Janet DiFiore was sworn in Monday as the Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals following a unanimous confirmation by the Senate. “My professional life has been devoted to the fair administration of justice, and I [will] gladly continue my service to the people of New York on […]
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Assembly committee passes GMO labeling bill
The Assembly’s Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection passed a bill Tuesday that would require mandatory labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. The bill, A.617, passed through the committee with nine affirmative votes. The vote comes on the heels of the controversial federal approval of genetically […]
Program helps foster children attend college
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 […]
Congressman Gibson eyes run for governor in 2018
Congressman Chris Gibson filed paperwork Monday to form a statewide candidate committee as he considers running for governor in 2018. Gibson made the announcement following a year of travel around New York state where visited 41 of New York’s 62 counties. He says meeting with New Yorkers from all walks of […]
Education commissioner seeks additional $1.4B for new programs
Katherine Carroll & Kintura Williams Department of Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia is asking state legislators to add $1.4 billion to the proposed education budget, which falls short of what the Board of Regents had requested. During her testimony at a recent budget hearing, Elia emphasized the need for continued teacher development, […]
Charter school families proud of accomplishments, lobby for more resources
Hundreds of parents, students and teachers filled the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on Tuesday for the 12th annual Charter School Advocacy Day. The event celebrates the talents of charter school students, but also serves as a lobbying event to get the attention of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers […]
Is this the end for the Senate Republicans?
One of the biggest questions in Albany is who will rule the state Senate after the 2016 elections. Governor Andrew Cuomo says that he wants the Democrats in control, but most educated political consumers know that he speaks with a forked tongue on the issue. In fact, like his […]
Nine out of ten NY’ers say Albany corruption is a ‘serious’ problem
After a year of high-profile corruption cases in the state Legislature, 89 percent of registered voters say corruption in state government is a “serious” problem. More than half — 53 percent — call it “very serious” — and two-thirds say corruption is a serious problem among legislators from their […]