Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

December 12, 2025

What’s Inside

  • Governor Announces Senior Administration Appointments
  • Governor Signs AI Transparency Legislation/President Signs AI Executive Order
  • Governor Signs Legislation to Improve Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities
  • Nassau County Executive Announces Run for Governor
  • New York City Comptroller Announces Congressional Run
  • In the News
  • Coming Up

Governor Announces Senior Administration Appointments

The Governor announced that she is nominating Director of State Operations Kathryn Garcia as the next Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – filling the vacancy left by outgoing Port Authority Executive Director, Rick Cotton.

In addition, Governor Hochul announced that she will name Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Operations Commissioner Jackie Bray as the new Director of State Operations.

Governor Hochul said:

I have long believed that my greatest talent is finding talent, and I am fortunate to have two of New York’s most talented public servants as my Director of State Operations. I am incredibly grateful to have had Kathryn Garcia serve in that role for more than four years, during which time she helped us transform New York for the better. From the Gateway Tunnel to Micron, the Interborough Express to our Nuclear Moonshot, Kathryn helped us launch and advance generational infrastructure projects and rebuild our economy following the pandemic with an eye toward the future. I am thankful she will continue serving the people of New York as Executive Director of the Port Authority, where she will help us continue to advance a regional economy that keeps us the global leader in job creation and growth.

Kathryn leaves big shoes to fill, but New Yorkers could not ask for a better leader to step into this critical role than Jackie Bray. As Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Jackie has helped lead the State’s emergency management response through extreme weather, infectious disease outbreaks and threats to our public safety. Her experience coordinating interagency operations makes her the right leader to continue delivering the government that New Yorkers deserve. And in her time serving as acting policy director, she helped us to design and implement some of our most important initiatives, including delivering financial relief to millions of New Yorkers and getting cell phones out of our classrooms.

Governor Signs AI Transparency Legislation/President Signs AI Executive Order

The Governor signed the first-in-the-nation legislation to protect consumers and boost AI transparency in the film industry.

The legislation signed includes:

  • S.8420-A/A.8887-B – requires people who produce or create an advertisement to identify if it includes AI-generated synthetic performers.
  • S.8391/A.8882 – requires consent from heirs or executors if a person wishes to use the name, image, or likeness of an individual for commercial purposes after their death.

AI-generated synthetic performers are digitally created media that appear as a real person. AI-generated synthetic performers are sometimes used by advertisers to sell products, and with easy access to technology, there has been an increase in the use of AI-generated performers across all forms of media, including on social media and in digital advertising. According to the Governor’s officer, without notice that the content the public is viewing is not real, AI-generated synthetic performers and manipulated media can undermine one’s ability to accurately distill fact from fiction.

More information can be found here. 

This action comes on the same day President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reducing what the administration describes as burdensome state-level regulation. The order builds on a prior executive action (EO 14179) that revoked earlier federal restrictions on AI development and states that inconsistent state laws create compliance challenges, risk embedding ideological bias in AI models, and sometimes overreach into interstate commerce. Until Congress establishes a uniform national AI framework, the order directs several interim federal measures to limit the impact of certain state AI laws.

The order creates an AI Litigation Task Force under the United States Attorney General to sue states over laws deemed inconsistent with federal law, particularly those that might require AI models to alter truthful outputs or those that violate constitutional protections. Within 90 days, the Secretary of Commerce must publish an evaluation identifying problematic state AI laws and refer them to the task force. The administration will also tie certain federal funding—starting with non-deployment funds under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program and potentially other discretionary grants—to states’ willingness to refrain from enforcing laws flagged as onerous. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission are directed to explore federal preemption of conflicting state disclosure rules and laws that could mandate “deceptive” alterations to AI outputs. Finally, White House advisors are tasked with drafting proposed federal legislation that would establish a national AI policy framework while preserving state authority in areas such as child safety, infrastructure permitting, and government procurement.

Governor Hochul said:

By signing these bills today, we are enacting common sense laws that will ensure we are fully transparent when using images generated by artificial intelligence and also prevent the unauthorized commercial use of a deceased individual’s name or likeness. In New York State, we are setting a clear standard that keeps pace with technology, while protecting artists and consumers long after the credits roll.

Governor Signs Legislation to Improve Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities

New York’s Gaming Facility Location Board voted to recommend all three available downstate casino licenses for projects in New York City, selecting Genting’s Resorts World New York City and Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park in Queens, along with Bally’s proposal at Ferry Point in the Bronx. The decision followed a years-long competitive process and means two full-scale casinos will be sited in Queens and one in the Bronx, with the recommendations now moving to the state Gaming Commission for final licensing action.​

In approving all three projects, the board emphasized their projected economic impact, estimating close to $7 billion in gambling tax revenue from 2027 to 2036, as well as $1.5 billion in one-time licensing fees from the developers. The projects are also expected to generate an additional $5.9 billion in other state and local taxes over the same period, reinforcing the board’s conclusion that no alternative mix of projects would provide comparable fiscal benefits for New York.

Following these approvals, Governor Hochul issued the following statement:

From the moment that three downstate casino licenses were authorized in the 2022 State Budget, I have been clear: any approved project must provide real benefits to its community and have sustainable economic plans. I am grateful to Chair Been and the Gaming Facility Location Board for their careful review of the applications according to these high standards.

The three projects approved today promise to unlock billions in funding for the MTA and create tens of thousands of jobs. It is critical that they keep those promises. I look forward to the Gaming Commission’s review of the Board’s recommendations in the weeks ahead.

Nassau County Executive Announces Run for Governor

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has officially announced his candidacy for Governor of New York, setting the stage for a high-profile Republican primary against Representative Elise Stefanik. Blakeman framed his campaign around restoring fiscal responsibility, improving public safety, and pushing back against what he described as Albany’s mismanagement. His announcement launch can be watched here.

According to reports, President Donald Trump reached out to Blakeman following his announcement, telling him that he did not feel like a win was likely against Stefanik. Blakeman declined to comment one way or the other when asked whether he had spoken to the President.

New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox has already publicly endorsed Stefanik, telling Spectrum News, “Elise Stefanik has over 75% of the weighted vote of our counties. She is our best candidate to defeat Kathy Hochul, which is why I endorsed her.”

New York City Comptroller Announces Congressional Run

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has announced that he is running for Congress in New York’s 10th District, challenging incumbent Democratic Representative Dan Goldman in the 2026 primary. He is positioning his campaign as a progressive alternative, arguing that the district needs a representative who will confront economic inequality, rising housing costs, and what he describes as attacks on New Yorkers, especially immigrants, from the Trump administration.

Lander’s run is backed by key figures in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, including New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and national leaders such as Senator Bernie Sanders and the Working Families Party. New York’s 10th Congressional District includes lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, which were overwhelmingly supporters of Mamdani in the recent New York City Mayor election in November.

Lander’s campaign announcement can be watched here.

In The News

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

Hochul rejected 48 bills, but signs housing and education laws.

Buffalo is broke, but Mayor-elect Sean Ryan wants to borrow more money.

Columbia County Dem chair Sam Hodge to primary Assemblywoman Barrett.

Head of state cannabis regulator departs.

New York State Rep. Amanda Septimo plans primary run against Rep. Ritchie Torres.

Justice Department again fails to reindict New York Attorney General Letitia James, AP source says.

State Senator ‘very optimistic’ Hochul will sign 100 foot rule repeal, possibly with minor changes.

N.Y. health plans accuse Medicaid home care company of violating antitrust laws.

State DEC proposes updates to biosolids guidance, other PFAS regulations.

State Senate office worker James Corl to run for state Senate seat in CNY.

Mayor Adams weighs in on his legacy, achievements.

Why Hochul’s 2026 reelection just got more complicated.

Marijuana growers scrambling to meet tracing deadline amid shakeup.

Vanquished ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s legal tirade continues, this time against the state ethics panel, again.

New York schools have served 150 million free meals since start of universal meal program, Hochul says. 

Behavioral health advocates push N.Y. budget carveout for Medicaid services.

Coming Up

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to examine how insurers in New York State are using artificial intelligence systems to underwrite and price insurance policies on December 16.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to examine the impact of artificial intelligence on New York’s private and public sector workforces on December 17. 

The Senate will hold a public hearing to discuss risks, solutions, and best practices with respect to the use of artificial intelligence in consequential or high-risk contexts, and related issues, such as classification of the types and risk levels of AI uses, frameworks for auditing AI tools for bias, and transparency improvements on January 15.