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New York governor Kathy Hochul kneels in a red suit with a child looking out in distress
Hochul Administration’s Inflated Cost Estimate Could Imperil Child Care Bill

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.

Arabella Saunders   ·   December 21, 2023
The back of an open prison transport van
He Was Sick, So They Sent Him to Prison

New York jails can transfer people with mental illnesses to maximum security prisons, even while they’re legally innocent.

Chris Gelardi   ·   December 21, 2023
Gray poster-style houses over a sepia landscape.
Industrial Development Agencies Look to Dish Out Housing Tax Breaks

As the governor urges more housing, IDAs are looking to pitch in. Critics say it goes beyond their legal role.

Arabella Saunders and J. Dale Shoemaker   ·   December 20, 2023
Attica Correctional facility exterior in grayscale, with bright TV static behind.
This Agency Is Supposed to Monitor Jails. Is Anyone Monitoring It?

The State Commission of Correction has been stumbling for decades — with millions of incarcerated people caught in the lurch.

Eliza Fawcett   ·   December 18, 2023
Kathy Hochul stands with her hands spread at a podium reading "Combatting the Opioid Epidemic"
With Overdose Deaths at All-Time High, Hochul Ignores Calls to Declare Emergency

The governor has neglected to announce a public emergency over the increasingly deadly opioid epidemic. Observers are perplexed.

Spencer Norris   ·   December 14, 2023
State Senator Julia Salazar speaks at a podium.
Sweeping Salazar, Souffrant Forrest Bill Targets Rogue Prisons and Jails

The legislation cites multiple New York Focus investigations in its attempt to safeguard the rights of incarcerated people.

Chris Gelardi   ·   December 7, 2023
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
Unemployed New Yorkers Can’t Reach Human Agents at the Labor Department

A Rochester man lost his job while his daughter went through cancer treatment. He’s struggled to communicate with the DOL for months.

Maxwell Parrott   ·   December 5, 2023
‘A Waste of Time’: Inside New York’s Broken Jail Accountability System

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.

Eliza Fawcett and Chris Gelardi   ·   December 4, 2023
Court of Appeals judges stand and clap for Caitlin Halligan
New Pro-Defendant Decisions Signal Sea Change at New York’s Top Court

The rulings shed light on the leanings of Caitlin Halligan, the court’s newest judge and frequent tie-breaker.

Sam Mellins   ·   November 30, 2023
Chief Judge Rowan Wilson sits on the Court of Appeals bench.
New York’s Top Court Just Narrowed the Case That Spelled Doom for Bloomberg’s Soda Ban

While the United States Supreme Court seeks to restrict the government’s ability to regulate, the New York Court of Appeals is broadening it.

Sam Mellins   ·   November 28, 2023
A Sysco truck against a background of logging
As Hochul Weighs Deforestation Bill, Sysco Steps in to Lobby

While Hochul considers a bill to pressure state contractors to stop deforestation, the massive food supplier is voicing concerns to her administration.

Julia Rock   ·   November 27, 2023
How County Jails Sidestep Solitary Confinement Law

New York imposes strict regulations on “segregated confinement.” What if it’s just called “confinement”?

Eliza Fawcett   ·   November 22, 2023
A man in a crowd holds a sign reading "New York Stands With Israel" and bearing the logos of several nonprofit groups.
New York Charities Send Combat Gear to West Bank Settlements

Israeli settlers have unleashed a wave of violence on Palestinians. With tax-deductible donations, New Yorkers can help equip them to carry it out.

Chris Gelardi   ·   November 16, 2023
A group of people with signed saying "no rate hikes"
Amid Billing Fiasco, Hudson Valley Utility Pushes for Steep Gas and Electric Rate Hike

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.

Julia Rock   ·   November 14, 2023
As Overdose Deaths Mount in New York Prisons, Treatment Program Crawls

The prison department doesn’t track overdose deaths in its custody. A New York Focus analysis found that the overdose death rate has tripled.

Jake Neenan   ·   November 9, 2023
How Unelected Local Officials Dole Out Wind and Solar Tax Breaks

County and municipal economic development agencies play a key role in New York’s wind and solar buildout — but some say it’s not their job.

Julia Rock   ·   November 7, 2023
Exterior of a hospital with cars and motorcycles parked in front
Despite State Measures, New Yorkers Fear Health Care Over Medical Debt Lawsuits

Recent legislation has sought to rein in medical debt collection. But the bills don’t stop lawsuits in the first place — and some patients decline care out of financial concern.

Churchill Ndonwie   ·   October 27, 2023
Long Island Politicians Claim Victory for Hochul Wind Power Veto

Climate watchers say the state can’t meet its renewable energy goals without overriding local opposition.

Julia Rock   ·   October 26, 2023
Construction equipment at the Sand Land pit.
Court Orders and Threats of Fines Fail to Curb Rogue Long Island Mine

The Sand Land mine is defying multiple orders to cease operations. Politicians are at a loss for how to respond.

Sam Mellins   ·   October 24, 2023
New York’s Ties to Israel Bring the Gaza War Home

Even as experts warn of mass ethnic cleansing in Gaza, New York politicians have remained unwavering in their support for Israel since the Hamas attack. They’ve been less vocal about their state’s ties to the occupation of Palestine.

Chris Gelardi and Julia Rock   ·   October 19, 2023
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