Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
January 3, 2024
What’s Inside
- Governor Directs DOCCS to Implement Changes in Wake of Inmate Death
- Governor Announces Paid Family Leave and Workers Compensation Changes
- Governor Addresses Recent Subway Violence
- New York Cannabis Industry Surpasses $1 Billion in Retail Sales
- President Carter Dies at 100
- In the News
- Coming Up
Governor Directs DOCCS to Implement Changes in Wake of Inmate Death
The Governor visited Marcy Correctional Facility following the death of inmate Robert Brooks. While there, the Governor met with a number of incarcerated individuals who serve as liaisons for the larger incarcerated population and heard from them directly about their experiences. During the meeting with DOCCS officials, the Governor directed Department leaders to implement immediate changes to protect the safety and well-being of all DOCCS personnel and incarcerated individuals.
This includes:
- Directing DOCCS Commissioner Martuscello to appoint Shawangunk Correctional Facility Superintendent Bennie Thorpe as the new permanent Superintendent of Marcy Correctional Facility.
- Expediting $400 million to install fixed cameras and distribute body-worn cameras in all DOCCS facilities.
- Adding DOCCS staff to the Office of Special Investigations to ensure that complaints are handled immediately and that anyone found of wrongdoing will be held accountable in a timely manner.
- Directing DOCCS to engage an outside firm to conduct a review of the culture, patterns and practices, not only in Marcy, but across the correctional system.
- Expanding the DOCCS whistleblower hotline to more effectively facilitate anonymous tips from DOCCS employees and contractors as well as incarcerated individuals.
- Deploying $2 million to expand DOCCS’ partnership with the Correctional Association of NY (“CANY”), which is charged with visiting and examining the State’s correctional facilities under §146 of New York’s Correction Law.
- Launching a new partnership with AMEND, a public health and human rights program that works in prisons to assess the operating culture of our facilities, offer recommendations to reduce misconducts and other adverse events among incarcerated individuals, and to improve health and wellbeing.
- Launching a new partnership with Chicago Beyond to conduct a safety gap analysis within several facilities with the goal of deploying fresh, expert eyes within corrections facilities to identify improvements and develop best practices.
- Creating a new dedicated unit on The Future of Prisons in New York State within the Council of Community Justice.
Governor Hochul said:
Governor Announces Paid Family Leave and Workers Compensation Changes
The Governor announced that January will bring increased workers’ compensation and Paid Family Leave benefits for workers, while also delivering savings for businesses. Effective January 1, 2025, the minimum weekly benefit for workers’ compensation and the maximum weekly benefit for Paid Family Leave will both go up, while the workers’ compensation assessment rate for employers drops.
Paid Family Leave
Starting January 1, 2025, New Yorkers taking Paid Family Leave may receive up to $14,127.84 in total benefits – an increase of over $300 from 2024. Employees taking Paid Family Leave receive 67 percent of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67 percent of the current New York State Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW), which is $1,757.19 for 2025. This means the maximum weekly benefit will be $1,177.32, and the total possible benefit to an employee is $14,127.84.
Employees will contribute 0.388 percent of their gross wages per pay period to pay for Paid Family Leave in 2025, with a maximum annual contribution of $354.53 (0.388 percent of the NYSAWW). Employees earning less than the NYSAWW will contribute less than the annual cap of $354.53, consistent with their actual wages.
Workers’ Compensation
Starting January 1, 2025, the minimum workers’ compensation weekly benefit will increase to $325 per week, in accordance with legislation signed into law in September 2023. That’s up from $275 per week in 2024. Prior to January 1, 2024, the minimum weekly benefit had been $150 per week for more than a decade.
On July 1, 2026, the minimum weekly benefit will be indexed to the NYSAWW. The institution of annual increases in the minimum weekly benefit, and eventual indexing to the NYSAWW, will ensure the minimum weekly benefit is more equitable to injured workers going forward.
Savings for Businesses
Additionally, as of January 1, 2025, the workers’ compensation assessment rate for employers will be 7.1 percent of the standard premium or premium equivalent – a 22 percent decrease from 2024 – which is expected to save New York State businesses approximately $191 million.
The employer assessment rates are determined by the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board’s need and budgeted statewide premium. The rate is calculated by dividing the Board’s total estimated annual expenses by a base of total estimated statewide premium. Insurers are required to apply the assessment rate to their premium or premium equivalent.
Governor Addresses Recent Subway Violence
The Governor addressed the recent uptick in subway crime after the fifth straight day of violence, despite NYPD, National Guard, and volunteer organizations on patrol. The violence has included people being stabbed, shoved on to the tracks, and a woman being lit on fire and burning to death.
The Governor pledged to include language in the State Budget to change the law regarding involuntary commitment standards, to try to deal with the mental health crisis that has led to many of these issues. The Governor also pledged to pursue legislation to change Kendra’s Law, to improve the process through which a court can order certain individuals to participate in Assisted Outpatient Treatment.
In a statement released today, the Governor said:
“The recent surge in violent crimes in our public transit system cannot continue — and we need to tackle this crisis head-on. Many of these horrific incidents have involved people with serious untreated mental illness, the result of a failure to get treatment to people who are living on the streets and are disconnected from our mental health care system. We have a duty to protect the public from random acts of violence, and the only fair and compassionate thing to do is to get our fellow New Yorkers the help they need.
“This is an issue that has plagued New York for decades. I took office after nearly half a century of disinvestment in mental health care and supportive housing, which directly contributed to the crisis we see on our streets and subways. I pledged to reverse that trend, launching a $1 billion plan to transform the continuum of care. We created mental health outreach teams that have already helped 750 New Yorkers get off the streets and into stable care. We’re close to reaching our goal of bringing 1,000 inpatient psychiatric beds back online, so individuals who need care have a place to go. And we’re imposing new regulations on mental health facilities to ensure patients are discharged with a treatment action plan. This is critical work, and I’m grateful to the many mental health professionals and nonprofit partners who are helping us implement these policies.
“I’m also deeply grateful for the men and women of law enforcement, who put on the uniform every single day and fight to keep our subways safe. The NYPD has primary authority to patrol the subways, and we’ve supported their efforts by deploying additional State Police, MTA Police and 1,000 members of the New York National Guard. I directed the MTA to install security cameras in every single subway car, and now that the project is complete these cameras are helping police solve crimes even faster. Fighting crime requires collaboration at all levels of law enforcement, and I’m committed to continuing our strong partnership with City Hall to address this issue.
“But we can’t fully address this problem without changes to state law. That’s why I will be including legislation in my executive budget to finally change New York’s involuntary commitment standards. Currently hospitals are able to commit individuals whose mental illness puts themselves or others at risk of serious harm, and this legislation will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need. I will also introduce companion legislation to change Kendra’s Law, improving the process through which a court can order certain individuals to participate in Assisted Outpatient Treatment while also making it easier for individuals to voluntarily sign up for this treatment. I’ve been pushing these changes for the past three years — the time for legislative action is now.
“Public safety is my top priority and I will do everything in my power to keep New Yorkers safe.”
New York Cannabis Industry Surpasses $1 Billion in Retail Sales
New York State’s cannabis industry has reached a milestone of more than $1 billion in retail sales. More than half of all adult-use licenses have been awarded to Social and Economic Equity applicants, with significant representation from minority- and women-owned businesses.
Based on the Office of Cannabis Management’s 2024 Annual Report, over 5,250 Licenses, Permits, and Registrations issued or provisionally approved to date in State Fiscal Years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
- 221 Adult-Use Cultivator Licenses
- 292 Adult-Use Processor Licenses
- 569 Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary Licenses
- 448 Adult-Use Retail Dispensary Licenses
- 185 Adult-Use Distributor Licenses
- 272 Adult-Use Microbusiness Licenses
- 3,265 Cannabinoid Hemp Licenses and Permits
- 17 Registered Organizations
More information can be found here.
President Carter Dies at 100
Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, assumed office in 1977. Prior to serving as president, Carter was the 76th Governor of the State of Georgia. Carter graduated the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and joined the Navy’s submarine service. After his military service, he moved to Georgia and took over the family peanut farm. Carter was the first President to reach the age of 100.
President Biden has scheduled a state funeral in Washington for Carter on January 9. Biden also declared January 9 as a National Day of Mourning across the U.S. and ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days from Sunday.
In The News
City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.
Crime down, no major scandals, but Gov. Hochul enters 2025 with lagging poll numbers.
Federal appeals court upholds jury’s $5 million award and sexual abuse finding against Trump.
Feds, NYPD raid home of ex-top cop Jeffrey Maddrey in latest probe of NYC Mayor Adams’ admin.
Assemblymember/State Senator: N.Y. must end the subminimum wage now.
NY lawmaker calls for closure of prison where guards brutally assaulted inmate.
Jimmy Carter to receive state funeral in January.
FBI reviewing Marcy prison beating death of Robert L. Brooks as charges considered.
Assemblymember calls for closure of two NY correctional facilities after inmate death.
O’Mara: “Will there finally be a redirection of New York’s priorities?”
Expecting in NY? New prenatal leave benefits take effect with the new year.
Democratic N.Y. Lawmakers Brace for Risks of a Trump Administration.
Westchester County roasted over ‘embarrassing’ new government logo for resembling dating app Hinge.
Hochul, pols urged to lift cap on charters: ‘Focus more on kids, not politics.’
Five Laws Going Into Effect for New York in 2025.
Editorial: How to prevent the next fatal prison assault.
Coming Up
The Legislature will Gavel into Session on January 8.
The NYS Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on January 13 and 14.
Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address will be held on January 14, at 1p.m.
The PSC will hold its next meeting on January 23.