Governor Kathy Hochul came to North Hempstead, Nassau County, Long Island, Oct. 17, to sign legislation to quadruple New York State’s personal income tax credit for eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, providing financial relief to first responders who dedicate their time to protecting communities across the state.
“Keeping New York safe and affordable is my highest priority. Today, I’m proud to sign into law a bill that recognizes the sacrifices that all volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers make,” Governor Hochul said. “These brave New Yorkers put their lives on the line to protect their neighbors, often sacrificing time with their families and loved ones. This tax credit puts more money back in their pockets and shows our appreciation for the lifesaving services they provide every day.”
A.6790-A/S.6233-A increases the annual personal income tax credit from $200 to $800 for individuals and from $400 to $1,600 for married couples. The increased credit will apply beginning in tax year 2027, allowing eligible New Yorkers to claim the benefit when filing their taxes in 2028. Under the new law, eligible volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers may claim either the increased state income tax credit or a qualifying local property tax exemption.
This legislation furthers the Governor’s ongoing commitment to New York’s volunteer first responders as they strengthen their recruitment and retention efforts – and falls in line with her Affordability Agenda. The Governor has previously signed legislation allowing local governments to offer volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers a property tax exemption of up to 10 percent, established a first-in-the-state training stipend program that has supported more than 5,500 firefighters completing foundational training, authorized volunteer departments to bill insurance providers for emergency medical services, and invested in the Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment (V-FIRE) grant program to help departments upgrade facilities and purchase critical firefighting equipment.
“Last month I was here on Long Island to announce another $25 million investment on our volunteer firefighter program to help you, and that’s on top of the other $25 million I did… That’s $50 million we’ve invested in our V-FIRE support for firefighters all over this state,” Governor Hochul said. “And these funds go out to the volunteer fire companies all over New York. Help you purchase the critical firefighting equipment, life-saving equipment, the firefighting gear, and improve facilities because otherwise if we’re not doing it, it goes back on your local tax bill for people, and we’re trying to just lift that burden as well.”
She added, “I am really proud to announce that I’m signing a bill that recognizes the sacrifices, that acknowledges all of you, our EMT workers, our firefighters, all the time away from loved ones, all the little league games missed, all the holiday meals, all the house repairs put off, all those nights of sleep you just did not get… I want to do something in return on behalf of the people of the great State of New York, and put a little more money back in your pockets as a small form of gratitude. So that’s why today we’re increasing the state personal income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers from $200 to $800 — quadrupling the credit — quadrupling. And from $400 to $1,600 for married couples.”
At the same time, the Governor announced $1 million in state funding for the Village of Hempstead Volunteer Fire Department in Nassau County to purchase new radio equipment. The investment will allow the department to replace outdated radios that have limited functionality inside burning buildings, improving emergency communication among first responders operating in dangerous conditions.
Firefighters Association of the State of New York President Donald Farrell said,“Volunteer firefighters across New York show up at 3 a.m. without asking why. They leave their families, their jobs and their beds to answer the call, and they do it for free. Governor Hochul showed up for them. She listened to volunteers from every corner of this state, she understood what they were up against, and she made this tax credit a priority. This is a real thank you to the men and women serving today, and it’s how we bring in the next generation. When a young person is deciding whether to join their local firehouse, this tells them the state has their back. On behalf of FASNY and every volunteer firefighter in New York: thank you, Governor.”
While in town (homebase for Republican challenger Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman), she stopped in to join local Democratic candidates at the campaign office of Juleigh Chin, candidate for County Legislature’s District 9, to cheer on a huge cadre of North Hempstead Democrats and New York State Young Democrats on their way to canvass for votes.
Among the Democratic candidates joining the Governor and Chin (Legislator-9th) were Charles D. Lavine (Assembly-13th), Kim Keiserman (Assembly-16th); Colleen Connaughton (Assembly-19th), Rory Lancman (State Senate-7th) Sean Michael McCarthy (Supervisor, North Hempstead); Skylar A. Epstein (Legislator-10th).
Also on the ballot: Adrienne E. Adams (Lt. Governor); Thomas P. DiNapoli (State Comptroller; Letitia A. James (Attorney General); Patrick Halpin (Congress-2nd); Thomas R. Suozzi (Congress-3rd); and Laura Gillen (Congress-4th).
The “No Kings: Vote Early” events on October 17, 2026 saw the largest nationwide mobilization of voting in history, with more than 3,000 grassroots rallies and marches in cities, towns and villages big and small, focused on driving voter turnout, early voting participation, and election protection ahead of the November midterm elections.
In contrast to the three previous No Kings events which were structured as protests, rallies, marches and mass demonstrations and historic for marshalling more than eight million people on a single day to raise the to the threats to democracy posed by the lawless Trump administration and send a message of widespread opposition, this fourth No Kings event was meant as a day of action, “turning people power directly into ballots,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group Indivisible, which leads a coalition of hundreds of grassroots groups.
They are urging people to get registered, check their registration (to make sure voters have not been illegally purged or their polling places changed), make a plan to vote, and to vote early.
Co-founder Leah Greenberg stressed that casting ballots early helps neutralize administrative confusion (and deliberate chaos), block voter intimidation tactics, and make election results “too big to rig” (though it seems patently undemocratic that Democratic candidates have to win by five or more points, but MAGAs only need to win by a single vote to claim victory).
“Voting is my Superpower,” and “Grab ’em by the ballot,” read multiple posters. Other posters pointed to the disgust over the corruption of Trump, his family, donors and administration, opposition to the Iran War, and horror over ICE terror.
“While voting early is critical, it’s not where we’re ending. We need to make sure every vote is counted, every election is certified, and all the results are respected,” wrote Mary, Kelsey, of Moveon.org before the day was done.
People are encouraged to register, check their registration, vote early, help someone else vote, and to come out in overwhelming numbers – “too big to steal” – because they are mindful of all the active, aggressive, illegal efforts to suppress votes, purge voters, and manipulate the count.
This was the message at Washington Square Park in New York City.
“We live in a difficult time, a country soaked in greed, selfishness,” declared Eddie Glaude Jr. “We have to redeem the power of the people, our democracy from the hands of those who would have us bent and bowed. We must overwhelm the polls, turn out in record numbers. Disrupt the math that shaped redistricting, overwhelm their efforts to cheat by showing up in numbers never seen before. You are what they are afraid of.
“Ours isn’t the challenge of Jim Crow South, the call to beat back Nazism. Ours isn’t the moment to rise against capitalists putting down workers or government taking away women’s ability to control their bodies or their lives. Our challenge is our own. Each generation must find its feet – not imitate days of old – but fight for a better world. That’s our mission. The moral monsters will see what that mission is.”
No Kings voter actions were taking place In small hamlets across the country, like Great Neck, Long Island.
Nina Gordon, one of the organizers, citing the American Civil Liberties Union, told the gathering, “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the fundamental right upon which all our civil liberties rest.
“Right now, our freedom to vote is facing a coordinated attack on multiple fronts. The Trump administration and its allies at every level of government are abusing their power to sow chaos and doubt ahead of the midterms. They are weaponizing the federal government against voters: trying to restrict mail voting, demanding Americans’ sensitive voter data, using federal agents to intimidate communities, discouraging eligible voters from voting with deliberately confusing messages about voter eligibility, and threatening to interfere with how votes are cast, counted, and certified.
“But the Constitution is clear: No president has the power to unilaterally change election laws. And no official at any level can override the results. Our elections are run by state and local election officials under laws that bind every official, and the results are decided by the voters. Our democracy belongs to the people.
“Can an emergency order cancel an election? The presidency has limits. President Trump cannot cancel elections. His threats to do so are an attempt to suppress turnout by confusing and distracting voters. We can’t let the empty threats of the Trump administration and its allies distract us.”
Quoting Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum from Beacon for Democracy she said, “’No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.’
She added, “make a plan, take family and friends with you to vote, and if you see anything shady at the polls, call the Voter Protection Hotline. Vote EARLY and if you are an absentee voter, drop your ballot off at early voting or at the Board of elections.”
“Join local progressive organizations like Reach Out America, Bend the Arc, the Beacon for Democracy, and local Dem clubs.”
But the No Kings Coalition, led by Indivisible, is not done, and immediately announced next steps to insure a free and fair election, amidst clear signs that Trump and the MAGA Republicans are desperate to prevent a Blue Wave – through voter suppression, voter intimidation, interfering with mail-in ballots, playing games at polling places, and if that doesn’t work, refusing to accept election results and forcing hand recounts and vote cancellations. Trump is being urged by his allies (not that he needs urging) like Steve Bannon to declare martial law, a national emergency, the Insurrection Act, send ICE agents to polling places so his federal forces can seize voting machines and ballots, or block or intimidate voters as they try to vote.
It is significant that during the day, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta shut down the No Kings Instagram account – one of the tech bros that so loudly proclaimed their adoration of “free speech” in order to justify keeping anti-vaxxers, election deniers, and white supremacists posting dangerous click bait- yet another travesty that includes Elon Musk spending $256 million to buy elections for the Republicans (you are limited to $3,500 a candidate), and literally leaving Ukrainians defenseless against Russian bombs by throttling back Star Shield, even as people are worried about how they are reshaping civilization with AI, turning capitalism into oligarchy and kleptocracy and ending government by the people. Since money IS power, is it a good thing that a handful of billionaires control more wealth than half the rest of the population?
“Our elections are under attack. Across the country and at the national level, some leaders are working hard to undermine trust and weaken voting rights,” stated Moveon, part of the No Kings coalition. “Since the 2024 elections, lawmakers in 22 states have enacted 47 new laws restricting voting rights.
“No Kings is investing in the people and organizations closest to their communities, building lasting capacity that can turn moments of action into sustained power long after October 17 and Election Day. From local ballot counts to state and congressional certification, No Kings is collaborating with partners and organizing locally with members like you to ensure the will of the people is fully honored.”
“This is the United States of America,” Kelsey wrote. “We the people choose our leaders, not megadonors, politicians, or wannabe kings. The choices made by lawmakers affect our daily lives, which is why making plans to vote and protect our elections is critical. We will not allow authoritarians to overturn the will of the voters.
“Today was an incredibly powerful day for democracy. Early voting remains open for most of the country and Election Day is November 3. And together we’ll be ready to defend our votes.”
If you haven’t already, make a plan to vote (and to vote early, if that’s available in your state).Indivisible has created a new voting tool that will have all the information you need to cast your ballot, including: your local ballot drop box sites, early voting locations, and guidance on checking your voter registration, requesting a mail or absentee ballot, and connecting with your local election office. If you have voted, make sure to share this tool with your friends and neighbors!
Sign up to join its election defense force.Hands Off Our Vote is Indivisible’s largest election protection program ever. After signing up, you’ll receive volunteer opportunities and actions you can take to defend our elections no matter where you live.
“We know the Trump regime will try to undermine our right to vote and our right to decide who represents us. We also know this movement has the power, the determination, and the skills needed to stop them.”
There is a huge contrast between Governor Hochul’s support for alternative, environmentally friendly modes of travel, such as walking, biking or hiking – allocating more than $97 million to support improvements in 30 communities – and her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, who as Nassau County executive has ignored the issue of dangerous roads that have taken a disproportionate number of fatalities and injuries, while also passing on any interest in creating protected multi-use trails, like the proposed Long Island Greenway, which would go 120-miles from Montauk to Queens, providing cyclists and walkers safe passage. Blakeman would likely follow in the path of MAGA Trumper Republicans in the House and Senate who have opposed funding for hiking and walking trails, and would likely reverse course on New York’s Clean Energy and Climate Resilient, pro-Environment programs. He has mimicked Trump’s rejection of the “green scam”, opposed New York City’s congestion pricing, and vows to reinstate fracking in New York State .– Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than $97 million in funding has been awarded to more than 30 communities across New York State for projects that promote alternative, environmentally friendly modes of travel, such as walking, biking or hiking. The funding will support initiatives that improve access to the transportation system for all users, enhance safety and facilitate the use of non-motorized modes of travel that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The awards were made available through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and are being administered by the New York State Department of Transportation.
“New York State is committed to the goal of creating modern transportation systems that strengthen communities and help all users, not just motorists, get where they need to go safely and efficiently,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments in alternative modes of travel will help New Yorkers leave their cars at home and make it easier to walk or bike to their destinations, which will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our environment.”
The Transportation Alternatives Program supports transportation-related projects that advance New York State’s commitment to a safe, accessible and connected transportation system. Funded projects include safe routes to schools, sidewalk improvements, pedestrian and bicycle safety enhancements, improved access to public transportation, and trailway networks. These investments align with the state’s overall strategic goals of strengthening multimodal connectivity, improving transportation safety, enhancing accessibility, and supporting mobility for communities throughout New York.
Funding will support 35 separate projects proposed by counties, towns, cities and villages across the state. The types of projects include:
$16.9 million Awarded to Advance Safe Routes to School – The awards will support projects that improve safety and accessibility along routes to schools, helping children and families travel more safely while encouraging walking, bicycling, and other healthy, active modes of transportation.
$52.8 million Awarded to Improve Sidewalks, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Safety – The awards will support infrastructure improvements that enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety, expand accessibility through ADA-compliant facilities, and improve connections between neighborhoods, community destinations, and activity centers.
$11 million Awarded to Strengthen Multimodal Connections – The awards will support projects that improve mobility and expand access to multimodal transportation options, including connections between pedestrian facilities and public transit.
$16.5 million Awarded to Create and Expand Trailway Networks – The awards will support the development and enhancement of trailway networks and shared-use paths, improving connections for pedestrians and bicyclists between communities, employment centers, and other destinations.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “All New Yorkers deserve to have safe, reliable and accessible transportation networks in their communities and thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership we are making it happen. By investing in alternative modes of travel, we are expanding access to all users of the system while also making our communities stronger and more sustainable.”
Projects were selected through a competitive solicitation process and rated based on established criteria that included overall project benefits and adherence to program goals. Projects must be related to the surface transportation system and provide full access to the public. The TAP project awards amount to no less than $500,000 and no more than $7 million for any single project. NYSDOT will provide up to 80 percent of the total eligible project costs with a minimum 20 percent match provided by the project sponsor. Eligible project costs may include planning, design/engineering services, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and construction inspection.
TAP Awarded Projects:
Capital Region – $9 million
$2.3 million to the Town of Salem for sidewalk improvements along S. Main Street (State Route 22) in Salem’s downtown business district.
$1.4 million to the Village of Voorheesville to construct ADA-compliant sidewalks along Mountainview Street, from Maple Avenue to Stonington Hill, creating a safe route to Voorheesville Elementary School.
$731,440 to Greene County to extend a 5-foot-wide, ADA-compliant sidewalk along State Route 23A and North Lake Road in Haines Falls.
$672,400 to the Town of Malta to construct a shared-use path toward the planned Northway Eleven community center.
$3.9 million to the Town of New Lebanon for sidewalk improvements along State Route 22.
Central New York – $1.9 million
$734,421 to the Village of Skaneateles to extend the 5-foot concrete sidewalk on the east side of East Lake Street and construct an asphalt trail connection between Prentiss Drive and an existing sidewalk system.
$1.1 million to the Town of Manlius to install ADA-compliant sidewalks along Enders Road, providing safe routes to the middle and elementary school.
Finger Lakes – $9.5 million
$3.2 million to the Village of Geneseo for sidewalk construction on State Route 20A.
$2.9 million to the Village of Newark to construct new sidewalk and pedestrian improvements on North Main Street, including a crossing signal at Lincoln Elementary School.
$2 million to the Village of Attica for sidewalk construction and improvements on Prospect Street.
$1.4 million to the Town of Brighton to rehabilitate and install new signs on an off-road segment of the Lehigh Valley Trail, creating connections to the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Long Island – $1.9 million
$1.9 million for the Town of Brookhaven to install sidewalks and pedestrian improvements along Buffalo Avenue in Medford.
Mid-Hudson – $30.9 million
$6 million to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson for sidewalk replacement and pedestrian infrastructure upgrades in the downtown area.
$4.8 million to the Village of Larchmont for pedestrian, bicycle, and accessibility improvements along the Chatsworth Avenue, Larchmont Avenue, and Vanderburgh Avenue corridors.
$4.7 million to the Town of Greenburgh for pedestrian-oriented improvements along Central Park Avenue.
$4.2 million to the Village of Airmont to install ADA-compliant sidewalks along Regina Road.
$3.6 million to the City of Poughkeepsie to rehabilitate 0.4 miles of Grand Avenue with new sidewalks, curb ramps, pavement and signage.
$3.2 million to the Town of Lewisboro for sidewalk and pedestrian crossing improvements in the vicinity of the State Route 121 and Route 35 intersection.
$1.6 million to the Town of Bedford for safety enhancements and an approximate 1,400-linear-foot extension of the multi-use pathway along State Route 117/Bedford Road.
$1.6 million to the Town of Marbletown for sidewalk installation along State Route 213 and Second Street in the Hamlet of High Falls.
$1.1 million to the Village of Buchanan for sidewalk construction along Westchester Avenue.
Mohawk Valley – $7 million
$4.2 million to the Village of Boonville for an integrated system of pedestrian, bicycle, trail, and streetscape improvements.
$1.4 million to the Village of Northville to construct a multi-use path along S. Main Street and S. Main Street Extension.
$840,000 to the Village of Clinton for a 2000-foot-long extension of the Chenango Canal Trail.
$527,200 to Herkimer County for access improvements at the Acme Road entrance to the Empire State Trail.
New York City – $7 million
$7 million to the New York City Department of Transportation for the reconstruction of Queens Boulevard between 73rd Street and Eliot Avenue to add new pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure
North Country – $9.4 million
$5.5 million to Lewis County for the construction or reconstruction of sidewalks in the communities of Beaver Falls, Port Leyden, and Turin.
$3.1 million to the Town of North Elba for the construction of sidewalks and crosswalks along Wesvalley Road.
$731,923 to the Town of Colton to construct sidewalks along State Route 56 and create a pedestrian corridor to the Colton-Pierrepont Central School.
Southern Tier $9.1 million
$4.9 million to the City of Binghamton to reconstruct sidewalks and enhance pedestrian and multimodal safety along the Clinton Street corridor.
$3 million to the Town of Dryden to construct a new segment and upgrade existing segments of the Dryden Rail Trail.
$1.2 million to the Village of Painted Post for a new walkway and pedestrian crossing system to improve walkability to schools.
Western New York $11.4 million
$7 million to the Town of Amherst for the construction of a multi-use trail within the former New York Central Railroad corridor (the Peanut Line).
$2.7 million to the City of North Tonawanda for sidewalk improvements around city schools.
$1.7 million to the Town of West Seneca for the construction of new sidewalks, curb ramps and crosswalks along Seneca Street and Ridge Road.
Senator Charles Schumer said, “Thanks to [Biden’s] Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law, we’re delivering more than $90 million in federal funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program to make biking, walking, and hiking safer in every corner of the state. This funding means major sidewalk upgrades and replacements in Binghamton and rural communities like Lewis County, and bringing the new Amherst Peanut Line to life for pedestrians and cyclists in Western New York. I am proud to have paved the way for these tremendous investments in greenways, biking and walking paths, and expanded transportation infrastructure to keep New York rolling to a cleaner, healthier, and more accessible future.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Every New Yorker deserves accessible ways to navigate their neighborhood, whether walking to school, cycling to work, or enjoying local trails. With $97.1 million going directly into community-led transportation projects, we are cutting emissions, improving safety, and building a more connected New York State. I will continue to secure federal dollars to help expand on important projects like these.”
Representative Paul Tonko said, “Investments in local infrastructure connect residents to their communities, jobs, schools, and one another. “’m thrilled by the more than $2 million in combined funding to the Village of Voorheesville and Town of Malta for projects that will enhance community safety and help reduce emissions. I’ll continue pushing for federal investments that connect our communities and make our Capital Region a better, brighter place to call home.”
Representative Grace Meng said, “Investing in our infrastructure is crucial to improving safety. It is critical that Queens continues to receive the funding we need for important upgrades and improvements, and I thank Governor Hochul’s partnership in making this happen.”
Representative Joe Morelle said, “The Lehigh Valley Trail is an important community asset, connecting neighborhoods, recreational opportunities, and some of our region’s leading educational institutions. This federal investment will make the trail safer and more accessible for residents, students, and visitors alike. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul, Commissioner Dominguez, and our partners in the Town of Brighton for their work to strengthen these connections and improve our community.”
Representative George Latimer said,”Thank you to Governor Hochul for delivering over $15 million to make our streets safer for bikers and pedestrians in Westchester County. Ensuring that our neighbors are connected by accessible roads and walkways is both good for our communities and the environment. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and the New York Department of Transportation as these improvements begin and increase mobility throughout New York.”
Representative Pat Ryan said, “I’m fighting every day in Congress to expand our transit options and infrastructure in the Hudson Valley. Fixing our roads is a hugely important part of that – and this $3.6 million investment to improve Grand Avenue in the City of Poughkeepsie is a great step in the right direction. This federal funding will help us to build a better Hudson Valley – one where our streets are safe for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. I’m thankful to NYSDOT and the Governor for this investment in our community. I look forward to our continued partnership in getting the Hudson Valley the resources we need and deserve.”
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Investments in pedestrian infrastructure make our communities safer, more accessible, and better connected. I am pleased that $6 million was awarded to Hastings-on-Hudson for downtown streetscape upgrades, and that $4.7 million was awarded for pedestrian improvements along Central Park Avenue in Greenburgh. As Senate Majority Leader, I have worked to advance investments that strengthen communities across New York, and this funding reflects our continued commitment to transportation options that improve safety, support local businesses, and make it easier for residents to get where they need to go.”
Fewest Shooting Victims Since State Began Tracking Data Two Decades Ago
Shootings Down 67 Percent Since Governor Took Office in 2021
Thirteen Police Departments Participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative Reported No Firearm-Related Deaths Through August
Governor Has Invested Nearly $4 Billion in Public Safety Including More Than $1 Billion in Gun Violence Prevention Since Taking Office
Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $36 million has been awarded to local law enforcement agencies in 21 counties to continue the state’s progress in reducing gun violence. This funding is part of New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative — and a county-by-county breakdown of the new funding awards can be found here.
The Governor also highlighted that shootings declined 19 percent through August 2026 compared to the same time last year in communities participating in the GIVE initiative. Shooting victims are now at the lowest level on record since New York State began tracking this data two decades ago.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Governor Hochul has secured record-level funding for the GIVE initiative, which has contributed to a 67 percent decrease in shooting incidents involving injury since she took office in 2021. In the last five years, Governor Hochul has invested nearly $4 billion in public safety — more than $1 billion of which has gone to supporting New York’s gun violence prevention, intervention and enforcement.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority — and with record investments and strong partnership with law enforcement, we’ll keep driving down gun violence to record lows,” Governor Hochul said. “I remain committed to working with law enforcement and all stakeholders to ensure safer streets and communities for families throughout every corner of our state.”
Nearly $36 Million in New Funding
New York State’s GIVE initiative supports 28 police agencies — as well as district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices — in 21 counties outside of New York City. The initiative funds personnel, overtime, equipment and technical assistance, and requires participating agencies to have a comprehensive plan with evidence-based strategies to reduce shootings and firearm-related violent crime. GIVE is administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The GIVE funding totals $35,987,983 and a breakdown of funding by county and participating law enforcement partners is available online. Funding by region:
Western New York: $9,014,185
Finger Lakes: $6,579,486
North Country: $448,027
Central New York: $3,598,127
Southern Tier: $1,667,774
Mohawk Valley: $1,539,256
Capital Region: $5,102,896
Mid-Hudson: $5,419,607
Long Island: $2,618,625
The police departments participating in GIVE: Albany, Amherst, Auburn, Binghamton, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Elmira, Greece, Hempstead, Ithaca, Jamestown, Kingston, Lackawanna, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Nassau County, Newburgh (city), Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Rochester (city), Schenectady, Spring Valley, Suffolk County, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Watertown and Yonkers.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Throughout New York State, we have heard countless stories about the positive impact that the Gun Involved Violence Elimination, or GIVE, initiative has had in driving down violent crime. GIVE provides local law enforcement with critical funding, training, and support to put proven strategies into action. The continued record-low number of shooting incidents and victims shows what is possible when agencies work together and have the resources they need. Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to this initiative is truly saving lives and transforming communities.”
19 Percent Decline in Shootings Through August
When comparing January through August 2026 to the same time last year, shooting incidents involving injury in GIVE communities declined 19 percent. Thirteen participating police departments — including Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Schenectady, Utica and Watertown — reported no firearm-related deaths during the first eight months of this year.
Several police departments across the state experienced double-digit reductions in shooting incidents with injury and shooting victims during the first eight months of 2026 compared to 2025:
The City of Albany saw a 25 percent decrease in shooting victims
The City of Rochester saw a 25 percent decrease in shootings
The City of Syracuse saw a 25 percent decrease in shootings
Suffolk County saw a 24 percent decrease in shootings
The City of Yonkers saw a 21 percent decrease in shooting victims
Shootings Down 67 Percent Since Governor Took Office in 2021
A number of GIVE agencies throughout New York also experienced significant, double-digit drops in both shooting incidents with injury and shooting victims in the last five years:
The City of Albany saw a 56 percent decrease in shootings and a 68 percent decrease in shooting victims
The City of Buffalo saw a 66 percent decrease in shootings and shooting victims
The City of Niagara Falls saw a 59 percent decrease in shootings and a 57 percent decrease in shooting victims
The City of Rochester saw a 67 percent decrease in shootings and a 64 percent decrease in shooting victims
Suffolk County saw a 64 percent decrease in shootings and a 66 percent decrease in shooting victims
The City of Syracuse saw a 63 percent decrease in shootings and shooting victims
Gun violence in New York City also decreased significantly compared to 2021: a 58 percent reduction in both shooting incidents with injury and shooting victims, and a 59 percent decline in individuals killed by gun violence.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said,“The decline in gun violence across New York shows that when we invest in proven, evidence-based programs like GIVE and SNUG, our communities are safer. We are seeing that progress in real time right here in the Hudson Valley, where Yonkers has seen a 21 percent decrease in shooting victims this year, and Mount Vernon has reported no firearm-related deaths through August. The Senate Majority has made these types of targeted investments in violence prevention, intervention and enforcement a priority year after year, more recently allocating $352 million in the FY 2026-27 Enacted Budget for gun violence prevention programs. I will continue working with Governor Hochul and our partners across the state to build on this progress and continue investing in prevention tactics to protect New Yorkers from gun violence statewide.”
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said,“Part of being able to reduce gun violence to historically low levels in New York State includes equipping our law enforcement agencies with the tools to do just that. Governor Hochul has made public safety one of her top priorities and is honoring that through GIVE and other like-minded funding focused on the eradication of gun violence in our communities.”
By Karen Rubin, News & Photo Features, editor@news-photos-features.com
There is quite literally no topic or interest that most New Yorkers support that Governor Hochul doesn’t stand for and her Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman doesn’t stand against: women’s reproductive rights, clean renewable energy, environmental protection, gun violence prevention, immigrant rights, criminal justice, public education, affordable housing, public health and safety.
A shorthand description of Bruce Blakeman’s “platform” is “anything trump wants”.
Have you heard anything from Blakeman that he stands for if he became New York’s Governor? Have you heard anything about his accomplishments as Nassau County Executive? His knee-jerk campaign slogan is “Law & Order & affordability” but he actually hasn’t done anything to promote either in Nassau, and has zero plans for the state. The only economic development that has happened under his watch has been the result of state funding of local municipalities, like the LI Regional Economic Council, Downtown Revitalization Initiative, infrastructure spending. And crime rates have fallen to historic lows under Governor Hochul, who has invested $4 billion in crime prevention and public safety, and mounted a successful multi-state campaign against illegal guns.
Blakeman grandstanding vs. Hochul standing for New Yorkers
This was clear during their one-and-only debate, mounted by NY1 and Spectrum, on Tuesday, October 13, when Blakeman – who obnoxiously kept interrupting, talking over Hochul and condescendingly calling her “Kathy” – kept repeating over and over the same tropes (“sanctuary city”, “cashless bail”) and using the same technique as trump, who he has spent his political life trying to appease and emulate, “This wouldn’t have happened if I were governor” – which he said to blame Hochul, instead of ICE, for the shooting of a Bronx man in front of his five-year old.
Governor Kathy Hochul came to Long Island in 2024 to discuss historic declines in crime. Nassau County was named “the safest county of its size in America” when Democrat Laura Curran was Nassau County Executive.
Interestingly, Blakeman was never able to point to a single achievement during his time as Nassau County Executive. When he took credit for Nassau being named “safest county in America,” Hochul correctly pointed out that that happened under his predecessor, Democrat Laura Curran, while crime rates have actually increased in Nassau while decreasing statewide to historic lows: Politifact reported the rate of violent crimes in Nassau went up by 18% and the rate of property crimes increased by 29% since 2021 when he took office, the murder rate has steadily increased since2022, while the murder rate statewide has decreased.
No matter what the question or topic, Blakeman accused Hochul of being responsible for all that is ill in New York State because of her “sanctuary state” policies, and claimed she spends $8 billion in giveaways to illegal migrants (New York State allocates $2.7 billion in state asylum/emergency spending, and asylum seekers and migrants are not “illegal”.)
And while Blakeman accused her of complicity in any crime committed by an undocumented migrant (rape, murder) because she has banned local law enforcement from aiding ICE in its illegal terror campaign (he said the day she signed that legislation was the worst day in his life), she insisted multiple times that state law enforcement cooperates with federal to capture criminals who are then entitled to due process in court proceedings to determine their guilt.
Blakeman continually attacked her for New York’s long-standing high taxes (actually not the highest in the country) and utility rates, but Hochul was able to counter that Trump illegally cancelled (and bought off wind-power companies with $1 billion of taxpayer money) to stop offshore windpower projects already underway – one that would have powered all of Brooklyn – and has done a lot to cultivate leading edge nuclear power (eight communities have come forward).
Hochul could have pointed to NYSERDA’s Innovation and Research (I&R) program, which invests more than $96 million per year to attract world-class energy innovators, reduce risk for private investors and remove barriers to clean energy adoption in New York State, leveraging $15 in additional investment for every $1 spent. NYSERDA has partnered with more than 900 companies that have helped make more than 300 products commercially available for consumers, businesses and utilities. Funding for this program is provided through the New York State Public Service Commission’s2025 Innovation and Research Order, which funds statewide clean energy innovation and research programs from 2026 through 2030.
And she could have pointed to her CHARGE Agenda (Clean, Highly Affordable, Reliable Grid Expansion) -a comprehensive plan to keep the lights on and costs down for New Yorkers while achieving a reliable, zero-emission grid. The five-pronged strategy focuses on driving down consumer costs, holding energy companies accountable, building clean energy at scale, modernizing the state’s aging grid, and growing a clean economy with family-sustaining jobs. Through bold initiatives like the Ratepayer Protection Plan, historic transmission buildouts, and a new 8.4-gigawatt “Nuclear Backbone,” the CHARGE agenda ensures an affordable, resilient, and self-sufficient energy future that prioritizes everyday ratepayers while building a cleaner, more sustainable New York.
Long Islanders rally for offshore wind power – projects that were underway when Trump illegally cancelled them; Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman parroted Trump in calling clean, renewable energy a “scam” and said he would reinstitute fracking.
Blakeman never said a word against Trump’s rescission of those clean energy projects (not even Trump’s pull back of $100 million in law enforcement funding), nor Trump’s tariffs and anti-Canada that have hurt New York’s farmers and tourism industry so critical upstate, nor has he called out Trump for his illegal, ill-conceived and destructive war of choice in Iran, and promises to shift New York State’s focus to lower carbon emissions by encouraging fracking, actually mimicking Trump’s disdain of the clean energy “scam.”
Hochul has also made good on her Affordability agenda, key initiatives to lower everyday expenses for New York families: including Universal Child Care: Energy and Utility Relief: Tax Relief on Tips: Insurance Cost Reductions: Food Assistance: Housing and Renter Protections.
Instead, Blakeman has only opposed Hochul’s every effort to improve affordability and quality of life for New Yorkers: he fought her housing plan (asked to name a regret she had, she said that she didn’t fight harder for her first “carrot-and-stick” housing affordability plan); made a great show of opposing congestion pricing in mid-Manhattan; promises to cut Medicaid, promote fracking, and overturn her moratorium on building data centers.
Nassau County residents protest Bruce Blakeman’s Sands Casino complex.
And he completely flubbed the multi-million development of “The Hub” (the former Nassau Coliseum) which he wanted to sell off to the Sands for a casino complex, over the community’s objections.
And when it comes to his “public safety” scam – focused obsessively, like Trump, on migrants and setting up a secretive private militia – he has ignored the actual threats to his county’s public safety: dangerous roads that have caused the highest rates of fatalities and crashes in the state. He literally ignores and dismisses the state safe streets programs that have been embraced by neighboring Suffolk County and does nothing to promote mass transit or transit alternatives.
Governor Kathy Hochul comes to Lake Success, Long Island, to announce the state was providing $150-million in New York BioGenesis Park, a $430 million cell and gene therapy (CGT) innovation hub. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did not attend.
In fact, he dismisses everything that the state offers – $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative, New York Forward grants, Climate Action Communities – available to assist communities and shunning her announcement of the state’s $150-million investment in New York BioGenesis Park, a $430 million world leading cell and gene therapy (CGT) innovation hub in Lake Success. (The 700,000-square-foot full-service biotech campus will feature a specialized business incubator, wet labs, and specialized contract manufacturing towers designed to pioneer life-saving cancer and genetic disorder treatments; bring 830 construction jobs and 700 highly-skilled biotech positions to Lake Success, with construction slated for completion by 2029. In fact, Blakeman had told Hochul not to dare step foot in Nassau County.
Governor Kathy Hochul celebrates the completion of the Village of Westbury’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant project.
Hochul can point to a long list of achievements that go directly to improving affordability and quality of life – expanding child care and pre-school, incentivizing construction of housing in order to bring down costs; expanding clean, renewable energy; bringing new high-tech enterprises to the state, from biomedical research to semiconductor chip manufacture, creating new research centers throughout the SUNY system, and making it easier for New Yorkers to attend higher education.
However, unlike too many politicians who are short-sighted and only want the appearance of a win, Hochul is also mindful – and sensitive – to the destructive effects that development can have and passed the first-in-the-nation moratorium on data center construction and created a commission to come up with guidelines and regulatory model. She has said that no data center should be built unless it is approved by the community, pays the community real money (instead of getting tax credits), and provides its own electricity.
Blakeman is great at sloganeering – “Safety & Affordability” is his campaign mantra, predicated on falsities about Hochul’s record – but has literally done nothing and proposed nothing to realize the rhetoric. Improve public safety? He even opposed Hochul’s gun violence prevention legislation after the Trump Supreme Court overturned the state’s century-old gun control law and said it should be easier to register guns and that guns should be permitted in synagogues). He’s not offered a single detail about how he would cut taxes or improve affordability – he hasn’t even fulfilled his campaign promises to lower property taxes or even make them fair, and the only reason property taxes have not risen in Nassau is because he has hoarded Biden-era federal funds so he could use the interest revenue on nearly $1 billion in reserves. On public safety, his singular idea is to end the notion of “sanctuary” and restore local police enforcement cooperation with ICE.
Governor Kathy Hochul signs common sense gun violence prevention legislation in 2021. The Governor convened the first meeting of New York’s expanded Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns at the New York State Police Academy to develop a coordinated interstate response to federal rollbacks that will make it easier for dangerous individuals to obtain firearms and harder to hold bad actors in the firearms industry accountable.
On the other hand, what successes Nassau County has had in lowering crime has been entirely due to policies and programs by Governor Hochul’s administration (investing $4 billion in community violence prevention, local law enforcement, and counter-terrorism, helped along with Biden-era community violence prevention grants, which Blakeman pooh-poohed and did nothing after Trump cancelled, rescinded, diverted millions of dollars of federal funding.
And Blakeman has literally done nothing to improve safety where it matters, unlike turning undocumented immigrants into boogeymen – our unsafe roads – showing extraordinary and willful detachment when Suffolk County and others around the state have taken advantage of State Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Complete Streets programs.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signs a ban against transgender individuals playing girls sports.
He also continues to boast about his ban on transgender individuals playing girls sports, and his opposition to the state’s ban on using offensive Native American mascots on school teams. He’s very big on banning things: he also banned wearing a mask in public during the coronavirus pandemic (but backs ICE wearing masks).
He’s done nothing for affordability in Nassau – when County residents complain that their kids can’t afford a house here, he did everything to defeat Hochul’s affordable housing initiatives, rather than work with the state on something that would work better for Nassau. His NIMBYism however doesn’t extend to Hochul’s moratorium on data centers, though, which he has called “crazy.”
And he never fulfilled his chronic campaign promises to “fix” the tax assessment system – indeed, the only reason Nassau County property taxes have not been raised is that he has been using the interest revenue on $800 million in reserves (by not spending Biden-era federal grants); next year, he will dip $43 million into reserves in order not to raise taxes as he runs for Governor (which he announced the day after winning reelection as Nassau County executive).
Whatever economic development (Downtown Revitalization Programs) and infrastructure spending initiatives that have happened on Long Island (LIRR third track, rebuilding bridges and roads, water infrastructure) have been funded from the state.
During the debate, Blakeman tried to assert that New York’s economy has suffered under Hochul – that it is 50th among the states in growth – and New Yorkers are miserable and suffering. But that was exposed as a lie: New York State had the fastest growing economy in the nation in the second quarter of 2026, according to new data from Trump’s own Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). New York’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 4.0% from the first quarter to the second, which was the highest of any state and nearly double the national growth rate of 2.2%.
“New York’s economy is growing faster than any other state in the nation — and we made it happen by driving innovation, creating good jobs and investing in our communities,” Governor Hochul stated in announcing the report. “I’ll continue building on this progress every day, as my administration moves forward with nation-leading policies and investments to keep sparking even more economic growth and put more money in the pockets of New York families.”
And latest reports show where the actual pain is coming from: the annual inflation rate is 3.7% (it was 3.0% when Biden left office), and wages are not keeping pace.
Blakeman’s attacks on Hochul for promoting solar energy on upstate farmland as somehow harming farmers is ridiculous (while making no remark about the adverse impacts of Trump’s tariffs and Iran War on the cost of diesel and pesticides).
Solar panels on an upstate New York farm – hardly the horror that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman suggests – but rather gives the farm some degree of energy independence.
During Climate Week NYC, Governor Hochul announced $16.8 million is available for projects that will help address the impacts of climate change and protect water quality across New York State through the Climate Resilient Farming (CRF) Grant Program. Funded projects aim to help New York farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect water quality, protect and enhance soil health and increase on-farm resiliency. These funding opportunities build on the Governor’s efforts to support programs and initiatives that combat climate change and support the conservation of the state’s natural resources.
Hochul’s 2027 budget provides $83 million through the Environmental Protection Fund, for agricultural programs and initiatives, such as the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program and the Climate Resilient Farming grant program, that are helping farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change.
In addition, the voter-approved $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities’ ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms.
New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments and directs a minimum of 40 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors. The State is also working to disburse the historic $2 billion Sustainable Future Program, which will deliver targeted funding to lower emissions, reduce household energy costs and spur green job growth.
Governor Kathy Hochul just announced that more than $97 million in funding has been awarded to more than 30 communities across New York State for projects that promote alternative, environmentally friendly modes of travel, such as walking, biking or hiking. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s Democratic predecessor Laura Curran helped create new safe bikeways but Blakeman has been completely disinterested in a proposed Long Island Greenway.
Governor Kathy Hochul just announced that more than $97 million in funding has been awarded to more than 30 communities across New York State for projects that promote alternative, environmentally friendly modes of travel, such as walking, biking or hiking. The funding will support initiatives that improve access to the transportation system for all users, enhance safety and facilitate the use of non-motorized modes of travel that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The awards were made available through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and are being administered by the New York State Department of Transportation.
Despite Nassau County’s dangerous roads, Blakeman has done absolutely nothing to promote alternative transportation, even arresting e-bikers and seizing their e-bikes, rather than come up with reasonable regulation, and he has done nothing to promote the creation of a 120-mile long Long Island Greenway that would link up with the state’s 750-mile long Empire Trail Network of biking/walking trails.
Blakeman has made clear that all of this would be undone if he becomes Governor. He has no interest in promoting New York’s energy self-sufficiency that would come from clean, renewable energy, or environmental protection and mitigation against climate change, with his version of “drill baby drill.”
Instead, he persists in summoning up tropes to attack Hochul: affordable housing, cashless bail, protection for the civil and human rights of migrants.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman was for Ukrainians until Trump aligned with Putin, instead.
It was interesting how many times he chastised Hochul for attacking Trump when all he did was bring up trump. His feeble attempt to suggest his “independence” from Trump came when he said he was pro-choice (but I doubt he would go to bat for women’s rights, health and safety as Hochul has), and would support a “guest worker” program for undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for many years, with no criminal record and who are part of community (except he has made no effort to get Trump on board or challenge the administration’s illegal, cruel detention and deportation programs including family separation, and didn’t life a finger when Fernando Mejia-Flores (40), the manager of Schmear Bagel & Cafe in Port Washington, was detained by ICE on June 12, 2025.
But he was for Ukrainians until Trump decided to side with Putin, instead.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the day Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation preventing local law enforcement from aiding and abetting ICE “the worst day of my life.”
During the debate, Hochul countered Blakeman’s attack that Hochul is responsible for any crime committed by virtue of the state’s sanctuary and cashless bail policies. “There are serious crimes where they will work with ICE agents to remove people,” she stated. “That is a fact, all across the state of New York. We always work with law enforcement, remove people who are committing crimes. And the other thing is, when people commit a crime, I want them to go through our court system. I want victims to have their day in court. Then we kick them out of the country at the end of their prison term. That’s how it’s always operated, has always worked successfully, until you have ICE agents roaming the streets and county executives like him supporting them.”
Governor Kathy Hochul marches in NYC’s Pride parade. She has steadfastly stood up for women’s rights, gender rights, immigrant rights and human rights.
And Hochul stands up for women’s rights (and human rights): “No one should have to fear being punished for seeking or providing reproductive care,” Governor Hochul stated on Sept. 30. “As anti-abortion extremists in other states try to reach across our borders and threaten patients and providers, New York will stand up for them. Our shield laws are there to protect that freedom, and I will never stop fighting to keep New York a safe haven for reproductive rights.”
Another sign of how Blakeman would govern is that Blakeman’s ample pr staff publishes announcements of his photo ops the day before and the day of, but never follows up with a press release about what was said or done.
In contrast, Hochul’s press staff publishes announcement, live links to watch, follows up with a press release listing what was accomplished, and a separate release with photos, video, and transcript of remarks.
Blakeman has quite literally never proposed anything to address a problem or improve quality of life for the county he oversees. Like Trump, he has no ideas, only knows how to attack, lie and deflect blame.
What has not been reported is, like Trump, Blakeman is 100 percent partisan, abusing the power of his office. Democrats on the Nassau County Legislature (where gerrymandering has created a permanent Republican super majority) have repeatedly complained that Blakeman withholds millions of dollars in municipal, public safety, and grant funding from Democratic-led districts while favoring Republican areas, locks Democrats out of discussion and refuses to consult with Democrats or incorporate any of their policies or compromises in legislation. He doesn’t even allow Democrats to be included in his photo ops. What is more, he ignores press queries – such as (most recently) why he has not come out in support of the creation of the Long Island Greenway – believing he is not really answerable to anyone.
Nassau County residents who know him best protest against Bruce Blakeman
Nor has anyone reported how he has basically used county money for his own political ends – how he pulled the county out of a decades-long partnership with Discover Long Island, a professional tourism marketing organization, to give $10 million contract to a woman working out of her home with no tourism promotion experience, so he could take charge of $15 million budget. Nor how when he first took office, the midst of COVID pandemic, he simply announced the deadly infection ended, and Nassau County’s economy “open for business.” He has done nothing to inform residents of upsurges in public health risks and his so-called Health Commissioner has been MIA since he took office.
There isn’t a single achievement Blakeman can point to during his terms as Nassau County executive.
What is clear is that Governor Hochul stands for climate action, environmental protection, women’s reproductive rights, civil rights, criminal justice, voting rights, affordable housing, access to affordable child care and health care, standing up to Big Tech and an authoritarian regime and for the Rule of Law, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman does not.
All of this is at risk if Blakeman defeats Hochul.
President Donald Trump selected Katie Zacharia to serve as White House press secretary, a conservative commentator who has spread alarming anti-abortion disinformation, including a baseless conspiracy theory linking mifepristone to Nazi Germany.
“Donald Trump is handing the anti-abortion disinformation movement one of the biggest megaphones in government. Katie Zacharia is the latest anti-abortion extremist Trump has installed in his administration. We must put a check on their fringe agenda this November and block their plan to ban abortion after the midterms,” Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju stated.
Now, Trump is turning the White House briefing room over to another anti-abortion extremist, making Zacharia the public face of an administration preparing to escalate its attacks on reproductive freedom once the election is over.
Zacharia is a former Department of Homeland Security spokesperson and current advisor to Trump Media & Technology Group. In a November 2025 post on X, Zacharia falsely claimed mifepristone is “connected to the manufacturer of the deadly gas Zyklon B.” Mifepristone has been approved by the FDA for 26 years and has a well-established track record of safety and effectiveness.
Zacharia joins a long list of anti-abortion extremists Trump has put in charge of the agencies that control Americans’ access to reproductive health care:
● Todd Blanche, Attorney General: Promised anti-abortion extremists that the Justice Department would make the Dobbs decision “permanent in every single state.”
● Heidi Overton, Trump’s nominee for FDA Commissioner: Called abortion “corrosive,” celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a “huge victory,” and pushed disinformation about the safety of medication abortion. If confirmed, she would oversee the FDA’s sham review of mifepristone.
● Nicole Saphier, Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General: Dismissed warnings that abortion bans would endanger women with ectopic pregnancies as false information. At her confirmation hearing, she threw her full support behind the FDA’s sham review of mifepristone.
● Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services: Directed the FDA to conduct a “complete review” of mifepristone despite decades of scientific evidence proving its safety.
● Erica Schwartz, CDC Director: Called abortion surveillance “absolutely a critical component” of the CDC’s work during her confirmation hearing.
● Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health: Led HHS to cut $38 million in grants for postpartum home visits, cancer screenings, and a program working to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The department redirected that money toward what it calls the “root causes of infertility,” including low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.
Meanwhile, Reproductive Freedom for All published these updates:
FDA RELEASES UPDATE ON “SHAM” REVIEW OF MIFEPRISTONE: On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a court-mandated update on its sham “review” of mifepristone. While access to mifepristone remains unchanged for now, the announcement was yet another example of the FDA attempting to legitimize anti-abortion extremists’ efforts to call the safety of mifepristone into question. The FDA claimed that full results would be shared no later than March 2027.
A full release of the FDA’s so-called “review” has now been kicked until after midterm elections, and reporting last week confirms “the gloves are off” for attacks on abortion access from the administration after November. As soon as the midterms pass, Trump and his allies intend to continue upending the will of Americans and forcing the FDA to put their extreme anti-abortion agenda over decades of scientific evidence.
SUSAN COLLINS LIES ABOUT ANTI-ABORTION RECORD IN FIRST U.S. SENATE DEBATE IN MAINE: In Tuesday’s first U.S. Senate debate between Troy Jackson and Susan Collins, Collins was forced to defend her deeply unpopular anti-abortion record before Mainers.
When pressed by Jackson on whether she regretted her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Collins doubled down and refused to apologize. Collins then claimed that she didn’t think Kavanaugh would overturn Roe v. Wade, despite clear evidence that Kavanaugh was an anti-abortion extremist.
MINI TIMMARAJU WARNS ANTI-ABORTION EXTREMISM WILL ESCALATE AFTER MIDTERMS: Over the weekend, Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju appeared twice on MSNOW and joined Jessica Valenti for a livestream to unpack new reporting that Republicans are delaying aggressive action on abortion until after the midterms, and discuss how reproductive freedom is a motivating issue for battleground voters a month out from Election Day.
Timmaraju broke down The Washington Sun’s reporting that senior White House officials told the Justice Department to slow-walk abortion-related actions until after the midterm elections. She also discussed unprecedented action from attorneys general in GOP-led states to challenge shield laws in states like New York, Massachusetts, and California that protect providers who prescribe medication abortion pills to patients living in states with bans.
Republicans know that openly attacking abortion access before Election Day would cost them votes. A source in the Sun’s article promised the “gloves will be off” immediately after the election—a threat Timmaraju underscored on MS NOW when she said, “We have to be very concerned about what Todd Blanche and Heidi Overton together can do to restrict access immediately.”
IN THE STATES
📍CALIFORNIA: Reproductive Freedom for All endorsed Xavier Becerra for Governor and a slate of candidates for key statewide races and the California State Legislature on Wednesday. The endorsements come amid continued federal efforts to restrict abortion access and are part of the organization’s nationwide campaign to elect candidates who support reproductive freedom at every level of government.
📍GEORGIA: This week, Reproductive Freedom for All endorsed Dr. Michelle Au (HD-50), Dar’shun Kendrick (HD-95), AND Kenya Wicks (SD-34) for the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia has one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country, and electing these leaders is critical to build Democratic power in the state legislature and push back against anti-abortion policies.
📍MICHIGAN: On Wednesday, Reproductive Freedom for All also endorsed a slate of candidates for the Michigan Legislature who will defend the state constitutional right to reproductive freedom and fight efforts to roll back and restrict abortion access. Electing these candidates is critical to protecting the reproductive freedom majority in the state Senate and taking back the state House this November. In 2022, Michigan voters overwhelmingly passed Proposal 3 with 56% of the vote, codifying abortion rights in the state.
📍PENNSYLVANIA: Reproductive Freedom for All launched a new digital ad, “No Exceptions,” targeting constituents in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, slamming Rep. Ryan Mackenzie for his extreme anti-abortion record less than one month out from Election Day. Reproductive Freedom for All invested over $211,000 in this new ad, which builds on the momentum of the ad launched in PA-07 last month.
The ad spotlights Mackenzie’s 100% anti-abortion voting history, which he once bragged about but has since scrubbed from his campaign website. Reproductive Freedom for All has endorsed Bob Brooks, a champion for reproductive freedom, in the PA-07 race.
Read more about Reproductive Freedom for All’s endorsed candidates here.
For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4.5 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
Governor Kathy Hochul convened the first meeting of New York’s expanded Interstate Task Force on Illegal Guns at the New York State Police Academy to strengthen partnerships among participating agencies and share intelligence and strategies to reduce gun violence in response to the Trump Administration’s rule changes easing access to illegal firearms.
In July 2026, Governor Hochul directed Task Force members to reconvene to develop a coordinated interstate response to federal rollbacks that will make it easier for dangerous individuals to obtain firearms and harder to hold bad actors in the firearms industry accountable. Nearly 100 representatives from state, federal and local law enforcement agencies across the Northeast and neighboring states met to re-affirm their commitment to the exchange of intelligence between states with the goal of reducing illegal gun violence and enhancing operations and capabilities in the face of federal rule changes regarding firearms.
“While our efforts have already resulted in a significant drop in gun violence across New York State, our work is not finished,” Governor Hochul said. “We must continue to stay one step ahead of gun traffickers and work across state lines to address rollbacks to federal firearm regulations. I applaud the commitment of the New York State Police and all the participating agencies using their collective talents to keep our communities safe.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Stopping the flow of illegal guns into New York requires close cooperation with our law enforcement partners in other states. This Task Force helps us connect investigations, identify trafficking networks and act on information more quickly. We welcome our colleagues from Maryland and Delaware and look forward to working with them. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support, and all of our partners for their commitment to reducing gun violence and protecting our communities.”
The Task Force, first convened by Governor Hochul in January 2022 as part of a broad strategy to reduce gun violence and disrupt the flow of illegal guns into New York State, includes the New York State Police, NYPD, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and state and local law enforcement agencies from New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Maryland and Delaware.
Members of the Task Force are charged with improving the exchange of intelligence about interstate gun trafficking, with the shared goal of reducing the flow of illegal guns and gun violence, and will continue to share strategies and tactics that have proved successful in gun trafficking investigations and identify opportunities to collaborate on new or ongoing investigations.
Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested nearly $4 billion in public safety initiatives, including more than $1 billion in gun violence prevention. These investments have contributed to a 67 percent reduction in shooting incidents involving injury over the past five years in the 28 communities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative.
Governor Hochul has also spearheaded significant changes to state gun laws to help keep New Yorkers safe. This year’s enacted state budget established a process to develop minimum safety standards for 3D printers sold in New York, including technology to prevent the illegal production of firearms and firearm parts; criminalized the unlawful possession, sale or distribution of digital blueprints used to manufacture firearms and firearm parts; and restricts sales of pistols that can readily be converted into illegal machine guns using common household tools.
First New Tunnel Underneath Hudson River Since the Holland Tunnel Was Opened in 1927
Project Will Serve 200,000 Daily Riders Between New York and New Jersey
Governor Kathy Hochul, on Sept. 28, 2026 joined New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill to celebrate the start of tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project by the Gateway Development Commission (photo: New York State)
Governor Kathy Hochul, on Sept. 28, 2026 joined New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill to celebrate the start of tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project by the Gateway Development Commission (GDC).
Following the ceremonial launch, final testing will be completed and the first tunnel boring machine that will be used to build the new train tunnel under the Hudson River will begin digging the new connection between New Jersey and New York Penn Station. A second machine will launch soon after. This historic moment marks the start of the first phase of tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project — the first new rail tunnel under the river in more than 100 years. It is the culmination of more than a decade of planning and nearly three years of construction work.
“Building a new rail connection across the Hudson River has been a dream for over a generation, one that would improve reliability and resilience for over 200,000 daily riders who power our economy,” Governor Hochul said. “We fought and beat efforts from the Trump administration to halt the Gateway project and today, that dream becomes a reality, with state of the art machinery operated by expert union workers starting their journey through soil and bedrock under the Hudson to Penn Station. This is a historic day for New York and a clear demonstration of our ambitions to once again be a state that dreams and builds big.”
The two tunnel boring machines launching this fall will bore approximately one mile through the hard rock under the Palisades Cliffs in New Jersey to the Hudson County Access Shaft in Weehawken. These two machines will be removed via the access shaft and replaced with a second pair of machines that will build the section of the tunnel under the Hudson River.
The two hard-rock tunnel boring machines are expected to build roughly 30 feet of tunnel per day, including scheduled pauses for maintenance. They will reach the Hudson County Access Shaft approximately one year after launching.
The first phase of tunnel boring is being completed by Schiavone Dragados Lane JV as part of the contract for the Palisades Tunnel Project construction package. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is managing delivery of this construction package in partnership with GDC.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said, “I spent years in Congress fighting for the Hudson Tunnel Project because it is the most important infrastructure project in the country. Now, tunnel boring is beginning on the first new rail tunnel under the Hudson in more than a century. I was proud to be called the ‘tunnel-obsessed Congresswoman,’ and as Governor, I will keep fighting until this tunnel is built, so 100,000 jobs will be delivered, and millions of New Jersey commuters and travelers finally have the reliable service they deserve.”
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, “From Day One on Gateway, I have said: If we dig it, they will come. ‘They’ being millions of passengers, and freight, and goods and services, flowing into and out of the heart of the New York-New Jersey region and pumping the veins of every nook and cranny with billions of dollars in economic energy. Who says infrastructure is boring? This astounding machine will carve the first new rail tunnel under the Hudson in more than a century, keeping tens of thousands of union workers on the job and creating a vitally needed crossing that hundreds of thousands of commuters depend on every single day. The Gateway Hudson tunnel is the most important infrastructure project in America, period, and I will keep fighting until the job is done.”
“This milestone is a major step toward fulfilling the Hudson Tunnel Project’s two-track tunnel and giving New Jerseyans the dependable rail infrastructure they’ve waited decades for,” U.S. Senator Cory Booker said. “Millions of people depend on the Northeast Corridor every day to get to work, to school, and back home to their families. I’m proud to help deliver a project that will lower costs, strengthen our rail system, boost reliability, double capacity, and make commutes better for generations of New Jerseyans to come.”
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Building a stronger New York means strengthening our transit and infrastructure systems. Working families and commuters have been waiting for over a decade for us to deliver on our promise of creating more efficient transportation, and this phase marks more than a vow to start — it marks a vow to finish. I will continue fighting for funding towards landmark projects like the Hudson Tunnel to keep riders on track.”
U.S. Senator Andy Kim said, “Modernizing New Jersey’s transit infrastructure cannot happen without new tracks and tunnels for North Jersey commuters; with Gateway Development Commission breaking ground on this next phase, New Jersey is one step closer to that reality. I will continue tracking progress as construction of the Hudson Tunnel Project begins and look forward to seeing the project continue.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries said, “House Democrats, working in partnership with the Biden-Harris administration, enacted the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and bring transformative projects like the Gateway Tunnel to life. Today’s start of tunnel boring marks a tremendous step forward in delivering world-class infrastructure improvements for the people of New York and across our region. Despite Donald Trump’s efforts to illegally rip funding away from this important project, construction will begin and more reliable service is on the way for passengers across the Northeast Corridor. I applaud the Gateway Development Corporation for their work in reaching this milestone and helping to create good-paying union jobs, strengthen our economy and provide the safe and reliable passenger rail service our nation deserves.”
“New York City doesn’t work without efficient, dependable public transportation,” New York Gateway Development Commission Co-Chair Alicia Glen said. “The Hudson Tunnel Project will finally fix one of the key weaknesses in our region’s rail network, and we will feel the benefits for generations. Starting tunnel boring sends a clear signal: we are getting this tunnel done. I’m thrilled to celebrate this achievement and GDC’s commitment to seeing this vital investment in public transit through.”
The Hudson Tunnel Project
The Hudson Tunnel Project is an urgent investment in the most heavily traveled stretch of America’s rail network that will improve transportation between New Jersey and New York by building a new two-tube rail tunnel under the Hudson River and rehabilitating the existing North River Tunnel, which has been in continuous service since 1910 and is a leading cause of train delays for hundreds of thousands of daily passengers.
The project is being delivered through ten construction packages. The first construction package was completed in early 2026. Six additional packages are currently in progress.
Boring the New Tunnel
The new tunnel under the Hudson River will be bored using two sets of two tunnel boring machines — four machines total. Each pair of tunnel boring machines will build the two parallel tunnel tubes simultaneously. The two machines launching in the coming weeks will bore 5,100 feet through the Palisades Cliffs, from the tunnel portal in North Bergen to the Hudson County Access Shaft in Weehawken.
The machines will be removed via the access shaft, and a second pair of tunnel boring machines optimized for the mixed ground conditions under the Hudson River will be inserted to build the stretch of the tunnel tubes from New Jersey to Manhattan.
Tunneling Using Single Shield Tunnel Boring Machines
The first set of tunnel boring machines are single shield machines, designed for efficient tunneling through hard, dry rock. Each machine’s cutterhead is 28 feet, 8 inches in diameter and the trailing gantry extends roughly 500 feet. Each weighs more than 1,680 tons.
These machines dig through the rock in front of them using a rotating cutterhead fitted with disc cutters that press against the rock face, applying intense pressure that breaks the rock into chips. Buckets behind the cutterheads collect the excavated rock and direct it through a muck ring onto the machine’s conveyor belt, which moves it through the trailing gantry to the back of the machine, where it is hauled out of the tunnel.
As the machine advances, an erector arm is used to place precast concrete segments to form the permanent tunnel lining. Hydraulic thrust jacks push the machine forward, bracing against the edges of the completed tunnel lining.
Years of Work To Reach This Milestone
Today’s milestone is the culmination of nearly three years of construction work. Starting in late 2023, GDC’s contractors built a bridge supporting Tonnelle Avenue to create space under the highway for the machines’ gantries and excavated the launch box where the tunnel boring machines will start digging.
While this construction was happening, the tunnel boring machines were being manufactured. A single machine is comprised of nearly one hundred complex components, and manufacturing took more than a year.
After factory testing at the end of 2025, the machines were disassembled and shipped to New Jersey. Workers spent months reassembling and testing them on site in preparation for launch.
While Governor Kathy Hochul has consistently stood up to Trump’s cancellation of funding – for windpower, climate action, infrastructure, public transportation, public safety, notably, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican challenging Hochul for Governor, has never spoken out against Trump’s cut to New York’s funding for infrastructure, climate change mitigation, crime prevention, tariffs, and instead, has promised to promote fracking and tried to sue to overturn New York City congestion pricing. –Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com
Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that New York is leading seven other attorneys general in suing to block two illegal deals by the Trump administration that would hand energy companies $1.4 billion in taxpayer dollars in exchange for canceling four critical offshore wind projects. In the two lawsuits, one challenging a deal with Bluepoint Wind and the other challenging one with Invenergy, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the deals unlawfully misuse taxpayer dollars and sabotage states’ ability to meet growing energy demands. Filed during Climate Week in New York City that coincides with the UN General Assembly, the lawsuits ask the court to stop the deals, which kill critical wind projects just to bankroll fossil fuel plants elsewhere in the country.
“The Trump administration’s unlawful pay-to-not-play scheme to pressure companies to forego planned offshore wind projects in America is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars that hurts our ability to meet our energy needs, reduce emissions, create good paying jobs, and help secure American energy independence,” Governor Hochul. “Working with Attorney General James and the seven other AGs who filed this lawsuit, we will continue to fight back against the unending war against clean energy being waged by this President and his Republican allies to ensure a healthier and cleaner future that allows us to keep the lights on and costs down here in New York.”
“Americans are facing increasing energy costs because this administration would rather pay off energy companies than let us build the new power sources we need,” said Attorney General James. “These illegal backroom deals take money that should have gone toward lowering New Yorkers’ bills and hand it to fossil fuel projects in other states, all while our energy demand continues to grow. At a moment when every available resource should go to keeping the lights on and prices down, this administration is choosing corruption over communities. We will fight until these unlawful deals are struck down.”
Since the beginning of the president’s second term, his administration has continually attempted to stop offshore wind development. The President himself has stated that his “goal is not to let any windmill be built,” and his interior secretary promised that “under this administration, there is not a future for offshore wind.” After Attorney General James and other attorneys general secured repeated court wins striking down the federal government’s efforts to eliminate wind development, the administration pivoted to a new strategy: paying off companies to abandon their wind energy projects.
Today’s first lawsuit challenges the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) deal with Bluepoint Wind, which canceled the company’s lease off the coast of New York and, in exchange, paid Bluepoint $765 million from the Judgment Fund, a taxpayer-funded account reserved for legitimate legal settlements. Now, instead of building the offshore wind farm New York was counting on, Bluepoint will use the money to build a liquefied natural gas facility and has committed not to pursue future offshore wind developments in the United States.
In the second lawsuit, the attorneys general are challenging DOI’s deal with Invenergy, which canceled three offshore wind leases, including one off the coast of New York, and paid the company $653 million from the same fund. Under the deal, Invenergy will not build a single wind turbine. Instead, it will redirect the $653 million to natural gas plants in Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri and geothermal projects in the western United States, none of which will deliver a single watt of power to New York.
The two canceled New York projects alone were expected to bring a more than $16 billion investment to New York and create more than 2,800 new jobs in the state. The canceled projects would have connected directly to New York City’s electric grid, providing a new source of electricity at a time when the state anticipates significant growth in demand. Combined with the other two Invenergy leases, the canceled projects were expected to generate over eight gigawatts of electricity, enough to power more than four million homes.
The cancellations come as New York’s own energy planners project electricity demand will grow eight percent by 2030 and 24 percent by 2040, driven in part by economic development and new large loads such as data centers. At the same time, aging fossil fuel generators are approaching retirement, making new sources of power essential to meeting growing demand and maintaining grid reliability. If the administration deprives the Northeast of new energy generation while demand continues to outpace supply, electricity scarcity and grid congestion will worsen, which could increase energy costs for consumers.
The lawsuits assert that the administration is unlawfully using taxpayer dollars to advance the president’s policy preference for oil and gas development. The agreements do not resolve any actual or imminent litigation, meaning the administration has no legal basis to pay these companies hundreds of millions of dollars from the Judgment Fund, which Congress established solely to pay legitimate legal claims against the government.
Governor Hochul, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the deals violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Judgment Fund Act and other federal spending laws. They are asking the courts to declare the agreements unlawful, void the lease cancellations, and block the administration from taking any further action to carry out the deals.
Joining Attorney General James in filing both lawsuits are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont. California is filing a separate, concurrent lawsuit challenging a deal between Invenergy and the administration to cancel a lease off its coast.
Project to Protect Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line from Climate Change
Also during NYC Climate Week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded a $19.7 million contract for the design phase of a major project to protect vulnerable portions of the Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line from the effects of climate change and fortify the line against future stormwater runoff, tidal floods and other risks between Spuyten Duyvil to Hastings-on-Hudson. This milestone is a major step forward in a flagship $800 million resiliency effort to fortify the Hudson Line in the MTA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
“The impacts of climate change and extreme weather put the commutes of millions of riders who rely on the Hudson Line each year at risk,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why we’re making historic investments to ensure the long-term resilience of this vital rail corridor, fortifying it for the long term and ensuring that service is more reliable than ever before.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “As I always say, mass transit is the antidote to climate change — but we need to deal with the accelerating impacts it is already having on our system. This project takes a comprehensive approach towards protecting essential Metro-North service for decades to come.”
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Governor Kathy Hochul signed three pieces of legislation to provide support to 9/11 victims, responders and surviving family members. This support will help ensure eligible New Yorkers can receive the benefits they are entitled to under the law.
“None of us will ever forget the horrific attacks on our state and nation on that day in 2001 — nor will we ever forget the unflinching bravery and sacrifice of civilians and first responders whose lives were devastated,” Governor Hochul said. “As we mark the 25th anniversary of the events at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, we sign these three laws to support and honor those whose lives were transformed on that terrible day.”
A.11531 / S.10605 amends the Retirement and Social Security Law to extend to September 11, 2030, the deadline to submit documentation with the retirement system detailing an individual’s participation in World Trade Center rescue, recovery and clean-up operations following September 11, 2001. This legislation also extends the deadline to submit Form WTC-12to the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board until September 11, 2030. Submitting the proper documentation preserves an individual’s right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits in the future for any injury or illness caused by participation in rescue, recovery and clean-up operations between September 11, 2001, and September 11, 2002. All such persons who participated at Ground Zero, Fresh Kills Landfill, the barges, the piers and/or the morgues during that time should file Form WTC-12 whether they were injured or not.
The legislation also requires the Board to reconsider any claims in which the worker became disabled between September 11, 2021, and September 11, 2025, which were previously disallowed due to the deadline, and extends the time limit for filing new claims for injuries or illnesses occurring within that timeframe until on or before September 11, 2030.
State Senator Robert Jackson said,“Twenty-five years after September 11, remembrance must mean more than looking back — it must mean standing by those who carried New York through its darkest hour. I am proud that S.10605 and S.10085A, two bills I sponsor, are now law because our responsibility to the 9/11 community cannot be measured by the passage of time. The years may move forward, but sacrifice does not expire, illness does not obey a calendar, and neither should justice. I commend Governor Hochul for signing these measures into law and affirming a promise that must endure across generations: New York remembers, New York honors and New York stands by those who stood for us.”
Assemblymember Charles D. Fall said,“Twenty-five years after September 11th, the heroes who answered the call are still living with the consequences of the courage they showed that day and in the months that followed. We can never put a deadline on our responsibility to them. I’m proud that my legislation is now law, ensuring that responders who ran toward danger, worked on the pile, and helped our city recover have more time to protect their right to the benefits they earned and deserve, especially as 9/11-related illnesses continue to surface decades later. ‘Never Forget’ must be more than words. It means remembering their sacrifice, standing with their families, and continuing to show up for the heroes who showed up for us.”
A.11538 / S.10650 extends by four years, through September 11, 2030, the deadline for submitting a claim for World Trade Center death and disability benefits for members of New York’s National Guard members and their beneficiaries. This relates to members of the National Guard who were activated on state active duty on or after September 11, 2001, to participate in World Trade Center site rescue, recovery or cleanup operations as part of their duty and determined to have incurred a qualifying World Trade Center condition.
Assemblymember Grace Lee said,“Twenty-five years ago, thousands of our National Guard members answered the call to duty, descending on Ground Zero to assist in rescue and recovery efforts. Five members of the National Guard died on that tragic day, and many more have battled health complications as a result of their service. Thank you to Governor Hochul for signing this bill, as part of a package supporting 9/11 victims, responders and their families. We will never forget the sacrifices made by all who answered the call on 9/11, and we will keep fighting to honor and support them.”
A.11213A/S.10085A extends the 25-year presumptive eligibility period for certain retirement benefits for injuries or illnesses related to World Trade Center rescue, recovery and clean-up, extending provisions allowing for the reclassification of retiree deaths as World Trade Center qualifying accidental deaths for retirees who die after having been retired for more than 25 years up to a maximum of 35 years.
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato said, “The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 had, and still has, a profound lasting impact on our State’s history and is felt by many residents in our community, and across our great State. ‘Never Forget’ is not a motto, it is a real statement that New York is fully committed to honoring. Ensuring all 9/11 victims, first responders and their families can continue to receive the benefits and support they are entitled to is an essential part of that commitment. I commend Governor Hochul for her continued dedication to helping those impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and applaud her for signing these vital pieces of legislation into law.”
New York State Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Freida D. Foster said, “The Board applauds Governor Hochul’s tireless work fighting for the best outcomes for all New Yorkers and especially the brave responders who put their own lives on the line to help others. As World Trade Center health consequences continue to manifest 25 years later, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board remains dedicated to ensuring World Trade Center victims, responders, and surviving family members get every benefit they are entitled to receive. We continue to urge all those who participated in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts to file a WTC-12 form to preserve their rights to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits should they ever need them.”
“These bills are critical to ensuring that the workers who answered the call to rescue, recover, and clean up at the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are no longer denied the benefits they and their families have earned and deserve,” New York State AFL-CIO Mario Cilento said. “By signing these bills into law as we mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Governor Hochul has once again demonstrated her unwavering support for those who risked their own lives to save others. We thank her for her continued commitment to addressing the ongoing struggles faced by so many selfless heroes.”
Police Conference of New York President Michael O’Meara said, “The Police Conference of New York, representing almost 50,000 police officers across New York State sincerely thanks Governor Hochul and the members of the New York State Legislature for remembering and honoring the commitments to all of our brave 1st responders by passing and signing these bills into law. The Governor has once again shown courage and resolve in these meaningful actions that will have real impact on the brave men and women who so proudly served our state in its darkest hours. Thank you.”
NYC PBA President Patrick Hendry said, “These bills are far more than a tribute to our 9/11 heroes. They are a promise to the responders and their families that the benefits they count on will remain available for years to come. We thank Governor Hochul and the legislature for once again showing that there is no expiration date to our obligation to care for those who sacrificed their health to protect our city.”
“Our Detectives are still dying from 9/11-related cancers, and their families are still living with the devastating consequences of the work they did at Ground Zero,” NYPD DEA President Scott Munro said. “For 25 years, they have paid the price for breathing toxic air while answering the call. The DEA has never stopped fighting to protect our members and their families, and we never will. Governor Hochul’s signing of this legislation ensures that those who sacrificed their health in service to this city will continue to receive the benefits they earned and deserve. We are grateful to her for standing up for what is right.”
“On behalf of every professional firefighter who answered the call on September 11th and in the months of rescue, recovery, and clean-up that followed, we thank Governor Hochul for signing this critical legislation,” New York State Professional Firefighters Association President Sam Fresina said. “We have long known that WTC-related illnesses, cancers, respiratory disease, and other conditions do not follow a calendar. They can emerge decades after exposure. A twenty-five-year window left too many of our brothers and sisters and their families without the protections they earned through their service and sacrifice. This extension is a direct response to what our doctors, our union locals and our families have been telling Albany for years: the WTC health crisis is ongoing, and our laws must reflect that. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, Senator Jackson, Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato and every legislator who fought to get this bill across the finish line.”
UFA President Bobby Eustace said, “On the eve of the 25th anniversary of September 11th, the Uniformed Firefighters Association thanks Governor Kathy Hochul for signing legislation that recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices of New York City firefighters. As we remember the 343 FDNY members murdered on September 11th and the hundreds more we have lost to World Trade Center-related illness, this action carries special meaning. Governor Hochul has shown that she stands with the FDNY and the families who have carried this burden for 25 years. We are grateful for her leadership and commitment to those who continue to protect this city.”
UFOA President Jim Brosi said, “The Uniformed Fire Officers Association would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Governor Hochul for extending line-of-duty death benefits for an additional 10 years for all officers and firefighters who succumb to 9/11-related illness. The World Trade Center pension protection benefit was one of the few legislative accomplishments that gave our members the peace of mind that their families would be protected if the effects of working at Ground Zero eventually took their life. You have always understood the importance of protecting members’ benefits and the families they leave behind. Your continued support and recognition of this ongoing crisis gives real peace of mind to members and families who suffer chronic illness, and to the families who have lost loved ones because of their service on that day and in the months that followed. The extension of this benefit should give all members the peace of mind that, despite the immeasurable suffering they’ve endured, they will not be without coverage — and their families will not go without the protection they earned.”
“The members of the FDNY EMS salute Governor Hochul for this important action she is taking by signing three laws intended preserve the health and rights of our members and retirees who participated in the World Trade Center rescue, recovery and cleanup operation a quarter-century ago,” FDNY EMS Local 2507 President Michael Greco said. “As the recent release of documents by the City of New York illustrated, early on, officials were highly concerned about the toxic environment at Ground Zero but still did not pause the essential work of our members on the front lines. Extending crucial health related benefit deadlines for those health- impacted members, is the right thing to do and we thank the Governor for signing these bills along with Assemblymembers Grace Lee, Stacey Pfeffer Amato, Charles Fall, and Senators Robert Jackson and Brian Kavanagh, for introducing them.”
New York State Public Employee Conference Chairman Peter D. Meringolo said, “NYSPEC led the negotiations which, in 2005, after an almost four-year battle chiefly with the City of New York, culminated in the original 9/11 Presumptive Disability Legislation. That first bill, which has been improved and expanded upon numerous times over the years, has helped several thousand public employees and their families. Unfortunately, the law, and all its benefits, was set to expire this Friday, the 25th Anniversary of the heinous attacks. On behalf of the more than one million active and retired public employees we represent, we thank Senator Robert Jackson and Members of the Assembly Charles Fall and Stacey Pheffer Amato for sponsoring and advancing bills to extend the original legislation and the filing dates, and we applaud Governor Kathy Hochul for signing these two crucial measures into law!”
For more information on the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board’s World Trade Center registry and other supports available to 9/11 victims, responders, and families, visit: https://www.wcb.ny.gov/WTC/wtc-assistance.jsp.
