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Five Republican State Senators announced in recent weeks that they will not run for re-election this fall. The Senate GOP will be defending their one-vote majority in the Senate, which they have because Democratic Senator Simcha Felder caucuses with them. State Senator Tom Croci (R-Suffolk County) announced that he will not run for re-election this […]

Last Wednesday, the Senate approved its Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, a package of tax, regulatory, and economic development reforms “that will help make New York more competitive and foster job growth at a time when the state’s private sector faces widespread obstacles to success.” Items from the Jobs and Opportunity Agenda include: a small business […]

Last Tuesday, the newly-reunified Senate Democratic Conference held its first press conference at which they called for Senate action on a package of bills making it easier to vote. They noted that New York ranks just 41st in the nation in terms of voter turnout. The bills the Democrats are pushing include: establishing early voting […]

Last Monday, Gov. Cuomo announced legislation that would ban all single-use, plastic carryout bags at any point of sale in the state. The bill exempts garment bags, trash bags and any bags used to wrap or contain certain foods, such as fruits and sliced meats. The ban would go into effect on January 1, 2019, […]

Last Tuesday, State Senator Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) said that he will continue caucusing with the Senate’s Republicans. His decision means that the Senate Republicans will retain control of the State Senate at least through the end of 2018. In April, Gov. Cuomo brokered an agreement in which the Senate’s eight-member Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) rejoined […]

Quinnipiac Poll: Cuomo Leads Nixon in Primary and Molinaro in General A Quinnipiac Poll released on Wednesday shows Gov. Cuomo leading challenger Cynthia Nixon 50 percent to 28 percent among Democratic voters. Against Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive and likely Republican nominee, the Governor leads 57 percent to 26 percent. Assemblyman Bob Oaks Will Not […]

Last month, Gov. Cuomo announced that he has issued an executive order that restores voting rights to individuals on parole. The order will impact about 35,000 people, as well as future offenders who are released on parole. The order does not change state law. It would requiring the commissioner of the state’s Department of Corrections […]

Advocates for immigrant communities and state lawmakers held a rally at the Capitol last week to push for allowing undocumented residents to obtain drivers’ licenses. The Green Light NY coalition called on state lawmakers to approve the Driver License Access and Privacy Act (A.10273, Crespo), which would enable undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses. Currently, […]

Last week, the New York State Department of Labor held the first of seven public hearings to “examine the state’s tip credit,” which allows restaurants and other tipped businesses to make up minimum wages with tips. If the tip credit is eliminated, employers would have to pay tipped workers an additional $2.90 per hour throughout […]

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read last week’s list here.