Albany Agenda

Politics

Kathy Hochul’s suburbs-approved State of the State speech

Crime is bad! Housing is optional. The governor shied away from bold proposals that characterized her agenda last year as Democrats fight to win back the House.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Hochul ignores migrants in 2024 State of the State speech

Hochul said she would address the migrant issue during a budget speech next week but otherwise did not mention it.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Hochul’s State of the State: What’s in it for New York City?

The governor’s annual address on Tuesday included 204 proposals for the future of New York. Here’s what’s in it for New York City.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Takeaways from Hochul’s 2024 State of the State agenda

As the state faces major immigration and housing challenges, the governor launched an agenda aimed at ruffling the fewest feathers possible in a major election year.

Albany Agenda

Politics

Back in the Capitol, lawmakers talk housing

They killed the governor’s housing plan last year, torpedoed her chief judge nomination and passed a late budget. What will lawmakers look forward to this year?

Albany Agenda

Politics

Top Hochul aide Micah Lasher likely to announce Assembly run

A Democratic club announcement for a Jan. 10 forum listed him among candidates for Daniel O’Donnell’s seat.

Heard Around Town

Policy

Let the 61-day New York legislative session begin!

New York state lawmakers report to the Capitol part time for six months of the year.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Hochul unveils proposal to eliminate insulin co-pays in New York

In a toned-down preview of her agenda for the year, the governor said she would aim to expand consumer protections.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Newburgh to vote on rent stabilization amid New York’s legislative void on housing

The city would be the second upstate to opt in to rent stabilization, declaring a local housing emergency.

Albany Agenda

Policy

The issues most likely to dominate the 2024 New York legislative session

Next year’s session will be complicated by a big budget deficit and looming elections.

Albany Agenda

Politics

Democratic legislators seek to remove Trump from the ballot

State Sens. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Liz Krueger, Gustavo Rivera, Tim Kennedy and Shelley Mayer want to kick the former president off next year's ticket for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Albany Agenda

Politics

Democratic socialists look to make inroads in the Bronx

The DSA plans to endorse challenges to incumbent Assembly Member Michael Benedetto in the East Bronx. They’re also eyeing seats in Queens and Central Brooklyn.

Interviews & Profiles

Personality

State Sen. Pete Harckham on 2024 priorities

The Democrat discusses his new bill focused on creating greater accessibility for people with disabilities and other priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

Albany Agenda

Politics

Antisemitism review at CUNY sparks anxiety for free speech, public education advocates

Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to look into discrimination at New York City’s public colleges.

Courts

Policy

New York’s progressive chief judge joins with conservatives to expand DNA searches by law enforcement

In a 4-3 decision, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson ruled that the Commission on Forensic Science has the authority to allow law enforcement to search DNA databases to find partial DNA matches from relatives of potential suspects.

Health Care

Policy

Filling in the gaps left by federal child care funding running out

State Sen. Jabari Brisport has reupped his Universal Child Care Act for next year.