| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia | Presented by CVS Health | Your state lawmakers are back in Albany for the post-budget push to the end of session. In this contest, many bills will enter (the running to get taken up by both chambers), but few will win (final passage before June). We're talking hundreds of proposals, everything from criminal justice to housing to cryptocurrency. Another contender could be the Adult Survivors Act, a bill modeled on 2019's Child Victims Act, that would provide a one-year look-back window for someone who was sexually abused at age 18 or older to bring a case in civil court, even if the statute of limitation has expired. The Senate is passing the ASA today, as it did unanimously last year, "because we understand that we cannot leave any survivor of sexual abuse behind," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. It's a popular bill to support, and not a great look to oppose it publicly. The issue last year wasn't vocal pushback from any specific group — the Assembly just refused to put in on the calendar. Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes would say later that she wasn't sure "if people need to have additional time to say 'Someone hurt me.'" The bill's supporters are optimistic that they've now managed to win over some hesitant lawmakers with education on trauma and its unpredictable timelines. But another legitimate barrier is that no one can predict whether the ASA's impact — if passed and signed into law — would be in any way comparable to the enormous effects of the Child Victims Act, which clocked nearly 11,000 lawsuits over two years and crippled a handful of the state's Roman Catholic dioceses into bankruptcy. At least one prominent individual — E. Jean Carroll, who said Donald Trump raped her in a department store dressing room — has said she'd use the ASA to sue the former president. Carroll and other advocates such as Evelyn Yang and Marissa Hoechstetter are rallying with supporters today to urge the Assembly to take up ASA. The Assembly's sponsor — Manhattan Democrat Linda Rosenthal, who watched the Child Victims Act languish for more than a dozen years before she and state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) passed it in 2019 — said in a text that the "sky didn't fall" with the CVA and New York "was made safer as predators were revealed." Now, "with nearly 70 cosponsors in the Assembly and bipartisan support, there is no excuse left not to pass the ASA," she said. Gov. Kathy Hochul said in February that she supported the legislation conceptually, but hasn't committed to signing the bill. IT'S TUESDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com, or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold WHERE'S KATHY? Rallying with the New York State Nurses Association at the Renaissance Hotel in Albany. WHERE'S ERIC? Giving a speech releasing his executive budget and discussing his first 100 days in office, holding a media availability, and doing a live interview on "Stay Tuned with Preet." WHERE ARE NEW YORK'S NEW DISTRICT LINES? Being examined for gerrymandering by the Court of Appeals in Albany. ABOVE THE FOLD — " Judge Holds Trump in Contempt Over Documents in New York A.G.'s Inquiry," by The New York Times' Jonah E. Bromwich, Ben Protess and William K. Rashbaum: "A New York judge on Monday held Donald J. Trump in contempt of court for failing to turn over documents to the state's attorney general, an extraordinary rebuke of the former president. The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, ordered Mr. Trump to comply with a subpoena seeking records and assessed a fine of $10,000 per day until he satisfied the court's requirements. In essence, the judge concluded that Mr. Trump had failed to cooperate with the attorney general, Letitia James, and follow the court's orders. 'Mr. Trump: I know you take your business seriously, and I take mine seriously,' said Justice Engoron of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, before he held Mr. Trump in contempt and banged his gavel. Lawyers for Mr. Trump had argued that they conducted a thorough search for the records being sought by investigators and found no new documents to provide."
| | A message from CVS Health: New Yorkers want the lowest prescription drug costs possible and CVS Health's pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) team is delivering for them. With big drug companies continually increasing the price of prescription drugs, we negotiate lower prescription drug costs for employers, consumers and working families across the state. That saves New Yorkers and employers tens of millions of dollars each year so they can continue to provide affordable coverage that keeps their employees healthy. Learn more. | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | Adams to cut city vehicle fleet by over 850 cars, by POLITICO's Erin Durkin: New York City will slash the size of its fleet of cars by at least 855 vehicles, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday. The cut, which amounts to 3.5 percent of the city's vehicles, will shrink the fleet to the size it was under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, according to the mayor's office. The fleet jumped in size under Mayor Bill de Blasio, Adams' predecessor. Getting rid of the cars — which will be auctioned off by the end of the year — will save the city $13.7 million. " 'The stakes are high': Council demands more social service funding on eve of Adams' executive budget," by Gothamist's Elizabeth Kim: "One day before Mayor Eric Adams is set to deliver his executive budget, leading members of the New York City Council continued to press for an additional $1.3 billion in spending to be added to next year's spending plan. Lawmakers have been pushing for investments in youth programs, hospitals and mental health programs, along with other social services. They argued the services are critical for the city's most vulnerable residents amid the recovery from the pandemic, and should be included in the $99 billion spending plan that Adams first proposed in February." "Who's Afraid of the Subway?" by Curbed's Reeves Wiedeman: "On the third Saturday night in April, four days after the first mass shooting on the New York City subway in nearly 40 years, the West 4th Street station felt mostly like it always has. Half a dozen NYU students walked in from Sixth Avenue carrying cans of Four Loko and blasting music from a speaker. A stocky bro punched a digital billboard that already had a spiderweb crack obscuring an MTA public-service announcement encouraging passengers to say something if they see something. Guitar Dennis, who busks there most weekend nights, riffed on 'Another One Bites the Dust' but was drowned out by a trash train that barreled past, disappointing everyone who'd hoped it was their ride home. Elsewhere, a man who didn't seem to have his wits about him staggered dangerously close to the track. Another had his pants fully unzipped; he wasn't wearing any underwear." — The MTA's inspector general launched a probe into the agency's security camera system, after security cameras weren't working at the Brooklyn station where a gunman opened fire.
| | | | DON'T MISS ANYTHING FROM THE 2022 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is excited to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage and insights from the 25th annual Global Conference. This year's event, May 1-4, brings together more than 3,000 of the world's most influential leaders, including 700+ speakers representing more than 80 countries. "Celebrating the Power of Connection" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect influencers with the resources to change the world with leading experts and thinkers whose insight and creativity can implement that change. Whether you're attending in person or following along from somewhere else in the world, keep up with this year's conference with POLITICO's special edition "Global Insider" so you don't miss a beat. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "Hochul defends stadium deal while touting new budget," by Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "When Gov. Kathy Hochul highlighted the state's role in financing a new $1.4 billion Buffalo Bills stadium Monday at Kleinhans Music Hall, she received a loud and long standing ovation from the several hundred hand-picked guests attending. But the reaction around the rest of the state is nowhere near as enthusiastic, according to a new Siena College poll. Its latest statewide survey issued Monday shows 63% of New Yorkers oppose the state's $600 million contribution to the project, with only 24% approving. The results put the campaign mode governor a bit on the defensive in a meeting with reporters after the Kleinhans event, even if she remains as committed to the state role as ever. 'Wherever I go upstate, people are excited,' Hochul said, noting the 43% state contribution to the project cost ranks favorably with other small market stadium projects and that substantial economic development will result." "Report indicates N.Y. State leads nation in anti-Semitic incidents, with 24% jump in 2021 ," by New York Daily News' Larry McShane: "More than 400 anti-Semitic incidents, including a record number of assaults, were reported across New York State last year in a disturbing pandemic-era trend of hate, the watchdog Anti-Defamation League said Tuesday in its annual report. The 2021 statewide figures included 183 incidents of harassment, 182 reports of vandalism, 161 cases involving swastikas and 51 assaults. The assault figures for the state were the highest reported since the ADL launched its annual audit in 1979, and showed a 325% jump from the dozen recorded in 2020. 'The alarming uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in our state should be deeply concerning to all — Jews and those outside of the Jewish community,' said Scott Richman, ADL regional director for New York/New Jersey." "Syracuse's Howie Hawkins will campaign for New York governor, his 4th try," by Syracuse.com's Mark Weiner: "Howie Hawkins, a national Green Party leader from Syracuse who has run for public office 25 times, plans to launch a campaign today for New York governor. Hawkins, 69, will be making his fourth bid for governor since 2010. Hawkins told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that he will reunite with his 2010 running mate for lieutenant governor, Gloria Mattera, in a bid to make it onto this year ballot. Hawkins said he and Mattera were the first candidates in the nation to campaign for a Green New Deal, a proposal that has since been adopted by many prominent Democrats." "An Upper East Side Assembly Candidate is Brazenly Violating Campaign Finance Law," by New York Focus' Sam Mellins: "In a particularly brazen example of the widespread flouting of a campaign finance law meant to reduce corporate dark money in New York elections, a candidate for the New York state legislature accepted two illegal five-figure corporate contributions in recent months, according to a review of campaign finance filings by New York Focus. Russell Squire, a community board chair and former corporate lawyer who is running for the Upper East Side state Assembly seat being vacated by Assemblymember Dan Quart (D-Manhattan), received $10,000 in 2021 and another $10,000 in 2022 from an LLC named 'Tekmerion Capital GP.' Squire's brother, Zachary Squire, is currently the Chief Investment Officer of Tekmerion Capital, a hedge fund that he founded in 2017. The donations violated both a 2019 state law capping most corporate political contributions at $5,000 per company per calendar year and a separate law capping most contributors' gifts to individual state Assembly races at $4,700 in the primary election and another $4,700 in the general election." " New York lawmakers want better regulations to stop cryptocurrency scams," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "State lawmakers in New York are calling for additional consumer protections to address the burgeoning and rapidly developing field of investments in cryptocurrencies and its related technologies. The proposals from state Sen. Kevin Thomas and Assemblyman Clyde Vanel are the latest efforts from state officials to address the cryptocurrency market under the law. The measures are also being introduced as environmental advocates are separately calling for better regulations for bitcoin mining in New York, pointing to the tremendous amount of energy used. The investment and consumer protections proposals this week center on efforts to protect people against fraud, including so-called "rug pulls" when a developer promotes a new project such as a token and then disappears with the money." #UpstateAmerica: Is Herkimer, N.Y. actually the birthplace of basketball? And if so, is that enough to revitalize the town?
| | | |   | | | | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | "Suozzi, Zeldin take different approaches to balancing day job with campaign," by Spectrum's Kevin Frey: "Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Long Island Republican running for New York governor, is taking a notably different approach to balancing his responsibilities than another congressman also making a bid for the state's top job: Rep. Tom Suozzi. While Suozzi, a Democrat, frequently uses a pandemic-era rule to free up time from his day job to campaign for governor, Zeldin has shown up in person for most of the votes in the House so far this year. Zeldin has been present for 107 of the 125 roll call votes cast in the House since Jan. 10. As for the votes he missed, social media posts show that on at least two days where he skipped votes, he was at campaign related stops, including attending the state's GOP convention and marching in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The Brooklyn Democratic party added two district leaders by giving representatives to four people living on a house boat in Red Hook. — Most of the city's pension funds will back shareholder resolutions calling for sharp limits on fossil fuel lending at top banks this week. — The city is closing a homeless shelter in a former hotel in the Financial District. — A proposed Holocaust education bill is facing resistance in Albany. — An MTA worker was struck by a train in Brooklyn. — Adams said policing policies swung too far to the left under his predecessor Bill de Blasio. — Chinatown's dim sum parlors are grappling with an aging workforce. — Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg is donating $100 million each to the Harlem Children's Zone and Success Academy charter school networks. — The FBI has opened an internal investigation into the 2018 Schoharie limo crash that left 20 people dead. — Public Advocate Jumaane Williams got an extension on his taxes but promised to release his returns once they are filed. — Misplaced or covered-up license plates have allowed drivers to evade red light or speeding camera tickets 1.5 million times since the pandemic hit in March 2020. — Despite an unvaccinated Kyrie Irving being allowed to play, the Nets were swept by the Celtics in the NBA playoffs. — A Department of Correction captain was arrested for allegedly swindling a woman out of $40,000 by faking the death of a business partner.
| | | | JOIN US ON 4/29 FOR A WOMEN RULE DISCUSSION ON WOMEN IN TECH : Women, particularly women of color and women from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, have historically been locked out of the tech world. But this new tech revolution could be an opportunity for women to get in on the ground floor of a new chapter. Join POLITICO for an in-depth panel discussion on the future of women in tech and how to make sure women are both participating in this fast-moving era and have access to all it offers. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former first lady Melania Trump … WSJ's Eliot Brown … Prosek Partners' William Szczecinski … Bloomberg's Colin Wilhelm … NBCUniversal's Phil Tahtakran … CNN's Jessica Schneider … NYT's Russell Goldman … Jonathan Adashek MAKING MOVES — Rodney Holcombe will become East Coast public policy manager at LeafLink. He is currently New York director for criminal justice reform at FWD.us. … Jason Acosta is joining the Board of Directors of New Settlement. He is a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategist for the city Department of Education. MEDIAWATCH — Lydia DePillis will join The New York Times business section as an economics reporter. She was previously at ProPublica.
| | A message from CVS Health: CVS Health manages prescription drug plans for millions of New Yorkers.
Every day, our PBM is helping the people of New York reduce their prescription drug costs while improving their health outcomes. This means patients can access and afford medications while getting personalized support along the way.
Through end-to-end coordination of care, we work hard to keep costs down and improve medication adherence — because we know that people who take their medications as prescribed have better results.
Healthier happens together.
Learn more. | | | | | Real Estate | | "Harlem's One45 Rezoning Advances To City Council, Setting Up Showdown," by Patch's Nick Garber: "The contested One45 rezoning in Harlem was approved by the City Planning Commission on Monday, sending the two-tower proposal to the City Council, where it will face a climactic vote in the coming weeks. Members of the commission voted 8-2 in favor of the development Monday afternoon — the first binding vote that One45 has faced since it was unveiled a year ago. Had a majority of the panel voted against it, it would have doomed the project, which promises to build a pair of 363-foot towers on the corner of West 145th Street and Lenox Avenue, containing 866 apartments, office space, and — potentially — a museum devoted to the Civil Rights Movement. Instead, One45 will advance to the Council, where it faces an uncertain fate as local member Kristin Richardson Jordan continues a crusade to defeat it." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment