New York Legislature

In Albany’s own version of Groundhog Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York legislative leaders are still keeping open the possibility of a special session before the year ends that could include legalizing Uber statewide and a pay raise for lawmakers.

Talks between Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York's legislative leaders are still continuing over whether to hold a special session before the holidays. The clock is ticking.

The Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce held its annual breakfast forum on Friday.  During the proceedings, officials unveiled the results of their annual issues survey of members.  The results show that 93 percent believe if implemented, a $15 minimum wage would eliminate jobs and harm the state’s economy. The survey came out the same week Governor Andrew Cuomo has been barnstorming the state promoting the $15 minimum wage, one of his key agenda priorities during this legislative session.  Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, a Republican, says the wage proposal is an overriding issue for businesses across the 115th district.

The New York Farm Bureau released its priorities for this year’s legislative session during a conference call Wednesday.

On Thursday, Capital Region Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, joined by fellow Republican Assemblymembers Steve McLaughlin and Pete Lopez, and  Queens Senator Tony Avella, a member of the Independent Democratic Caucus, advocated for the "Spirit of '76" bill.

Albany has been the subject of many headlines in recent weeks, with its past leaders in the midst of high-profile corruption trials. But the New York state Legislature is on recess until January, so members are working in their districts.  115th  Assembly district Republican Janet Duprey attended a recent forum on the heroin and drug addiction crisis in the North Country.  A member of the Assembly Minority Task Force on Heroin Addiction & Community Response, she told WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley that some progress is being made drafting legislation to deal with the statewide addiction crisis.

The New York State Legislature returns for the second half of the legislative session, once again under a cloud of corruption, and with numerous unsettled issues.

As details of the New York State budget filter out, different municipal and business sectors are reviewing it to determine its potential impact. WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley spoke with some North Country interests on their initial budget thoughts.

There’s around two months left in the New York legislative session and a number of issues left on the agenda. But it’s uncertain how many of them will actually become law. 

Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers have agreed to a very limited form of campaign finance reform in the state budget, it would only apply to the state Comptroller’s race.

Advocates spent a million dollars on television ads  and countless hours lobbying and holding demonstrations in favor of adopting a publicly funded, matching small donor system for statewide races, including the governor and the legislature.

New York's Legislature has agreed to require newborns to be tested for a congenital heart defect under a new, quick screening process.

The measure would require all birthing facilities to administer the test called pulse oximetry screening.

The new procedure provides early detection of heart defects that could be addressed quickly by surgery, potentially saving babies' lives.