Topics New York State
Who Do Prosecutors Blame for Wrongful Convictions? Apparently Not Themselves.

Here are the key findings from the second installment of our investigation into New York’s conviction integrity units.

Ryan Kost   ·   April 14, 2025
Phantom Bill Targeting Education Rules Triggers Sharp Backlash in Statehouse

No lawmaker will take credit for the proposal, but its quiet circulation has sparked fierce debate over state control of religious education.

Bianca Fortis   ·   April 10, 2025
Hundreds of New Yorkers’ Lives Could Be Saved Each Year Under New Program

Following New York Focus’s reporting, the state health department is moving to implement a law meant to boost kidney donations.

Sam Mellins   ·   April 10, 2025
Trump Targets New York Climate Laws. But Is It Just for Show?

“There’s no legal basis for what they’re trying to do,” said one legal expert.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   April 9, 2025
‘An Open Secret’: Sackets Harbor ICE Raid Shows the ‘Reality’ of New York Dairy Country

The detention of three children and their mother shocked the town. It also highlighted just how much the region’s key industries depend on immigrant workers.

Julia Rock   ·   April 9, 2025
Court Records Undercut Bronx DA’s Testimony on Discovery Rollbacks

Hochul’s proposed rollbacks are one of the major sticking points in this year’s budget negotiations. One prosecutor’s support rested on a faulty anecdote.

Ryan Kost   ·   April 8, 2025
Trump Cuts Imperil Heating and Cooling Assistance in New York

Drastic cutbacks coupled with skyrocketing utility costs put seniors and other vulnerable households at greater risk for severe illness and death.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   April 8, 2025
Bill to Loosen Education Standards Quietly Circulates in Albany

Yeshivas and other nonpublic schools face a looming deadline to prove they offer an education similar to the state’s public schools. A proposed bill would loosen those rules and potentially delay the deadline.

Bianca Fortis   ·   April 3, 2025
Trump’s Anti-Trans Order Clashes With New York Law

New York law mandates gender-affirming care — but some hospitals are backing down anyway.

Nathan Porceng   ·   April 2, 2025
Climate Groups Sue Hochul Administration Over Climate Law Backtracking

Environmentalists have long charged that New York is falling short of its climate mandates. Now, they’re taking the state to court.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   March 31, 2025
Trump’s Federal Cuts Push New York Mental Health Programs to Brink of Collapse

Mental health providers are scrambling to prevent mass layoffs and program closures, leaving advocates urging state leaders to step in before it’s too late.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   March 31, 2025
St. Regis Mohawk School at Risk as State Funding Falls Short

Governor Hochul’s budget allocates only a fraction of what the state Board of Regents suggested for three state-owned Indigenous schools.

Bianca Fortis   ·   March 30, 2025
As Deaths Mount in New York Jails and Prisons, Advocates Rally for Oversight

They want to beef up the powerful but little-known State Commission of Correction.

Chris Gelardi   ·   March 29, 2025
‘I’m Doing This for My Friend’: Imprisoned Man Recounts Watching Guards Beat Messiah Nantwi to Death

Nantwi’s cellmate, the only incarcerated witness in the room as guards allegedly killed the 22-year-old, speaks out for the first time.

Chris Gelardi   ·   March 28, 2025
The Behind-the-Scenes Rainmakers of Andrew Cuomo’s Campaign

The campaign has created 64 public fundraising web pages for people to raise money on its behalf. But it didn’t disclose any intermediaries.

Julia Rock and Chris Bragg   ·   March 28, 2025
Canceling Subscriptions Could Get Much Easier in New York — If Lawmakers Get Their Way

Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to make canceling subscriptions easier would exempt many major companies. The Senate wants to eliminate that loophole.

Sam Mellins   ·   March 27, 2025
New York’s Teacher Misconduct Cases Face Years-Long Delays, Leaving Students in Limbo

A New York Focus investigation finds that the state can take up to seven years to resolve complaints against educators.

Bianca Fortis   ·   March 26, 2025
Food Stamp Theft Could be Much Higher Than Reported, Survey Suggests

Thousands of New Yorkers have had their food benefits stolen. Meanwhile, Congress will likely move forward with major cuts to the lifeline program.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   March 26, 2025
Trump Freeze Leaves New York Farmers in Limbo

In rural New York, even some Republicans are frustrated as the administration halts $186 million in conservation payments to farmers.

Clara Hemphill   ·   March 25, 2025
In Brief: New York’s Plan to Build Public Renewable Energy

A 2023 law is transforming the state power authority into one of New York’s biggest renewable developers. Some still want it to go further.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   March 25, 2025