Category Archives: Public Safety, Health

Affordability, Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State politics, NYS Governor Kathy Hochul, Public Safety-Crime-Law Enforcement, Public Safety, Health

Governor Hochul Signs Budget that Makes New York More Affordable, Keeps New Yorkers Safe, Expands Opportunity for All

May 30, 2026 krubin

Putting New York on Path to Statewide Universal Childcare

$1 Billion in One-Time Energy Rebate Checks

Puts Ratepayers First in Push To Reduce Utility Costs

Protecting New Yorkers From ICE Overreach

Making More Than $900 Million Record Investment in Public Safety Funding To Continue Driving Down Crime and Keeping New Yorkers Safe

Advances First-in-the-Nation Legislation To Ban Illegal, Homegrown 3D-Printed Ghost Guns and DIY Machine Guns

Measures To Reduce Insurance Rates for Drivers

Offsets Rising Costs for Farmers Due to Federal Tariffs

No Tax on Tips for Hardworking New Yorkers

Improving Transparency in the Residential Property Insurance Market

*Governor Kathy Hochul signed her FY 2027 Budget making New York more affordable, keeping New Yorkers safe and expanding opportunity for all © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

Governor Kathy Hochul signed her FY 2027 Budget making New York more affordable, keeping New Yorkers safe and expanding opportunity for all. The Governor delivered sweeping measures to lower costs including putting New York on a path to universal childcare, reducing utility costs and delivering energy rebate checks, and bringing auto insurance rates down for drivers. She also implemented a surcharge on luxury New York City second homes, generating much needed revenue for the City without impacting everyday New Yorkers. Additionally, the Governor continues to build on her unprecedented investments in public safety with more than $900 million in funding, measures to crack down on illegal 3D printed guns, and a nation leading package of immigration protections that keep New Yorkers safe.

“Every proposal included in this Budget was a fight for New Yorkers and their future. Working with my partners in the Legislature, we delivered an ambitious agenda that will lower costs for hardworking families, keep New Yorkers safe and create opportunity for all,” Governor Hochul said. “While Washington continues to make life more difficult for New Yorkers, I’m doing everything in my power to make real, tangible progress on the issues New Yorkers are facing and I will always fight for the people who call this great state home.”

Delivering Universal Childcare

Governor Hochul is putting New York State on a pathway toward universal childcare, beginning with committing to investments that will support the delivery of affordable childcare to up to nearly 100,000 additional children.

The Governor’s landmark investment will increase funding by $1.7 billion bringing the total FY27 investment to $4.5 billion for childcare and prekindergarten services statewide.

These investments will:

Make Pre-K truly universal statewide by making funding available to provide high-quality pre-k seats for all four-year-olds in the State by the start of the 2028-29 school year.
Partner with New York City to launch the Mayor’s signature 2-Care program and finally realize the promise of universal 3K access in New York City.
Support counties in building out New York’s First 3 Program providing high-quality affordable childcare to families across the state regardless of income.
Expand childcare subsidies to tens of thousands of additional families.
Support the workforce through early childhood educator preparation.
Launch an Office of Childcare and Early Education to steer the implementation of high-quality, universal childcare for New York families and will work to enhance awareness of the Child Tax Credit to ensure as many New Yorkers as possible benefit from the Governor’s historic expansion of the program that increased the credit from $330 per child to $1,000 annually for children under four.

Tackling Utility Costs

New Yorkers deserve reliable energy at a price they can afford, which is why Governor Hochul is proposing a sweeping set of reforms to modernize the Public Service Law, demanding strict fiscal discipline from utilities and empowering the State to fight more effectively for lower bills.

In her FY27 Budget, the Governor is putting ratepayers first by:

Issuing one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) checks to help provide needed relief. The POWER program will provide $200 to joint filers with incomes under $150,000 and $150 to joint filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000. Tying executive pay directly to customer affordability,
Requiring utilities to present a budget constrained option when requesting a rate increase to ensure efficiency and affordability are prioritized,
Ensuring customers do not foot the bill for hidden costs like lobbying, political contributions and unnecessary executive travel.
Allowing for the installation of an “Affordability Monitor” within any utility company when the average residential bills creep too high.
Modernizing the way utility rate cases are reviewed to help keep prices manageable.
Incentivizing the use of smart thermostats to help reduce energy usage and lower bills.
Establishing the RATES commission, bringing together consumer advocates and energy experts to investigate the root causes of surging utility bills, evaluate utility profits, review energy market designs and recommend actionable, transparent reforms.

Pied-à-Terre Tax on Luxury Second Homes in New York City

Governor Hochul’s Budget includes a pied-à-terre tax, a surcharge that will apply to high-value – $5 million or more – second homes within New York City. The tax ensures that those who own luxury properties as their second homes are still fairly contributing towards the funding of essential services like policing or parks that make New York City a global destination.

Given the complexity of New York City’s property tax system, the pied-à-terre surcharge makes accommodations in the short term transition phase for the ways in which different property types are currently valued in New York City, while ensuring the surcharge is applied fairly and immediately to luxury properties. The proposal is expected to generate at least $500 million a year in recurring revenue for New York City without impacting everyday New Yorkers.

Protecting New Yorkers From ICE Overreach

Governor Hochul has enacted a sweeping set of laws to protect New Yorkers against aggressive federal immigration enforcement as part of the FY27 Enacted Budget.

These new laws will expand protections by:

Prohibiting state, local and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public.
Prohibiting local governments, state and local police and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes.
Establishing a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights.
Prohibiting the use of state and local civilian agencies and public school resources, including employee time, for immigration enforcement activities.
Prohibiting civilian state, local and school employees (including higher education and K-12) from permitting access to any non-public area of a state-owned or operated facility to immigration authorities without a judicial warrant, meaning any state or municipally owned, or operated facility including housing accommodations, parks, childcare facilities, preschools, hospitals, schools, dorms, healthcare facilities, community centers, libraries and shelters, cannot grant or facilitate access to any non-public areas of their facilities to immigration authorities without a warrant.
Ensuring immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status.

Record Investments in Public Safety

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested more than $3 billion in public safety initiatives. The funding has provided record support for local and state law enforcement that has contributed to gun violence reaching record lows, reduced subway crime and combated pandemic-era surges in motor vehicle and retail thefts.

This Budget adds more than $900 million to those record investments and strengthens public safety by:

Prioritizing New Yorkers’ safety throughout the transit system. The Governor secured an additional $77 million to support the deployment of NYPD officers across the subway system and $25 million for expanding the Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams initiative to respond more quickly to individuals in acute distress.
Establishing a pilot program for New York City requiring the installation of Intelligent Speed Assistance devices in the vehicles of so-called “super speeders,” drivers with a documented pattern of flouting speeding laws and putting New Yorkers at risk.
Advancing a comprehensive approach to both prohibit risky drone use and expand responsible use of drones as first responders by creating a crime for dangerous drone use and flying in and around restricted areas, and authorizing the use of detection and mitigation efforts by qualified law enforcement officers.
Protecting safe access to worship — creating a new crime for knowingly and intentionally interfering with a person seeking to enter or exit a place of religious worship or acting in a way that makes a person within 50 feet of a place of worship fear for their safety.

Stopping Illegal Homegrown Guns

Governor Hochul has passed the strongest gun laws in the nation and made record investments in gun violence prevention, resulting in New York having the fewest shooting incidents statewide in 2025 in recorded history.

Governor Hochul’s FY27 Enacted Budget will:

Require first-in-the-nation minimum safety standards for 3D printers sold in New York to be equipped with basic technology that prevents the unlicensed, illegal production of lethal firearms and firearm parts.
Require the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to lead a task force of experts to recommend regulations that will ensure New Yorkers are protected from these dangerous weapons. Following the implementation of the resulting regulations, state law will allow for recourse against any actor who sells a 3D printer in New York without equipping it with such technology.
Criminalize the unlawful possession, sale, or distribution of blueprints that allow the printing of illegal guns and gun parts, and the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms.
Prohibit gun manufacturers and firearms dealers from selling pistols that can be quickly and easily converted into machine guns using common tools.

Lowering Car Insurance Rates for New Yorkers

Fraud is a major driver of elevated auto insurance premiums. Increasingly sophisticated actors stage elaborate accidents, designed to allow for “jackpot” payouts from insurance companies or jury awards. These schemes imperil the safety of honest drivers, cause property damage, and increase rates for drivers across the state. Increasingly, scams go beyond just one bad actor at the wheel and are orchestrated by organized criminal rings.

The Governor’s plan will:

Cap payouts for drivers engaging in criminal behavior at the time of the incident, including uninsured motorists, drunk drivers, and drivers in the act of committing a felony.
Better define what actually constitutes a ‘serious injury’ so that damages for pain and suffering or emotional distress are reserved for those able to objectively demonstrate that they have suffered a serious injury.
Ensure that if a driver is found to be mostly at fault for causing an accident, they cannot claim outsized payments for damages.
Prevent insurance companies from exorbitantly raising rates by setting a legal threshold that prevents excess profits and returns savings to consumers.
Create new regulatory safeguards to prevent insurance companies from raising rates without seeking express approval from the Department of Financial Services.
Protect consumers by prohibiting insurance companies from setting rates based on extraneous, personal factors like homeownership status, occupation, education level or zip code.
Enable prosecutors to seek criminal penalties against any individual responsible for organizing a staged accident, not just the particular individual behind the wheel.
These measures come in addition to the Governor’s whole-of-government approach to combatting fraud by tasking DFS, DMV, DCJS and NYSP with a more proactive and coordinated approach to enforcement.
The Governor’s plan also includes transparency for auto insurance policyholders by requiring insurers to notify policyholders about rate changes.

Protecting Vulnerable Renters and Homeowners

High prices and unscrupulous landlords are driving too many tenants out of their homes and making it harder for vulnerable homeowners to make ends meet. Governor Hochul has secured agreements to help address these issues in the FY27 Budget including:

Protecting renters by clarifying anti-harassment laws.
Enacting stiffer criminal penalties for landlords who engage in systemic harassment of rent-regulated tenants across multiple buildings or who are repeat serious offenders of existing anti-harassment laws.

To ensure that housing remains affordable for both seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities who are living in rent-regulated housing and Mitchell-Lama affordable housing, Governor Hochul’s final FY27 Budget:

Increases income eligibility limits for New York’s Rent Freeze Program for both the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and Disability Rent Increase Exemption from $50,000 to $75,000.
Authorizes raising the eligibility for the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption and Disabled Homeowner’s Exemption from $50,000 to $75,000.
Adds notice requirements to make more elderly and disabled rent-regulated tenants aware of the SCRIE/DRIE rent freeze programs.

Consistent with current practice, New York City and other communities may opt into both the SCRIE/DRIE and SCHE/DHE programs.

Improving Transparency in the Residential Property Insurance Market

Homeowners and housing providers across the state are contending with escalating home insurance premiums and shrinking options for coverage, which threaten the affordability of New York’s single and multi-family homes. While single family home insurance rates in New York are on average lower than many other states — thanks to New York’s tightly regulated market — year over year increases in insurance rates still threaten to sap money from families’ pocketbooks and make multi-family housing less and less affordable for homeowners and renters. For years, New Yorkers have not been properly informed about the reasons for rising premiums. This year, the Governor’s reforms will increase transparency for consumers and give the Department of Financial Services (DFS) a better understanding of the multi-family market with new data from insurers.

Governor Hochul is tackling this problem head-on by:

Requiring insurers to provide detailed information to DFS on how they price policies for multifamily residential buildings.
Increasing transparency for home insurance as well as auto insurance by requiring insurers to notify policyholders about rate changes.

Protecting New York Farmers from the Disruption of Federal Tariffs

Agriculture is a cornerstone of New York’s economy, yet the federal government’s tariff policy has threatened the competitiveness of our farmers. Federal actions have driven up the cost of essential resources — like seeds, fertilizer, and necessary machinery — while creating market instability. Although the USDA recently announced a national assistance program, it is fundamentally flawed for New York since it leaves specialty crops and the dairy sector with no meaningful support.

To relieve farmers from the adverse impacts caused by federal tariffs, Governor Hochul will:

Create the Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program, which will provide $30 million in direct payments to New York specialty crop growers, livestock producers, aquaculture, and dairy farmers.
This initiative will quickly distribute much needed support to offset rising costs caused by tariffs.
This program reinforces New York’s commitment to our agricultural community, while safeguarding local jobs and ensuring our farmers have the certainty needed to compete in a volatile global marketplace.

Helping New Yorkers Put Food on the Table

The recent shutdown of the federal government reminded the nation of how precarious our nutrition safety net is and how many New Yorkers contend with food insecurity. In response to the shutdown, Governor Hochul rushed an additional $65 million toward food assistance programs that delivered meals to tens of thousands of New Yorkers in their hour of need. To build on these actions and further reinforce our emergency food system:

Governor Hochul is announcing a $51 million investment in the Department of Health (DOH)’s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) program, which will help New York’s network of about 2,700 food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens reach more New Yorkers in need. An additional $15 million will strengthen and expand operations, allowing them to reach more people with healthier options.
The Enacted Budget also includes $55 million for the Nourish New York Program, which reroutes surplus agricultural products to those who need them most through the state’s food banks.

Theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is an epidemic across the United States, with hundreds of millions of dollars illegally stolen from families’ EBT cards nationwide using illegal “skimming” devices. Governor Hochul’s FY27 Budget will protect New Yorkers from this predatory behavior by:

Upgrading New York’s EBT cards to secure chip-based technology that makes cards virtually impervious to skimming. While the federal administration tries to strip SNAP benefits from as many New Yorkers as possible and turns a blind eye to criminals taking food from vulnerable families, transitioning to chip-based EBT cards will help safeguard the SNAP dollars that New Yorkers depend on.

The Governor’s plan will also:

Establish New York PLATES, a statewide competitive $10 million grant program for eligible food pantries that will fund capital projects, to increase the capacity of these critical organizations and enable food pantries to safely store, transport and distribute food to more families.
Support localities in expanding free summer meal sites.

No Taxes on Tips for Hardworking New Yorkers

Tipped workers — New York’s bartenders, servers, and deliveristas — are the backbone of the state’s service economy. In jobs that demand long hours and daily dedication, every dollar is hard-won. Governor Hochul is committed to making sure tipped workers can hold on to more of what they earn. The Governor passed legislation that eliminates state income taxes on up to $25,000 of tipped income in tax year 2026, consistent with federal tax guidance.

Governor Hochul’s FY27 Budget builds on her efforts to put more money back in New Yorkers’ pockets. To date, her administration has:

Cut middle-class taxes to their lowest rates in 70 years, ensuring families keep more of the paychecks they earn.
Raised New York’s minimum wage and tied future increases to inflation so a day’s work covers a day’s needs.
Implemented an historic expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit, also known as the Empire State Child Credit, to provide families up to $1,000 per child under the age of four beginning in 2026, and up to $500 for school-aged children beginning in 2027, substantially increasing the previous maximum of $330.
Made school meals free for every student, saving families $1,600 per child every year and making sure no child goes hungry at school.
Sent Inflation Refund checks to 8.2 million New Yorkers — up to $200 for individuals and up to $400 for families.
Increased the maximum weekly unemployment benefit by $300 a week so people can focus on finding work, not keeping the lights on.
Established a nation-leading birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year Benefit) — providing $1,800 to new parents receiving Public Assistance when they have a new baby.

Nassau County Government, News & Photo Features, Public Safety-Crime-Law Enforcement, Public Safety, Health, Public Safety, Health, Security

Nassau County Exec Bruce Blakeman Touts Immigration Arrests, Law Enforcement Creds in State of County Speech

March 10, 2026 krubin

*Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman touts immigration arrests, law enforcement creds in his State of the County speech © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

By Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com, news-photos-features.com

In his State of the County speech, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman focused on public safety, law enforcement, boasted about the county’s alliance with ICE and its ban on transgender school kids playing on girls’ teams, as the key accomplishments of his administration.

Blakeman, who declared his intention to run for governor the day after his reelection, thanked the audience of county officials and electeds for the honor of serving as the county executive, closed out his 20-minute speech saying, “Looking ahead my commitment will remain stronger than ever. I want us all to continue to thrive. We have the lowest poverty rate in the state- that makes me happy. I want all our residents to live in prosperity, have a good job, good benefits, enjoy not just the necessities but luxuries – vacation, going out to dinner, buying daughter a prom dress. I want Nassau County to remain safest, most affordable, healthiest to live, work, and raise a family in all of America”

Missing from this speech was his usual jabs at Governor Hochul – such as Hochul’s audacity at proposing a no-nonsense plan to build affordable housing – which is interesting in light of his declaration to challenge her for governor. But the speech deliberately omitted any mention of his aspirations or the fact that if he is serious about running for governor, that will be his focus until November, leaving the county’s administration to an unelected underling.

Blakeman offered little in the way of economic development achievements, beyond reducing the time for approvals for business applications. Most of the significant projects were actually through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Program, infrastructure grants and other programs. But he was unable to cite any projects to mitigate climate change, enhance resilience or sustainability, or build upon efforts to turn Long Island into a biomedical, science and research hub.

Blakeman, who vigorously opposed Governor Hochul’s efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing, uncharacteristically cited one project: Frank Stiller’s Tunnels to Towers Foundation is investing $20 million to turn “a rundown, crime ridden” stretch of Long Beach into 50 new homes for vets, first responders and Gold Star families, “which guarantees all who served … a safe and welcoming place in Nassau.”

He boasted of not having raised property taxes for the entirety of his time in office – not mentioning that he has been sitting on close to $1 billion in unspent federal and state grant money, including almost $100 million in opioid settlement funds, in order to use the interest revenue.

But what he is most proud of are the policies and programs that mimic the Trump/MAGA administration’s “anti-woke” – that is anti-political correctness – policies:

“Under our leadership, we stand up for fairness, commonsense in sports- in Nassau County boys play with boys, girls play with girls,” he declared to a standing ovation. “Girls should not be forced to compete in an unfair, unsafe environment. We won’t have bullying. We always protect our girls.”

Blakeman also took a jab at the state’s Education Department which has banned the use of Native American mascots. “My admin will continue to support the traditions and histories of local communities. We are a staunch ally to keep Massapequa the Chiefs, and Wantagh the Warriors, resisting Albany’s efforts to erase our history.” (Actually, the Indian American mascots they have used are not the same tribe that actually lived in Massapequa or Wantagh.)

But he is most visibly connecting to Trump’s policy with his anti-immigrant stance, boasting “Nassau County under my executive order is not a sanctuary county,” receiving another standing ovation.

“In partnership with our federal partners in ICE, Nassau County coordinated the largest gang take down in history – hundreds of arrests, we removed dangerous criminals – MS13.. Our partnership with ICE has removed over 200 illegal migrants who committed crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, carjacking and human trafficking,” Blakeman said, adding that there were no raids at schools, hospitals, churches, daycare. “All arrests are targeted to removing criminals from community.”

He was referring to an incident where over the course of four days in August, 42 people were arrested, of which 25 were gang members, mostly of MS-13.

Of these, 33 of the offenders were in ICE custody without bond, pending removal.

“If there was somebody that was apprehended, and that individual was going to be released because of the cashless bail laws, we notified ICE, came and picked them up, so that they would not continue to do harm to our community,” Blakeman said. (https://abc7ny.com/post/ms13-gang-arrest-42-arrested-4-days-nassau-countys-largest-takedowns/17586503/)

But he tried to moderate his stance, announcing he is working with federal officials to launch a guest worker program aimed at helping businesses fill jobs across Nassau County. The program would focus on what he described as “law-abiding” immigrants.

“Our business community needs these workers. We will continue to work to improve their situations in Nassau County by working with federal officials,” Blakeman said.

Blakeman focused almost entirely on law enforcement, noting that Nassau County is once again (as it was under his Democratic predecessor Laura Curran) the safest county of its size in the country.

*Governor Kathy Hochul in Long Island in 2024 to tout steep reductions in crime rates © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

Actually violent crime is down across the state and New York City remains the safest big city in the country largely because of federal funding and historic state investments in new crime-fighting initiatives statewide including Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. SNUG Street Outreach program, Crime Analysis Centers, and Project RISE.

But while Blakeman likes to focus on public safety, he has ignored the epidemic of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities in Nassau County, a no-show at summits and conferences dedicated to road safety.

Traffic fatalities in Nassau County rose to at least 78 in 2025, up from 67 in 2024, according to data from Newsday’s fatality tracker, while serious injuries increased significantly in 2024 (latest available data) to 873, up from 744 in 2023, according to Newsday. The increase in traffic fatalities in Nassau County is despite the fact traffic fatalities fell across New York State in 2025. Newsday has had an ongoing investigation into Long Island’s Dangerous Roads, concluding that the area has experienced higher rates of fatal crashes due to heavy car reliance, aggressive driving, and dangerous road designs for pedestrians and cyclists.

Almost at the same time as Blakeman was delivering his speech at the County’s Theodore Roosevelt Legislative Building, two pedestrians were struck and killed in separate accidents in Roslyn. 63-year old Elena Crowley, worked as a security aide at Roslyn HIgh School, was struck by a 57-year-old man driving a 2025 GMC pickup truck on Briard Street; earlier in the day, 69-year-old woman, Claudia Moncada of Glen Cove, was crossing the eastbound lanes of Glen Cove Road when she was struck by a red 2018 Dodge Challenger driven by a 26-year-old man traveling north.

Blakeman has done nothing to attempt to incorporate the recommendations of traffic engineers to improve road safety, nor promote a public education campaign aimed at encouraging a responsible, safe-driving culture.

His one public statement on traffic enforcement came from an attack on the state legislature which was contemplating restricting law enforcement’s ability to stop drivers as a pretext to checking their immigration status.

By the same token, he has done nothing for public health, using the same “ostrich with head in the sand” as Trump, resulting in hundreds of thousands of needless deaths. Coming into the office during the Omnicron version of the COVID-19 epidemic, he immediately declared COVID finished, and has never published incidents of coronavirus or flu, or urged residents to get vaccinations and boosters, in light of the administration’s anti-vax crusade.

Democratic Response

Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (third from right on dais) with County Legislators at the end of County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s State of the County speech © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

In her Democratic response, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton declared, “Tonight we heard a polished speech filled with promises. But Nassau County residents deserve results, and after five years, the gap between Bruce Blakeman’s rhetoric and reality couldn’t be clearer.”

DeRiggi-Whitton pointed to several key promises the County Executive made when he first ran for office that remain unfulfilled.

“When he ran in 2021, Bruce Blakeman promised to fix Nassau’s broken assessment system,” she said. “Five years later, it’s more broken than ever because he kept assessment rolls frozen, a move that hurts taxpayers while benefiting tax grievance firms that fund his campaigns.”

She also criticized the administration for failing to deliver on promised tax relief.

“He promised tax cuts. Not one has been delivered,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Instead, $385 million in federal pandemic relief meant to help families and small businesses was used to plug budget holes while millions were spent on politically connected lawyers, parades, and galas.”

In contrast to his boasts about adding 600 police officers to the ranks and intention to add more, DeRiggi-Whitton said the administration has failed to address critical public safety staffing shortages.

“Police staffing is below required levels. 911 operator positions remain dangerously understaffed,” she said. “Those are basic responsibilities of government, and this administration is falling short.”

She also raised concerns about the County Executive’s decision to divert detectives to assist federal immigration enforcement while local staffing shortages persist.

DeRiggi-Whitton further criticized the administration for failing to deploy opioid settlement funding meant to combat addiction.

“More than $100 million in opioid settlement funds are sitting unspent while families continue to lose loved ones to addiction,” she said. “Those funds were meant to save lives — not make a budget look better.”

*Nassau residents rally against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s private militia © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

She also cited a lack of transparency surrounding the County Executive’s controversial armed volunteer deputy program – derided as his private militia.

“Nassau residents deserve transparency, especially when taxpayer dollars and public safety are involved,” DeRiggi-Whitton said.

DeRiggi-Whitton concluded by urging residents to judge the administration by its record.

“Campaign promises are easy,” she said. “Governing requires focus. Nassau residents deserve leadership that is focused on their needs, not personal political ambition.”

__________________________

© 2026 News & Photo Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles,Inc. All rights reserved. For editorial feature and photo information, go to www.news-photos-features.com,email editor@news-photos-features.com.Blogging at www.dailykos.com/blogs/NewsPhotosFeatures

Public Safety, Health, Social Safety Net, Trump Administration, US Congress

Congressman Suozzi Joins Bipartisan Letter Expressing Outrage at SAMHSA Cuts to Long Island Without Warning

January 15, 2026 krubin

Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY) expressed outrage over sudden cuts to grants to Long Island nonprofits providing drug treatment, alcohol counseling, and mental health care, $2 million in cuts to his 3^rd Congressional District alone – nationwide 2000 organizations were cut off from $2 billion in funding. After 100 Congressmembers sent a letter to HHS Secretary RFK Jr., the cuts were reversed. “This pattern and practice of cutting programs without warning that not-for-profits are counting on, in the middle of the fiscal year, is unfair, unproductive, and maddening. While I’m relieved these cuts were reversed, we can’t keep doing this,” said Suozzi. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Trump Administration, suddenly and without warning, notified several agencies across Long Island and throughout America of the immediate termination of grants. Several Long Island institutions quickly reported to Congressman Suozzi’s office that nearly $2 million in SAMHSA grants have been cut, and possibly more. Nationwide, 2000 organizations have been cut off from $2 billion in funding.

Congressman Suozzi reached out to the affected organizations. He joined more than 100 colleagues in the House of Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, on the attached letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy to express bipartisan outrage at these sudden cuts.

“We strongly urge you to rescind all of the terminations immediately. Too many people across the country are suffering without the necessary resources. We must ensure that SAMHSA programs serve their congressionally intended purpose of getting lifesaving resources to our communities,” the letter reads.

That evening, the cuts were reversed.

“This pattern and practice of cutting programs without warning that not-for-profits are counting on, in the middle of the fiscal year, is unfair, unproductive, and maddening. While I’m relieved these cuts were reversed, we can’t keep doing this,” said Suozzi.

“Without warning, grants were terminated. It’s a reckless and awful move that undermines efforts to deliver drug treatment, alcohol counseling, and mental health care,” said Suozzi. “These programs are how we save lives and help our neighbors and loved ones escape the grip of opioids and other addictive drugs. Cutting off already-awarded grants throws organizations into chaos and puts patients at risk. Addiction and mental health crises do not stop mid-year, and neither should the support systems people depend on.”

Nearly $2 million in funding cuts would have impacted organizations in the 3rd Congressional District. CN Guidance has reported $1,250,000 in cuts to programs to address child trauma, drug addiction, and mental health first aid training. The Family and Children’s Association has reported $125,000 in cuts to mental health first aid training. The YES Community Counseling Center has reported $544,970 in cuts to its Bridge Program to curb addiction in young adults.

Suozzi’s office is in contact with local organizations and will ensure their funding cuts are reversed.

The bipartisan letter to Health and Human Services is here.

Education, Governor Kathy Hochul, Health Care, Media & Politics, Public Safety, Health, Public Safety, Health, Security

Governor Hochul Announces Proposals to Protect Kids Online, Restrict AI Chatbots, Combat Youth Mental Health Crisis

January 5, 2026 krubin

New Legislation Will Help Protect Kids from Predators, Scammers and Harmful AI Chatbots on Online Platforms

New York Will Lead the Nation in Teen Mental Health First Aid Training

Expands Resources To Allow Every Tenth Grader to Be Trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid, Empowering Kids to Support Their Peers

Builds on Governor’s Nation-Leading Work To Ban Smartphones in Schools, Enact Social Media Warning Labels and Restrict Addictive Feeds, Create Safeguards Against Harmful AI Companions, and Open More than 1,300 School-Based Mental Health Clinics

Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing new legislation to help protect kids from predators, scammers and harmful AI chatbots on online platforms and to expand resources to train every 10^th grader in teen mental health first aid, empowering them to support their peers. It builds on Hochul’s work to ban smartphones in schools, enact social media warning labels, restrict addictive feeds, and open 1,300 school-based mental health clinics © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled her first State of the State proposals, which will continue to build on her progress to keep New York’s kids safe online and combat the youth mental health crisis statewide. The new legislation will help protect children from online predators, scammers and harmful AI chatbots integrated on online platforms. Additionally, the Governor is proposing a first-of-its-kind, statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid training, designed to give young people the tools to identify, understand, and effectively respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among their friends and peers. These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s nation-leading work to ban smartphones in schools, enact social media warning labels, restrict addictive feeds, and create safeguards against harmful AI companions. Governor Hochul’s focus on youth mental health also led to the creation of more school-based mental health clinics, community-based treatment options, and peer-based supports for youth and adults.

“As New York’s first mom Governor, the well-being and safety of our children has always been one of my top priorities, and today we are continuing to break new ground to give our kids the tools and safeguards they need to contend with the unprecedented mental health challenges and real world dangers that can sometimes be a byproduct of navigating today’s digital world,” Governor Hochul said.“These proposals will create a nation-leading standard that will ensure our kids’ safety in online and real world environments where they spend time.”

New Protections for Kids on Online Platforms

Numerous lawsuits and investigations have alleged that online platforms have not taken appropriate steps to protect the children using them. These online platforms allow children and adults to contact each other worldwide — which leaves children susceptible to grooming, child abuse, and exposure to violent and inappropriate content, including suicide.

The Governor’s proposed legislative package to keep kids safe from emerging threats on social media and online gaming platforms will include:

Expanding Age Verification: Expanding requirements for platforms to conduct age verification, including online game platforms.
- Privacy by Default: Kids will be set to the highest privacy settings on covered platforms by default, meaning non-connections cannot message kids, view their profile, or tag them in content. Location settings will be turned off by default, and children under 13 must receive parental approval for new connections.

Disabling AI Chatbot Features: Disabling certain AI chatbot features on social media platforms for kids.
- Parental Controls: Parents must be able to set limits on children’s financial transactions.

This package draws on existing legislation sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “Online platforms like Roblox are enabling unsafe environments for children, including allowing predators to send explicit messages to children. We urgently need to pass crucial online safety protections to stop predators from exploiting children and create safer online environments for children to play. I am proud to continue working with Governor Hochul, Senator Gounardes, and Assemblymember Rozic to push for nation-leading legislation that will protect children and families online.”

Senator Andrew Gounardes said,“It’s a grim reality of the modern internet: the online platforms where our kids spend so much time are failing to protect them from predators. From toys to food to cars, we regulate all sorts of products to keep children safe. There’s no reason platforms like Roblox should be different. This proposal sends a clear message that New York will always prioritize our kids’ safety over Big Tech’s profits. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for her partnership on this important proposal.”

“Protecting kids online means more than limiting harm. It means empowering them with knowledge, skills, and resources,” Assemblymember Nily Rozic said. “This legislation responds directly to the concerns parents like me have raised about harmful and addictive online design, and it gives us the tools to hold companies accountable. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for listening to parents across our state and taking decisive action to protect our kids’ mental health and well-being.”

Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer said, “Common Sense Media applauds Governor Hochul’s inclusion of these important new children’s online safety protections in her State of the State proposal and we thank Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Rozic for their leadership on this issue. The online games kids play and the social media platforms they use for hours and hours a day have become veritable hunting grounds for predators. Kids and teens need these new protections now more than ever.”

“These common-sense proposals by Governor Hochul will better safeguard New York’s youth from the harms of addictive and manipulative tech, and help put an end to the ongoing national emergency in child and adolescent mental health,” Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) Founder and Executive Director Julie Scelfo said. :The parents of the MAMA movement are grateful for the Governor’s continued national leadership on this issue, and we look forward to working with her and with the State Legislature to enact policies that protect our kids.”

Expanding Youth Mental Health Training For 180,000 Teens

Governor Hochul will propose to make Teen Mental Health First Aid training available to all 10th graders across New York State. New York would phase in a commitment to make training available to more than 180,000 students annually, ensuring that over time most high school students will have the basic skills to support themselves and each other.

When teens experience mental health and substance use challenges, often their first resort is to talk to their peers. Likewise, friends are often best positioned to identify and empathize with stressors that may be acting on fellow students. Research demonstrates that with training, young people have the capacity to both identify and effectively respond to mental health challenges in ways that can improve and even save lives.

This training is designed for young people between the ages 15 and 18 so they can identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends and peers. It equips them with skills to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges; the impact of bullying and school violence on mental health; how to have impactful conversations with classmates about mental health concerns or to seek help from an adult; formal and informal support, and self-care.

As part of this initiative, the State will also offer new Youth Mental Health First Aid training for adults who regularly interact with youth in schools and community programs. This nationally-recognized curriculum introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “In our discussions with young people about mental health issues, one consistent thread became clear — youth reach out to their peers when they are in distress. Teen Mental Health First Aid helps young New Yorkers talk with their classmates and friends about mental health issues and provides them with the know-how to get them help when it is needed. By expanding this program, Governor Hochul is continuing her steadfast commitment to improving youth mental health and providing our young people with the skills they can rely on to live and thrive among the challenges they face today.”

President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing Chuck Ingoglia and Vice President of Mental Health First Aid Tramaine EL-Amin said, “This announcement represents a historic and transformative investment in youth mental health. We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her bold leadership and unwavering commitment to the mental wellbeing of New York’s students. By expanding teen Mental Health First Aid to reach all 10th graders statewide, New York is setting a powerful national standard — normalizing conversations about mental health, reducing stigma and equipping an entire generation with critical, potentially lifesaving skills. The National Council is proud to partner in this effort and remains fully committed to supporting schools, educators, parents and communities as this landmark initiative moves forward.”

This State of the State proposal builds on Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to address the youth mental health crisis statewide and help keep kids safe online. This work has established New York as a global leader in securing a safer online world for children. Initiatives include:

The SAFE for Kids Act, which restricts addictive features of social media for kids, and establishes important national precedent about age verification.
- The Child Data Protection Act that prevents online operators from collecting and monetizing children’s data without informed consent.

AI Companion legislation which set first-in-the-nation safeguards, diverting user conversations about self-harm to mental health resources and interrupting unhealthy addictive behaviors. The Governor also outlawed AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material.
- The Unplug and Play Agenda which helps encourage the healthy socialization and child development by funding social infrastructure, physical sites like playgrounds, community centers, and pools, and expanded youth programming.
- New York’s Distraction Free Learning Policy which is already resulting in greater academic achievement, improved student wellbeing, and safer school environments for students.
- The recently signed Warning Labels bill that will require social media companies post warnings about the platform’s potential impact on mental health.

Governor Hochul’s nation-leading $1 billion mental health initiative and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding in subsequent budgets is significantly expanding access to care for young people and their families –from increasing inpatient and residential treatment capacity to building community-based services designed to help youth remain at home and in their community.

Governor Hochul also expanded school-based mental health clinics, which help students get a licensed mental health care provider in a familiar stigma-free setting on their school campus. The state now supports 1,300 clinic satellites, up from 872 in 2020, covering 25 percent of all NYS public schools.
- Governor Hochul’s focus on youth mental health also led to the creation of new Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams to support young people with serious emotional disturbances who are either at risk of entering, or are returning home from high intensity services, such as inpatient settings or residential services. New York funds 42 new Youth ACT teams — 23 now operational — in 31 counties, providing youth and family therapy, medication management, family and peer support, and skill-building.
- There are also now 65 Home Based Crisis Intervention Teams – including 60 that are now accepting referrals – which serve youth between the ages of 5 and 20 and provide intensive individualized services to help families support young people recovering from mental illness in their own homes.
- Governor Hochul also established the Youth Mental Health Advisory Board, a 30-member advisory board which includes youth between the ages of 11 and 17. The advisory board convenes quarterly and is designed to ensure that youth-informed best practices continue to be incorporated in developing behavioral health programs and policies.

Governor Hochul also expanded Youth Safe Spaces programs, which provide a place for young people between the ages of 12 and 24 to access behavioral health and wellness resources, foster positive relationships with their peers, and receive support in a comfortable setting. To support the initiative developed with input from the Governor’s Youth Mental Health Advisory Board, the Office of Mental Health awarded $7.5 million to establish four sites this fall and is soliciting proposals for additional locations to be awarded early next year.

Governor Kathy Hochul, Gun Violence Prevention, Public Safety, Health, Public Safety, Health, Security

NYS Governor Hochul to Homeland Security Secretary: ‘Release FEMA Intelligence Funding to Secure NYC Metro Area’

July 31, 2025 krubin

As New York City Remains A High-Level Target — Evidenced By Midtown Shooting — Department Of Homeland Security Fails To Release Essential Funding

Critical Resources Enable Increased Intelligence Analysis Capacity, Surge Capacity When New Threats Are Identified and Enhance Intelligence Collection

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul issued a letter to US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the release of funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) through the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) following Monday evening’s mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

It is notable that the dictator wannabe Trump cites the images he saw on TV to decry starvation in Gaza – he has a whole intelligence apparatus and presumably a daily briefing (with pictures!) to give him a true assessment, unvarnished by his conspiracy-propagating media and social media allies (Fox, X). It is also notable that instead of going after the true perpetrators and source of terror and violence – the mass murderers, political extremists with easy, ready access to weapons of war – the MAGAs decry those who advocate for justice and fairness in law enforcement. And instead of improving public safety by increasing funding for intelligence and law enforcement, Trump and his Department of Homeland Security are withholding funding to urban centers (read, “Democrat-leaning”) centers.It is yet another instance of Trump and his vile administration using money – that is, OUR tax dollars – as a weapon to further his personal and political objectives, without a care for the fallout for public safety, health, security – Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com

Governor Kathy Hochul issued a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the release of funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) through the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) following Monday evening’s mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan.

UASI funding is critical to building intelligence analysis capacity within the NYPD, enabling surge capacity when new threats are identified, and allowing the NYPD to provide federal law enforcement partners with intelligence collection and analysis capacity during large National Special Security events. UASI also supports a wide array of security initiatives conducted by law enforcement and public safety agencies throughout Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $156.1 million for New York in 2024 — would make New Yorkers less safe at a time when New York City remains a high-level target for acts of targeted violence. New York City, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, City of Yonkers, and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties all received awards through this funding.

The full text of the letter:

Dear Secretary Noem:

As Governor, my top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe. For decades, New York has partnered with the federal government, your agency specifically, to resource homeland security and counter terrorism efforts in New York City and across New York State.

On Monday, it was once again apparent that New York City remains a high-level target for acts of targeted violence. Four New Yorkers lost their lives, including an NYPD officer, in Midtown Manhattan. The assailant responsible traveled from Nevada all the way to our nation’s largest metropolis to commit this heinous act.

Your Department has long recognized that densely populated urban areas constitute a specific and unique target for acts of terrorism and targeted violence, and that there are unique needs and challenges to securing them safely. However, under your watch the Department of Homeland Security has failed to release the funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).

We know from public reporting that Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson sent a memo to the White House that you approved recommending the elimination of UASI. In that memo, the Acting Administrator admitted that eliminating this funding would result in “a less secure nation, especially at the border and in some of the nation’s most targeted cities, including Miami, Washington DC, and Dallas…”. New York City is this nation’s most targeted city when it comes to terrorism threats.

Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $553 million in 2024, $156.1 million of which went to New York — would make New Yorkers less safe, hamstring the NYPD’s efforts to confront terrorist threats, and reduce intelligence information sharing across local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. This funding has been critical to building intelligence analysis capacity within the NYPD, enabling surge capacity when new threats are identified, and allowing the NYPD to provide federal law enforcement partners with intelligence collection and analysis capacity during large National Special Security events — all goals that until recently we were confident our federal partners shared with us.

On Monday, the same day as the latest targeted attack, your agency released several homeland security preparedness grants that we had expected to receive in May. However, you failed to also release UASI — the grant specifically designed to protect the nation’s highest urban terrorist targets.

Further delays in the release of UASI will degrade our nation’s ability to protect our urban centers including our ability to keep New Yorkers safe. I urge you to fulfill your duty to protect all Americans and to release UASI funding immediately.

Sincerely,
Governor Kathy Hochul