Covering the politics, policies and people of New York State government.
Senators Brad Hoylman and Jamaal Bailey introduced a bill they would enhance the free speech protections of New Yorkers by banning the use of art created by a defendant as evidence against them in a courtroom. Their “Rap Music on Trial” legislation (S.7527) would protect all artists and content creators, […]
The temporary law that that allows voters to use an absentee ballot for COVID-related reasons is expiring soon and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is proposing an extension through February, 2024. As the Jan. 1, 2022 sunset approaches, Dinowitz said his proposal to extend the absentee ballot eligibility is motivated by a […]
Select mass vaccination sites across New York state are now administering COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 to 11. “Parents have been waiting for the ability to protect their young children from COVID-19, and we are doing everything we can to make that possible,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. Following the […]
On Tuesday October 26, 2021, Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin opened the new East Gate Plaza for The Walkway Over The Hudson. Located just outside the Poughkeepsie entrance, the new gathering space doubles in space atop the Washington Street Stairs and provides an ideal location for community events. The $2 million […]
The problem, of course, is that sometimes we see political actors behave in ways that they really didn’t intend to. “Huh,” you say. Okay, so take Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. He tried to bring charges against Andrew Cuomo for the former governor’s alleged unwanted and inappropriate touching of a […]
Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Dr. Mary Bassett the new state health commissioner, starting on December 1. Bassett’s career has spanned academia, government and nonprofit work. She currently serves as the director of the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and is a professor in the Department […]
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced appointments to the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. The governor is appointing James Dering to serve as the acting chair of the Commission and the Honorable Randall Hinrichs to serve on the Commission. Hochul also announced that she is beginning a process to review and […]
Gov. Kathy Hochul has tapped Sen. Brian Benjamin as her lieutenant governor, a move that drew praise from fellow Democrats and criticism from others who call the Harlem lawmaker a “radical leftist.” Benjamin who ran for state comptroller in this year’s state elections, has served as the New York State […]