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Advocates for working families in New York say they want less talk and more action to improve child care in the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul has  proposed  a child-care construction fund and a task force to address the issue - which advocates say will make a dent in the child-care shortage, but doesn't do enough. Estimates show New Yorkers spend a grand total of $14 billion a year on child care, or ab...

The Energy Justice Law and Poverty Center report noted investments in front-line communities are not being identified or prioritized, which goes against the state's climate laws. It also showed a severe lack of transparency in upgrading grid transmission infrastructure.

The New York State Nurses Association report showed between January and October 2024, hospitals failed to staff intensive care units and critical care patients at the state-mandated ratio more than 50% of the time. The report also said most hospitals do not publicly post staffing ratios as state law requires.

The  Climate Change Superfund Act  puts a fine on the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018, specifically those responsible for more than 1 billion tons of global greenhouse gas emissions. The collected money will be put into a special fund to pay for climate change resilience measures starting in 2028.

A roadmap established earlier this year sets a state goal of developing 6 gigawatts of energy storage but the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act calls for 1,500 megawatts of energy storage by next year. So far, the state has more than  387 megawatts .

Conservationists in New York and nationwide will celebrate the  51st anniversary  of the Endangered Species Act on Saturday. Since its passage in 1973, more than 1,600 species in the U.S. have been protected by the law. New York's piping plover and numerous other grassland birds have seen their populations rebound and backers credit this legislation. Susan Holmes, executive director of the Endange...

The law is another step in ending the unnecessary use of the long-lasting substances known as "forever chemicals" in everyday products. The New York law covers a wide array of clothing and is a response to research showing continuous exposure to the chemicals can have a host of negative health effects.

New York lawmakers are focusing on electrifying municipal buildings. Buildings statewide make up 32% of New York's  greenhouse gas emissions  and experts said electrifying them would lower heating and cooling costs, as well as reducing emissions. Inflation Reduction Act funds are available for municipalities to convert public buildings to use electricity. Marian Brown, elected official fellow for...

The New York State Hospitals Fiscal Survey Report showed statewide hospitals are projecting an operating budget margin of 0.0% percent. While it is a slight improvement, hospital administrators said it is still insufficient for hospitals to handle patient care.

Immigrant New Yorkers want lawmakers to create  an unemployment bridge program . It would support unemployed workers who are ineligible for state unemployment insurance by establishing a $500 million fund, providing monthly compensation equal to what other workers receive. Beyond undocumented people, freelancers and self-employed workers would also be eligible. Sol Freire Figueroa, labor campaigns...

A New York organization believes universal public childcare can be implemented in five years. New Yorkers United for Child Care is using  its newly released roadmap  to guide this plan, with the primary goal of saving people money. Estimates show state residents spend $22,000 per year per child. New York families spend a combined $14 billion per year on child care. Rebecca Bailin, executive direct...

New York good government groups want a more robust state ethics commission. The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government came about in 2022 after the dissolution of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Watchdog groups want the agency to implement  several measures  to improve ethics, lobbying oversight and transparency. Rachael Fauss, senior policy analyst for the advocacy group Reinvent...

House lawmakers have passed a bill advocates said will be harmful to nonprofits in New York and nationwide. House Resolution 9495  passed with a 219-184 vote after failing to get a two-thirds majority in the chamber last week. The bill gives the Treasury Secretary power to rescind tax-exempt status for nonprofits considered "terrorist supporting organizations." On its first vote, it had strong bip...

Some New York House lawmakers supported a bill harmful to nonprofits.  H.R. 9495  faced staunch opposition since it would have given the Treasury Secretary unilateral power to revoke tax exemptions for nonprofits considered "terrorist supporting organizations."  The bill  stems from a disinformation campaign saying Democrats support terrorists and would have jeopardized nonprofits providing aid to...

As the dust settles from the 2024 election, immigrant New Yorkers fear how Donald Trump's second term will impact them. Many still recall the separation of families during his first term, and fears they could be deported at any time.

As New York considers new graduation requirements, the alternatives might not be easy to implement. The state's  Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures  said  Regents exams  will no longer count toward graduation. Studies show exit exams do not raise a high school diploma's value or student achievement. Arlen Benjamin Gomez, executive director of The Education Trust-New York, said while one...

New York's affordable housing crisis is being made worse by corporate landlords, according to groups trying to reform the system.

New York families are still dealing with child care barriers despite improvements. A new report found  more than half  the state is a child care desert with parents having to leave the workforce because they cannot access it. While the Child Care Assistance Program has improved, it does not make up for other shortcomings. Lara Kyriakou, associate director of early childhood policy and advocacy for...

Despite their growing popularity, consumers in New York and nationwide still face  misconceptions  about electric vehicles. One of the most pervasive is about  colder climates  reducing battery efficiency, which many energy and environmental agencies have resoundingly found false. Kate Kruk, president of the New York Capital District Electric Vehicle Association, said given the evolution of EVs si...

Despite increasing divisiveness, Americans across the political spectrum agree on keeping national parks well-funded but it has not been the case in  more than a decade . Although park visitation has grown, staffing has dropped 23% since 2010.

The Invest in Our New York Act aims to get corporations and the state's ultrawealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. The legislation would put the money into essential programs like affordable housing, child care and education. One of the bills establishes a capital-gains tax.

A new Environmental Protection Agency rule means New York and other states will have ten years to remove all lead service lines. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements  require more rigorous testing of drinking water. New York has more than  449,000 lead service lines  to remove, at a cost of around $2.5 billion. But it's uncertain how it will be paid for. Rob Hayes, director of clean water with En...

Though New York is slated to miss its  climate goals , several county projects are bolstering renewable energy development. Several large wind farm projects have been approved, including the  Prattsburgh Wind Farm , which will create 147 megawatts of electricity and will power  62,000 homes  regionwide. It is one of several wind farm projects keeping the state committed to clean energy.

After 17 years, the state of New York is re-evaluating its school funding formula. The state budget agreement calls for the  Rockefeller Institute  to study it. Education advocates have noted that learning loss from the pandemic and the youth mental-health crisis have made this change more necessary. Randi Levine, policy director at  Advocates for Children of New York , said the  new formula  must...

New Yorkers will vote on the state's  Equal Rights Amendment  in November. Proposition 1 enshrines protections against discrimination based on age, disability, gender identity or expression, sexual identity and pregnancy outcomes. Although it is not explicitly stated, it codifies abortion rights into the state's constitution.