![A man installing a solar panel](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/VgmXqkJpKmlFJMPaGt3CkfOHljjXUQR82tQoVz6RpFw/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9VbnRpdGxlZC1kZXNpZ24tMTUuanBn.jpg)
Workers at Long Island’s leading rooftop solar installation firm voted to unionize, in a New York first. Then the company furloughed almost half of them.
![Governor Kathy Hochul holds two signed bills, superimposed over a background showing the state of New York.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/AW62lNK65i2AKvBaqk_9YOARglde0XPg9uIJK-HvQB8/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9zdGF0ZS1vZi1zdGF0ZS5qcGc.jpg)
The governor gave a preview of her budget priorities — and we looked out for 2024’s major fights. Follow along to see what we’re watching.
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A “ghost entity” linked to Tom Suozzi spent $2 million attacking Kathy Hochul. Then the Board of Elections started an investigation, and it disappeared.
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One hundred and fifteen laws that almost were.
![New York Governor Kathy Hochul, seated, holds a document that has been edited to read "New York Focus Quiz!" in front of a background covered in question marks.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/Lxf9RffNVr7w6IqQkg62oCnEXZYb7mxtEYnN0v2kMYA/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9rYXRoeWZvY3VzcXVpei5qcGc.jpg)
Thanks for a great 2023. To show our gratitude, we’re giving you a test.
![New York governor Kathy Hochul kneels in a red suit with a child looking out in distress](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/AtNemPN1FANiwOpNLxjlkx3tsjQiM_f0CNUlZPCxrjs/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9ob2NodWwtY2hpbGRjYXJlLmpwZw.jpg)
The clock is ticking for the governor to sign or veto a bill to expand child care assistance. Her administration might decide it costs too much — but supporters say their numbers are off.
![The back of an open prison transport van](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/j53I_SQkU4Wm5jETVqiRnITBMzZXp8dPo2OAi5EgIKk/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy90cmFuc3BvcnQudmFuLmpwZw.jpg)
New York jails can transfer people with mental illnesses to maximum security prisons, even while they’re legally innocent.
![Gray poster-style houses over a sepia landscape.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/gkxCOHuXd3x0x71H47k2IKmcnq_Dko9SvjBxsxOzTvc/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9pZGEtaG91c2luZ19pbGxvLmpwZw.jpg)
As the governor urges more housing, IDAs are looking to pitch in. Critics say it goes beyond their legal role.
![Attica Correctional facility exterior in grayscale, with bright TV static behind.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/cTPNJMUyn_VHRDa6ApvlCwbQAnoUG2bRz5EH4IAnVrQ/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9hdHRpY2FzdGF0aWNhLmpwZw.jpg)
The State Commission of Correction has been stumbling for decades — with millions of incarcerated people caught in the lurch.
![Kathy Hochul stands with her hands spread at a podium reading "Combatting the Opioid Epidemic"](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/D45nkYldh9NdVKD9zlZijDdj6DjrQ-g1y7ggTrldgUs/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9ob2NodWwtb3Bpb2lkLmpwZw.jpg)
The governor has neglected to announce a public emergency over the increasingly deadly opioid epidemic. Observers are perplexed.
![State Senator Julia Salazar speaks at a podium.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/At5_Oa4qm5kFXvw5eOmJTkWptK3Km1kUYq03zCmfD3A/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9zYWxhemFyLTMuMi4yMi5qcGc.jpg)
The legislation cites multiple New York Focus investigations in its attempt to safeguard the rights of incarcerated people.
![A line of unemployment seekers waits in a San Francisco benefits office during the Great Depression in a black-and-white image. Color clipart of a chatbot is overlayed on the left side](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/ew9xQjRB6KAvX2wKx0dHH3m5BlhhOUEAg_VD6z7VIe4/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy91bmVtcGxveW1lbnQtYm90LmpwZw.jpg)
A Rochester man lost his job while his daughter went through cancer treatment. He’s struggled to communicate with the DOL for months.
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The state council that reviews grievances spent an average of eight seconds on each case in its last meeting — and rejected nearly all of them.
![Court of Appeals judges stand and clap for Caitlin Halligan](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/RrtjSiqWOOIsOVIu0grcVNhFg5WyWy_wqO-9trNhjO0/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9oYWxsaWdhbi1zd2VhcmluZy1pbi42LjcuMjMuanBn.jpg)
The rulings shed light on the leanings of Caitlin Halligan, the court’s newest judge and frequent tie-breaker.
![Chief Judge Rowan Wilson sits on the Court of Appeals bench.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/vSvo9WsOmADMIqDI3DOWawk_gXtKv1kX_plqNdCBEcI/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9yb3dhbi13aWxzb24tOS4xMi4yMy5qcGc.jpg)
While the United States Supreme Court seeks to restrict the government’s ability to regulate, the New York Court of Appeals is broadening it.
![A Sysco truck against a background of logging](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/ZugghlGtDkhK3z8fxJ_i83JfosMnX4sAtVpioIMo9DM/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9Ib3VzaW5nLWxhYm9yLTEuanBn.jpg)
While Hochul considers a bill to pressure state contractors to stop deforestation, the massive food supplier is voicing concerns to her administration.
![](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/VPvvi8ZNcJpgk7wVewzftSi_EVaaC33z6mfjqE9CtW4/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9qYWlsLWNlbGwtc3RhdGljLmpwZw.jpg)
New York imposes strict regulations on “segregated confinement.” What if it’s just called “confinement”?
![A man in a crowd holds a sign reading "New York Stands With Israel" and bearing the logos of several nonprofit groups.](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/wapgqa4oLaSY0scozylahamrqzVgAS6LBYE-uH9nuWs/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9ueXN0YW5kd2l0aGlzcmFlbC5qcGc.jpg)
Israeli settlers have unleashed a wave of violence on Palestinians. With tax-deductible donations, New Yorkers can help equip them to carry it out.
![A group of people with signed saying "no rate hikes"](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/K5V-OWtsNXIFvVRZolKW0Cq6f6VtrR03v8xMfTkdzMU/w:600/h:400/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9BTV9TaHJlc3RoYV9DZW50cmFsSHVkc29uSGVhcmluZ19vcHQuanBn.jpg)
Hudson Valley legislators and advocates are urging the state to reject the double-digit hike, arguing it could illegally stick customers with the bill for the company’s own mess.
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The prison department doesn’t track overdose deaths in its custody. A New York Focus analysis found that the overdose death rate has tripled.