Author Archive

Rebecca C. Lewis

is the senior state politics reporter at City & State New York.

New York State

News

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.

New York State

News

Poll: Broad support for universal free school meals, higher food stamp benefits

Siena College found that strong majorities backed these anti-hunger measures to be considered by the state Legislature.

New York State

News

After years of pushing, the Clean Slate Act becomes law

Business leaders, union organizers and law enforcement all attended the bill signing in Brooklyn.

New York State

News

New York has yet to realize measurable savings from parole reform. Could that change?

A new report asked New Yorkers how they would spend money saved through state parole reform. But the state hasn’t saved as much as expected in the two years since changing its parole policy to reincarcerate fewer people.

New York City

News

Is New York ready to legalize supervised injection sites?

Two sites in New York have saved hundreds of lives, but stigma and lack of buy-in from the governor might prevent expansion.

New York State

News

‘The pain still lingers.’ Officials break ground on I-81 replacement, acknowledging environmental racism of the past

Gov. Kathy Hochul joined Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to break ground on the project.

New York State

News

Socialist legislators back bill to block New York charities from funding Israeli settlements

Many Democrats condemned the legislation, and leaders of both the state Senate and Assembly promised that it would never receive a vote.

Kathy Hochul

News

At ‘Unity Summit,’ Hochul touts gun laws, hate crime prevention

Almost a year after the Tops shooting in Buffalo, the governor said she’s taking action to prevent future racist violence.

News

Officials reach a tentative compromise on bail

After weeks of negotiations, legislative leaders and the governor have all but signed off on a deal that would remove the ‘least restrictive means’ standard for violent felonies

News

As local laws fall, leaders call for statewide ‘good cause’ eviction legislation

In a letter to state leaders shared exclusively with City & State, dozens of local leaders pushed for the tenant protections.

Advocacy groups

News

Will Hochul come around on supervised injection sites?

The governor didn’t talk much about addiction services in her State of the State, but advocates are pushing her to allow more facilities for medically supervised injection of illegal drugs.

Criminal justice

News

Debating the impacts of bail reform

State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Latrice Walker and former Queens prosecutor James Quinn discussed law changes at John Jay College of Criminal Justice Friday.

News

Hochul dedicates $35 million in state money for abortion access

As the Supreme Court moves toward reversing Roe v. Wade, the governor is working to make New York an access state.

News

County officials call on Hochul to support increased wages for home care workers

40 offices for the aging across the state sent a letter to Gov. Hochul asking she help pass the Fair Pay for Home Care Act

News

New York City

A coyote, a reporter and a state budget

A coyote, a reporter and a state budget: Recapping the top political news in New York this week

News

Claudia Tenney

Giffords-endorsed Anthony Brindisi has a 100 percent rating from the NRA

Assemblyman and congressional candidate Anthony Brindisi recently was endorsed by Giffords, the gun safety group founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, as part of its “campaign to elect gun safety champions.” But Brindisi, an upstate Democrat, has a 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association.