Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

September 5, 2025

What’s Inside

  • Governor Hochul Signs Executive Order Expanding Access to Vaccines in NYS
  • Department of Environmental Conservation Announced Leadership Appointments
  • Governor Announces Available Funding for Downtown Revitalization Program
  • NYC Mayoral Race Shakeup
  • In the News
  • Coming Up

Governor Hochul Signs Executive Order Expanding Access to Vaccines

Today, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an Executive Order allowing pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines, providing access for all New Yorkers who wish to be vaccinated. The Executive Order will be in place for at least 30 days while a long-term legislative solution is developed to address access to all vaccines to combat the Trump Administration’s recent announcement surrounding immunization.

Specifically, the Governor’s Executive Order will:

  • Allow physicians and nurse practitioners to prescribe and order a patient-specific or non-patient-specific regimen for pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines to patients age three or older.
  • Authorize pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines to patients age three or older pursuant to a patient-specific or non-patient-specific order.
  • Allow pharmacists to prescribe and order COVID vaccines for patients age three or older — a new authority that enables them to prescribe off-label.

Governor Hochul issued the following statement:

I promised New Yorkers that their family would be my fight. In the absence of federal leadership, we must do everything we can to ensure that New Yorkers have access to the vaccines and preventative healthcare they have come to rely on. By signing this executive order, we are sending a clear message that when Washington Republicans play politics with public health, New Yorkers can still get the care they need, close to home, from trusted providers in their own communities.

More information can be found here. 

Department of Environmental Conservation Announces Leadership Appointments

This week, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the following key appointments to leadership positions:

  • Sanjay Seth, Deputy Commissioner for Climate, Air, and Energy;
  • Patrick Foster, Deputy Commissioner for Sustainable Development;
  • Logan Hardy, Director of DEC’s Office of State Legislative Affairs; and
  • Emily Lenney, Deputy Director of the Office of State Legislative Affairs.

Commissioner Lefton said:

I am pleased to announce three key promotions and an exceptional addition to DEC’s leadership team that will ensure our continued success protecting the environment and serving New Yorkers with compassion and integrity. DEC is proud to welcome Sanjay Seth and to elevate Patrick Foster, Logan Hardy, and Emily Lenney to build on their valuable contributions at a time when our team is working harder than ever to safeguard New York’s air, land, and water.

Governor Announces Available Funding for Downtown Revitalization Program

Governor Hochul has announced that $200 million in funding is now available through the State’s two downtown revitalization and economic development programs—$100 million each for Round 9 of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and Round 4 of the NY Forward program, which focuses on revitalizing smaller and rural downtowns. Together, the two programs have awarded $1.2 billion in funding to 151 communities across every region of the state. Applications are now available through the State’s Consolidated Funding Application Portal.

The deadline to apply is November 7, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. The deadline for New York City communities to submit their applications to their Borough President’s office is October 31, 2025.

Learn more about the Downtown Revitalization Initiative as well as NY Forward in the Governor’s press release here. 

NYC Mayoral Race Shakeup

As the New York City Mayoral General Election in November approaches, multiple reports this week suggest that a major shake-up may be underway: incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is considering dropping out of the race.

Several reports suggest that conversations among the Trump administration and Eric Adams have taken place to get Mayor Adams to drop out of the race and to consolidate the field. Polling suggests that Mamdani would win comfortably if the field remains intact, but, a head-to-head match-up between Cuomo and Mamdani would result in a Mamdani defeat.  

This week, additional reports further substantiated those claims. According to the New York Times and Politico, Mayor Adams is in talks with President Trump’s team, meeting in person as recently as this week in Florida, to potentially take a position with the administration. Reports have stated that Mayor Adams has been offered a position with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as an ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is also said to be under consideration for a federal appointment aimed at drawing him out of the race. Such moves could narrow the November ballot to just Cuomo and Mamdani. At this point, neither Adams nor Sliwa has confirmed receiving or accepting any such offers.

In The News

City & State NY’s weekly Winners and Losers of this week here.

Some school districts in New York struggling to fill jobs.

N.Y. Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas introduces inclusive sex ed bill.

South Glens Falls native, former White House trade official joins Democratic race for NY-21 seat.

Republican N.Y. Assemblymember Steve Hawley questions use of farmland for solar power.

The cloudy outlook for New York City’s economy.

New York faces new pressure to scrap 140-year-old Scaffold Law.

Talks between Adams and Trump adviser center on Saudi ambassadorship.

Top Democrats pressed to back Mamdani as Trump meddles in NYC mayor’s race.

The N.Y. Assembly’s most powerful Democrat has been slow to back Mamdani.

Study commissioned by nuclear plant owner predicts $50B in higher costs if the nukes close.

Pipeline talk is heating up as Hochul faces angry Democrats and environmental advocates.

Hochul urged to sign bill establishing critical incident leave policy for state troopers.

Influential NY Democrat repping Cuomo voters throws support behind Mamdani.

Who is Micah Laher, Nadler’s heir apparent?

North Country Democrat Billy Jones’ exit sets up battle for his seat.

President Trump says he wants 2 people to drop out of NYC’s mayor election to set 1-on-1 race against Mamdani.

Coming Up

The Board of Regents will hold their next meetings on September 8 and 9.

The PSC will hold its next meeting on September 18.

The New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government will hold its third annual public hearing on September 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the New York City Bar Association.