Assemblymember Jennifer Rajkumar is introducing legislation that would put both Albany and Mayor Eric Adams further in the driver’s seat of the migrant crisis. One bill, first reported here by Playbook, would block county governments from barring asylum-seekers in their communities and circumvent local emergency orders that prevent upstate and suburban motels from being turned into shelters. Rajkumar is also proposing a measure to create a statewide coordinator for the migrant crisis. The coordinator would be appointed jointly by Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul. The proposals will be formally unveiled Thursday. “It is time for New York state to lead a statewide response as New York City faces one of the greatest humanitarian crises in its history,” Rajkumar said in a statement provided to Playbook. “My legislative package sets up this statewide response.” Rajkumar, a Queens Democrat, has emerged as a vocal ally of Adams, who has had an otherwise tough time finding friends in the Legislature. She is often spotted at Adams’ events, and she has said they talk frequently. So her legislation is almost certainly music to the ears of Adams, who has called for a statewide “decompression” strategy to alleviate some of the strain on New York City from the influx of 110,000 migrants who have arrived in the last year. Adams has also urged Hochul to issue an emergency order that supersedes county governments who have banned migrants from staying in hotels and motels. New York City has sued county governments who have formally blocked motels and hotels from being used as shelter space for migrants. The legal challenges are ongoing. Hochul, meanwhile, has not embraced superseding county orders. She declared in August “we cannot and will not” force counties to shelter migrants. Hochul has opened additional shelter space on state-owned land in New York City, including a former prison and is finalizing a lease with the federal government for use of Floyd Bennett Field. Hochul also indicated additional financial support for New York City will be available in the state budget next year. So far, the state has committed $1.5 billion in funding for migrant support as well as the deployment of the National Guard. What happens with Rajkumar's bills? They don't yet have a Senate sponsor, and Democratic leaders have indicated no plans to return to Albany before next year's session. IT’S THURSDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE’S KATHY? Speaking at the AFSCME & CSEA’s ‘Staff The Front Lines’ bus tour in Albany, making an education announcement at Tech Valley High School and then speaking at the inauguration for the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Center at City College of New York in Manhattan. WHERE’S ERIC? Welcoming students on the first day of school in the Bronx and later delivering remarks to kick off New York Fashion Week. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Before, the right to shelter and what’s going on in New York City was our little secret. Now the whole globe knows that if you go to New York City, we’re going to do what we always do. We have a big heart, we have compassion, we’re going to take care of people,” — Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom on the more than 110,000 migrants who have come to the city in the last year.
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