care to runaway and homeless […]
Long ago I nicknamed the Independent Democratic Conference “The Traitors.” That’s because these people who ran as Democrats actually kept the Republicans who control the Senate in very Blue State New York in power. Many people, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon, have called out Governor Andrew Cuomo for his […]
A proposal to toughen penalties for drivers without valid licenses who kill or injure other motorists or pedestrians passed the Senate on Monday. The legislation (S.3299/A.3759) was introduced by Sen. Michael Gianaris, D- Queens, after the 2013 death of eight-year-old Noshat Nahian by an unlicensed driver. According to The New […]
The Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, is calling on New York City officials to release a study that could prove the effectiveness of potential safer consumption sites in the Big Apple. According to Rosenthal, the report has been “long overdue” and has […]