Albany Agenda

Policy

Here’s what’s on the agenda for the 2025 state legislative session

From education to criminal justice, lawmakers have a lot to debate next year in Albany.

Criminal Justice

Policy

Criminal justice reform advocates start new push for sentencing reform

For the fourth year in a row, activists are backing a trio of bills that would give incarcerated people time off for good behavior and allow judges to impose more lenient sentences.

Rikers Island

Updated Politics

A timeline on the closure of Rikers Island

The long-awaited decision on a federal takeover will have to wait till an unknown date.

New York State

Policy

Hochul: ‘I’ll be the first to call up ICE’ to deport immigrants who break the law

The governor said she supports immigrants with “legal papers” but will cooperate with the Trump administration to remove immigrants who break the law.

Policy

Policy

NYC paid $160 million in settlements under Child Victims Act

Payouts were mostly for cases filed against the Department of Education, as former investigators at an independent watchdog claimed they were told to reverse substantiated allegations of child sex abuse.

Policy

Policy

Upstate county settles with NYCLU over mistreatment of transgender people in jails

With the state Legislature unable to pass a law mandating equitable treatment for incarcerated transgender individuals, NYCLU has taken to suing individual counties.

Adams probes

Politics

NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal criminal charges

The indictment against the mayor is expected to be unsealed Thursday morning.

News & Politics

Politics

John Liu defends Linda Sun in wake of federal indictment

While Republicans demanded wide-ranging investigations into the Hochul administration, state Sen. John Liu cautioned against rushing to judgment.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Facilitating democracy during detention

Most people detained in jail still have the right to vote. To help them exercise that right, we brought voter registration forms and absentee ballots to our local jail.

News & Politics

Politics

NYC paid $120,000 to settle police misconduct allegations against now-GOP candidate Alison Esposito

The former NYPD officer was sued twice over alleged wrongful arrests and is running against Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan.

Protests

Politics

Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups push for mask ban

The NAACP New York Conference, ADL and other groups are backing a mask ban introduced by Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz.

Albany Agenda

Policy

The bills that passed and failed to pass in the last week of session

Landmark new social media regulations for kids passed the Legislature, but the NY HEAT Act didn’t make it past the finish line.

Albany Agenda

Policy

Legislators and formerly incarcerated mothers rally for sentencing reform bills

State Sens. Julia Salazar and Jeremy Cooney joined advocates to push for a trio of bills that would reduce excessive prison sentences.

Rikers Island

Opinion

Opinion: Is it possible to get the effort to close Rikers Island back on track?

The troubled jail’s closure has been cast adrift in a sea of half truths, bad ideas and polarized debate.

News & Politics

Politics

Adams says crime is down as he takes aim at NYPD critics

Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban announced that crime in the subways is actually down, despite public perception of a crime spike.

Budget

Policy

Criminal justice reform push comes as state budget negotiations drag on

Advocates join in a call for passing a package of bills that make it easier to challenge wrongful convictions and ease financial burdens on incarcerated persons and their families.

NYPD

Politics

Adams defends NYPD’s 'right to have an opinion'

The mayor responded to the department’s criticism of a journalist on X

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Confronting the surge in domestic violence homicides in NYC

Survivors need access to safe housing and community-based violence prevention.

Eric Adams

Politics

Adams rings public safety alarm bells, but says city is not “out of control”

The killings of an NYPD officer and an individual on the subway tracks on Monday pointed to a trio of public safety issues for the city, according to the mayor.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Slaying New York’s two-headed monster driving up car insurance costs

The city and state must increase enforcement against garaging fraud and “ghost cars,” the illegal practices responsible for New York’s extremely high car insurance costs.