Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
August 1, 2025
What’s Inside
- State Assemblyman Announces Resignation
- Governor Warns About Children’s Health Insurance Risk In New York
- DFS Issues Buy-Now-Pay-Later Industry Letter
- Governor Hochul Issues Letter Requesting FEMA Intelligence Funding for NYC Metro Area
- In the News
- Coming Up
State Assemblyman Announces Resignation
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Governor Warns About Children’s Health Insurance Risk In New York
This week, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a press release warning that a new federal policy threatens to disrupt health coverage for more than 750,000 young children across New York State. Newly released, county-level data show that thousands of children in every county could lose coverage when the new policy from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) takes effect in 2027.
A letter from CMS outlined the federal government’s decision to phase out programs that provide continuous Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations, including New York’s new initiative. The CMS letter does not immediately revoke funding or end the program, but it indicates that federal officials will not support extensions or approve similar continuous eligibility initiatives moving forward. This policy, implemented in January 2025, was approved under a federal 1115 demonstration waiver, ensures consistent access to medical care for children, regardless of short-term changes in family income.
Governor Hochul said:
A full breakdown of the recently released data can be found here.
DFS Issues Buy-Now-Pay-Later Industry Letter
This week, New York State’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) issued an industry letter requesting information regarding “Buy-Now-Pay-Later” (BNPL) activities.
The “Buy-Now-Pay-Later Act” was enacted in May of this year, and it provides for the licensing and supervision by the DFS of buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers doing business with New York consumers. The legislation directs DFS to develop regulations to ensure these products are offered to New York consumers under fair and transparent terms.
DFS is now seeking responses to questions from entities whose activities may be covered by the BNPL Act and any other interested parties. DFS’s goal in issuing this Request for Information (RFI) is to understand the business models of entities offering BNPL products, fee structures of those products, the underwriting process, and the impact that both fee and interest limits may have on BNPL product underwriting and business more generally, among other topics.
DFS seeks responses by August 29, 2025, to [email protected]. Read their full industry letter here.
Governor Hochul Issues Letter Requesting FEMA Intelligence Funding for NYC Metro Area
Governor Hochul has 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.
According to the Governor’s office, 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.
In The News
City & State NY’s weekly Winners and Losers of this week here.
Will the killing of an NYPD officer disrupt the race for NYC mayor?
Nuclear energy czar wanted in NY. They’d make more than Gov. Hochul herself.
NYS Cannabis office mess-up could force 152 pot shops to close — or relocate.
The Medicaid fallout in CNY: Worse ER waits, staff cuts and scaled back services over time.
NYC Mayor’s Race: Cuomo takes heat for claiming he ‘wasn’t in charge’ of building housing in NYC as governor.
Trump EPA moves to repeal landmark ‘endangerment finding’ that allows climate regulation.
Judge skewers Hochul administration over New York’s climate law delays.
New York ranks 33rd for healthcare in 2025, WalletHub report shows.
Democrats in New York seek to ‘counteract’ Republican redistricting in Texas.
Zohran Mamdani’s campaign is ‘taking steps’ in case he gets hassled reentering U.S.
NY pols push IRS to probe nonprofit ‘sanctuary’ groups helping defy Trump, federal immigration laws.
NY official seek to help 152 pot shops that are too close to schools.
Nassau County candidates clash over NUMC controversy as pressure mounts for state, federal action.
The philanthropy fighting Trump’s budget cuts without blaming Trump.
More states should adopt N.Y. gun laws, Hochul says.
Coming Up
The PSC will hold its next meeting on August 14.
The Senate will hold a public hearing to examine the Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) transition to a single statewide fiscal intermediary – new date August 21.
‘The Board of Regents will hold their next meetings on September 8 and 9.