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Last Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced an 11 count indictment of Assemblymember Pamela Harris (D-Brooklyn) for fraud and obstruction in what prosecutors allege was a series of schemes to defraud to defraud the city of New York, the federal government and a bankruptcy proceeding. The indictment alleges […]

Last Tuesday, Compassion & Choices announced the launch of their campaign to have state lawmakers pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act (S.3151/A.2383) which would authorize medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live who are and found by two doctors to be mentally capable to make this […]

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

On January 19, the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce is holding a program on Employee Paid Time Off: Legal and Practical Issues. On January 24, the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering is holding a public hearing in Albany “to discuss the potential of sports betting in New York State.” On January 30, the […]

On January 4, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business and the Senate Administrative Regulations Review Commission held a public hearing in Albany on the state Department of Labor’s proposed rulemaking relating to employee scheduling. Unshackle Upstate joined with the Business Council of New York State, the state chapter of the National […]

Last Wednesday, Governor Cuomo delivered his 2018 State of the State Address, which kicks off the state’s 2018 legislative session.  [Read the Governor’s press release, the booklet that accompanied his speech and the 23 proposals he announced prior to the speech.] Read Unshackle Upstate’s response here. The Governor outlined a wide-ranging 2018 agenda that includes […]

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R- Suffolk County) detailed his conference’s priorities for 2018, the Blueprint for a Stronger New York. They include balancing this year’s budget with no new taxes; making the real property tax cap permanent; reducing energy taxes; enacting a comprehensive regulatory reform package; and reducing taxes on small businesses […]

Three state legislators from Western New York are calling on Gov. Cuomo to extend the Jan. 31 SAFE Act deadline for renewing pistol permits that are more than five years old. After that date, they will be invalid. State Senator Robert Ortt (R – North Tonawanda), Assemblyman Angelo Morinello (R-Niagara Falls) and Assemblyman Michael Norris […]

Unshackle Upstate is part of a coalition of business groups on that is calling on New York State to reform its prevailing wage law in 2018. New York’s law requires government public works contractors to pay their employees a union-like wage, increasing the costs of projects in New York anywhere from 13% in the Albany […]

Wilson, Molinaro Will Not Run for Governor in 2018 Citing family obligations, businessman Harry Wilson announced this week that he will not run for New York governor in 2018. Some Republicans leaders considered Wilson, who served on President Obama’s task force that helped save the auto industry, to have the best chance of any GOP […]