Covering the politics, policies and people of New York State government.
Life has come full circle for Regina Calcaterra, starting with her success as a student at SUNY New Paltz. After writing two books, an illustrious career in state government, and being named a partner at a law firm, Calcaterra is returning to New Paltz to be the commencement speaker […]
Transgender New Yorkers still face discrimination, whether it be in the workplace, at school or in housing. To help fight such discrimination, Assembly members Deborah Glick and Daniel O’Donnell have announced funding that will allow more members of the transgender community access to civil legal services. The budget will […]
A lawmaker is “appalled” over the DEC’s black bear management plan that aims to expand hunting opportunities in New York. The Department of Environmental Conservation on April 6 released its annual bear harvest report, noting that the 2015 hunting season saw the second largest bear harvest on record. In 2015, […]
A large coalition of environmental groups is urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to “just say no” to the controversial Constitution Pipeline, which would deliver natural gas across New York’s Southern Tier. More than a hundred people rallied in Albany to urge Cuomo to deny certification that is still needed to build […]
A new bill would require teachers to complete mental health education and awareness courses to make them more knowledgeable about mental health issues with their students. Assemblyman Marcus Crespo and Sen. Jesse Hamilton proposed the new legislation (S.6234/A.9299) because, they noted, children spend much of their time in school, making […]
A bill package being pushed by Assembly Republicans would help young adults who are faced with thousands of dollars of student debt. There were six pieces of legislation unveiled at a recent Albany press conference, each of which is sponsored by either Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci or Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, or […]
A statewide advocacy group for educators, school administrators and parents is asking for a new $75 million budget line dedicated to helping English language learners in New York state. The group also wants the Legislature to change funding for BOCES aid and Special Services Aid to further help the ELL […]
The Fostering Youth Success Alliance proposed a $4.5 million budget this year to make it more realistic for young adults in foster care to go to college. The coalition was formed in 2015 and consists of 18 organizations. Their program was awarded an initial $1.5 million to send 352 foster […]