Policy

Policy

New York City’s first women-majority council to take on abortion access

The City Council will consider bills to allow people to sue for abortion interference and prohibit city resources for enforcement of other states’ restrictions among other actions.

Education

Policy

Summer Rising gets off to a stronger start, but still with some bumps

While there have been some logistical issues hampering staffing and transportation, providers say this year’s rollout has made significant strides over last.

New York State

Policy

Janet DiFiore’s resignation comes at a pivotal time in New York’s fight against conservative Supreme Court

Gov. Kathy Hochul will choose a new judge to lead the state’s highest court, which could be tasked with making determinations on consequential issues, including abortion and gun control.

New York State

Policy

RIP JCOPE

New York’s beleaguered ethics watchdog has officially been replaced, going out with something of a bang for its last action.

New York State

Policy

Takeaways from JCOPE’s 2021 New York lobbying report

Lobbying spending reached almost $293 million in 2021, according to a new report from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. The hospital association, United Teachers and Doordash were among top clients.

Gun Control

Policy

Here’s how New York’s concealed carry law is ‘vulnerable’ to litigation

The U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling sought to eliminate subjectivity from the licensing standards, but the state’s counter rules introduce new requirements that could be open to interpretation by licensing agencies.

New York City

Policy

Eric Adams wants New York to learn to live with COVID. The city scrapped its guide map for how to do that.

New York City said it is reevaluating its color-coded COVID alert system, even as the city has seen a rise in cases and the BA.5 variant taking hold.

Policy

Policy

How New York’s highest court has veered right

A new four-judge bloc has consistently voted together in the most recent term, impacting criminal defendants, workers and people suing police.

Policy

Policy

NYC Ferry is taking on water, audit finds

Comptroller audit finds $224 million in undisclosed expenditures during the previous administration.

Labor

Policy

NYC rolls out 20% pay jump for lifeguards in wake of dire shortages

Amid a national lifeguard shortage, city officials have agreed to increase wages and expedite training for lifeguards in order to staff public pools and beaches.

New York State

Policy

Hochul signs climate bills, but advocates want more

As time runs out to meet the state’s climate goals, activists say both the governor and lawmakers can act with more urgency

Policy

Policy

Here’s how New York’s revised concealed carry law will set new limitations on guns

The legislation signed into law Friday mandates training courses for concealed carry license holders, prohibits guns in Times Square and sets firearm storage requirements.

New York City

Policy

New Yorkers are scrambling for public restroom access with limited availability

While a new bill would require city departments to identify a new restroom location in every ZIP code, it stops short from ordering their completion.

New York State

Policy

New York lawmakers address abortion, gun restrictions during sleep-deprived extraordinary session

The Legislature took steps toward amending the state constitution to protect abortion rights and enacting adjusted gun restrictions after two pivotal Supreme Court rulings.

Policy

Policy

Finger Lakes cryptomining operation is inconsistent with climate law, state finds

Citing “tripled facility emissions,” the state Department of Environmental Conservation denied an air permit renewal for Greenidge Generation, a former coal plant near Seneca Lake.

Gun Control

Policy

As gun laws change in New York, enforcement agencies expect chaos

Police in New York are seeing a surge in requests from gun owners for concealed carry permission following the Supreme Court ruling, but new laws from the state Legislature will likely complicate the process.

Education

Policy

On determining NYC class sizes, all eyes turn to Hochul

The state Legislature voted to reduce class sizes to the mayor’s chagrin, and now the governor is facing pressure on all sides.

Policy

Policy

Supporters of noncitizen voting vow to appeal state Supreme Court ruling

After a Staten Island judge ruled that the New York City law violated the state Constitution, advocates remain hopeful.

Criminal Justice

Policy

Nearly 70% of detainees at Rikers women’s jail can be safely released: advocates

Criminal justice advocates and experts called on the city to study how it can free women and gender-expansive people housed at the Rose M. Singer Center following the death of inmate Mary Yehudah in May.