Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and Sen. James Sanders have introduced a bill to prevent the use of the app TikTok on state-owned devices. The bills (S.508/A.03317) would prevent anyone — employee or contractor — from using or accessing TikTok on any government issued device that can connect to the internet, whether […]
Month: April 2023
Environmental Groups, Lawmakers and Businesses Pushing to Close State’s Largest Landfill by 2025
A coalition of state lawmakers, New York City Council members and environmental groups are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to close a landfill in the Finger Lakes while the owners hope for an extension and expansion on the landfill. On April 6, Assembly Member Anna Kelles and New York City […]
State Payroll Rose to $18.2B Last Year, According to Empire Center’s New Data
The SeeThroughNY database — the largest single depository for information on New York state salaries and spending — published new 2022 payroll details for employees that worked for the state’s executive, legislative and judicial branches. The database is published by the Empire Center, an Albany-based think tank focused on making sure […]
As Courts Battle Over Abortion Pill, Hochul and AG James Promise Uninterrupted Access
In the wake of a Texas federal court ruling against access to the pregnancy-ending drug Mifepristone, New York lawmakers and health care experts met for a virtual press conference Tuesday to promise uninterrupted access to reproductive health care, including abortion, in the state of New York. Dipal Shah, the executive […]
Gov. Hochul Nominates Rowan Wilson for Chief Judge Following Rejection of Original Pick
Gov. Kathy Hochul has nominated Judge Rowan D. Wilson on April 10, to assume the vacant position of Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. This comes after her initial choice, Hector LaSalle, was rejected by fellow Democrats in the state Senate. The nomination, Wilson said, would […]
Opinion: Budget Process Demonstrates That One-Party Rule Doesn’t Work
It is nothing short of disappointing that the process to generate a state budget has yielded confusion, a missed deadline, at least one emergency extender and uncertainty for residents and businesses who rely on the critical funding included in the agreement. Considering that the closed-door negotiations are being conducted by […]
Regional Food Banks Benefit from New York Farm Bureau Donations
New York Farm Bureau members donated nearly 6.4 million pounds of food to regional food banks across the state last year. Through the Harvest for All program, a nationwide annual farm donation program, Farm Bureau members distributed the donation among 10 Feeding America food banks throughout the state. The number […]
Publisher’s Corner: Does the ‘Persuader’ Have Our Best Interest In Mind?
In the end, it is a matter of priorities. Right now, our top priority is understanding why Donald Trump is sucking up all the oxygen in the room. People either can’t stand the guy, and I count myself in that group, or they adore him. I truly can’t understand what […]