Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – July 1, 2016

PluggedInMastheadCoverage of Albany and New York State government – July 1, 2016

  • Governor Signs Breast Cancer Screening Measure into Law
  • Governor Announces Funding for New Recovery Community and Outreach Centers
  • Attorney General Announces Volkswagen Settlement
  • Governor Announces Local Road and Highway Funding
  • Congressional Primary Results
  • Pay Commission Meets
  • Governor Announces Catskill Tourism Initiative
  • Poll: Voters Unimpressed With 2016 Legislative Session
  • Political Update
  • Coming Up

 

Governor Signs Breast Cancer Screening Measure into Law

On Monday, Gov. Cuomo announced the approval of a new law that expands access to breast cancer screening by requiring hospitals to extend hours for mammograms and eliminating insurance costs for the procedure.

Under the new law, more than 200 hospitals around the state will be required to offer evening and weekend hours for mammograms. Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging deductibles or copays for the procedure.

 

Governor Announces Funding for New Recovery Community and Outreach Centers

On Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the state is providing $10.5 million in funding over five years to support the establishment of six new Recovery Community and Outreach Centers to provide health, wellness and other critical support for individuals and families who are recovering from a substance use disorder or are seeking recovery services.

The six sites, which were selected through a competitive state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), will be located in Staten Island, Long Island, Saratoga Springs, Buffalo, Watertown and Newburgh.  Each will respond to the area’s specific needs relating to substance abuse treatment services and addiction recovery supports. The centers will promote long-term recovery through skill building, recreation, wellness education, employment readiness, civic restoration opportunities, and other social activities.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“Addiction devastates the lives of far too many New Yorkers and their families.  These new centers will provide the necessary resources and support to those seeking recovery and will help us build a stronger and healthier New York for all.”

 

Attorney General Announces Volkswagen Settlement

On Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that the state has agreed to a settlement with the federal government and Volkswagen (VW) relating to Volkswagen’s violations of emissions standards and state consumer protection laws.

Under the settlement agreement, which must still be approved by a federal judge, owners of certain VW diesel cars in New York will be entitled to be paid the fair market value of their vehicle before the companies emissions cheating became known, as well as a payment of at least $5,100. VW owners may also choose to keep their vehicles, but will have to get them fixed if they do so.

The settlement will also provide $115 million to New York State for environmental projects to improve the state’s air quality, and $30 million for the state’s general fund.  The state will also continue its investigation into the scope of the company’s illegal conduct and potential liability for environmental penalties.

Attorney General Schneiderman said:

“These partial settlements announced today exact a stiff price from Volkswagen for its deception of consumers and the environmental damage it has caused in New York and across the country.  But make no mistake:  we will continue to investigate and pursue Volkswagen for its violation of our environmental laws, and we will seek the imposition of additional penalties in amounts sufficient to ensure that Volkswagen and any other car manufacturer complies with the standards required of them.”

 

Governor Announces Local Road and Highway Funding

On Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced the award of $100 million to some 1,600 local governments throughout the state for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of local highways and roads. This funding is being provided by the state Department of Transportation as part of its $21.1 billion five-year Capital Plan

The full list of awards is here.

 

Congressional Primary Results

New York State’s Congressional primaries were held on June 28.  Below is an overview of the highest profile races that were contested.

The race between former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst and venture capitalist David Calone is too close to call.  Throne-Holst leads by 29 votes, with more than 1,600 absentee ballots to count.

Former Nassau County executive Thomas Suozzi won this five candidate race with 35.3% of the vote.  He will face Republican State Senator Jack Martins in November.

State Senator Adriano Espaillat narrowly won this race.  The district is heavily Democratic, and he is expected to easily win the general election in November.

Democratic candidate Zephyr Teachout easily won this race, defeating Will Yandik 73% – 27%.

In the Republican race, John Faso easily defeated Andrew Heaney 67.6% – 31.5%

With moderate Republican Chris Gibson not running re-election, Democrats are hoping to pick up this seat, which President Obama won twice.

In the Republican primary, Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney bested two opponents with 41.3% of the vote.  She will face Democrat Kim Myers in November.  Also running in November will be businessman Martin Babinec, who has secured the Reform Party ballot line and who trying to gather signatures to qualify the Upstate Jobs Party.

Colleen Deacon won this three-way race, gaining 48.4% of the vote.  She will face first-term Republican John Katko in this Syracuse-area swing district in November.

This seat, which President Obama won by a double digit margin in 2012, is considered one of the Democrats’ best opportunities to pick up a seat.

 

Pay Commission Meets

The state’s Commission on Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Compensation, which is tasked with examining the compensation of state lawmakers and executive branch officials, held its fifth meeting this week.

The seven commissioners all appear to support pay increases for the heads of state agencies, agreeing that the salaries of the highest earning agency heads should be between $175,000 and $200,000 per year.  But the commissioners have not agreed on salary levels for statewide elected officials and state legislators.  None of these officials have received a salary increase since 1999.

The Commission is made up of seven commissioners – three appointed by the Governor, one by the Senate Majority Leader, one by the Assembly Speaker, and two by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. The Commission’s recommendations are due by November 15th, and will go into effect on January 1, 2017 unless the Legislature specifically votes to reject the salary increases.

The Commission’s next meeting will be held in Manhattan on July 26th.

 

Governor Announces Catskill Tourism Initiative

On Thursday, Gov. Cuomo announced the launch of a Catskills tourism initiative, which includes a $5 million ad campaign featuring a new “I Love New York” television ad, ads on MTA’s subways, buses and commuter rails focused on the Catskills, and new funding for municipal projects and hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to help Catskill communities strengthen their tourism infrastructure.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“The Catskills are one of New York’s greatest natural treasures, and today we are shining the spotlight on what makes this region so special.  This challenge is about showcasing the Catskills’ natural assets – its pristine lakes, breathtaking views and scenic trails – to drive tourism, support local businesses and generate continued economic growth. We are investing in this region like never before and I am proud to continue that focus so that tourism remains a source of economic prosperity and opportunity in the Hudson Valley for years to come.”

 

Poll:  Voters Unimpressed With 2016 Legislative Session

A Siena Poll released this week shows that New York voters were not particularly impressed with the recently completed state legislative session, giving the Governor a “C” grade and the State Legislature a “C-“.

Nor were those polled impressed with the ethics reforms that were enacted at the end of the legislative session.  The poll found that 56% of respondents believe that the changes will not reduce corruption in state government.
In the race for president, the poll found that Democrat Hillary Clinton holds a wide lead over Donald Trump, 54% to 31%.

Read the poll crosstabs here.

 

Political Update

Winners & Losers

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read this week’s list here.

 

Coming Up

The Board of Regents holds its next meeting on July 12 and 13.

The state Board of Elections holds its next meeting on July 12.

The Public Service Commission holds its next meeting on July 14.

The state Commission on Legislative, Judicial, & Executive Compensation, which is considering salary increases for statewide elected officials, state agency heads and state legislators, holds its next meeting on July 26 in Manhattan.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on August 9.