Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

December 3, 2021

What’s Inside

  • Governor Declares COVID State of Emergency
  • Legislature Releases Session Calendar
  • Attorney General Releases Additional Transcripts
  • Governor Announces Court of Appeals Nomination
  • Congressman Suozzi Announces Run for Governor
  • Political Updates
  • Coming Up

Governor Declares COVID State of Emergency

The Governor signed an Executive Order declaring a state disaster emergency due to an increase in COVID transmission and hospital admissions. The declaration will allow the Governor to utilize Executive Orders to suspend state laws and issue directives. Under this order, the Department of Health (DOH) will be authorized to limit non-essential, non-urgent procedures for in-hospitals or systems with limited capacity, defined as below 10% staffed bed capacity, or as determined by the DOH based on regional and health care utilization factors. The new protocols will begin on Friday, December 3, and will be expire on January 15. The Executive Order also suspends statutes concerning procurement to provide the state with additional flexibility.

Governor Hochul said:

We’ve taken extraordinary action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and combat this pandemic. However, we continue to see warning signs of spikes this upcoming winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming. In preparation, I am announcing urgent steps today to expand hospital capacity and help ensure our hospital systems can tackle any challenges posed by the pandemic as we head into the winter months. The vaccine remains one of our greatest weapons in fighting the pandemic, and I encourage every New Yorker to get vaccinated, and get the booster if you’re fully vaccinated.

Legislature Releases Session Calendar

The Legislature released its session calendar for next year. The calendar has scheduled 60 session days, heavily weighted toward the beginning of the year, with session scheduled to close on June 2nd.

Attorney General Releases Additional Transcripts

The Attorney General’s office released additional transcripts of depositions regarding the investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Governor Cuomo. In addition to new materials and transcripts, the Attorney General’s office also released video of Governor Cuomo’s interview along with video from staff interviews.

The additional materials can be found here.

Governor Announces Court of Appeals Nomination

The Governor announced the selection of the Honorable Justice Shirley Troutman to fill the upcoming vacancy on the New York State Court of Appeals. Justice Troutman currently serves as an Associate Justice, Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court’s Fourth Judicial Department and has been a respected jurist in Western New York for nearly three decades.

Governor Hochul said:

I am proud to nominate Justice Shirley Troutman to New York State’s highest court. Justice Troutman has a brilliant legal mind, a fair-minded judicial philosophy, sterling qualifications, and a commitment to equal justice that guides her approach from the bench. I am confident she will serve with distinction on the New York State Court of Appeals.

Congressman Suozzi Announces Run for Governor

Congressman Suozzi announced his intention to run for Governor this week. Suozzi, a two-term democrat from Long Island, previously served as Nassau County Executive. The Congressman has been active lately, endorsing and campaigning for Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s successful write-in campaign for re-election. Suozzi’s plan appears to be to run from the center, already criticizing Governor Hochul for her position on bail reform.

Suozzi said:

Congress is great, and I’m hoping we’re gonna win the majority again, and we may not, we may — it doesn’t matter. I’m running for governor, because I believe that this is the job that I am made for. Everything I’ve done has prepared me for this particular job at this particular time.

Political Updates

City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.

Daily News Editorial: Hochul’s first big mistake.

NY Post: Ex-Gov. Cuomo under federal probe over sexual harassment claims here.

Suozzi takes aim at Hochul over bail reform.

Hochul holds solid lead over James in new poll.

Rumor: Assemblyman Braunstein considering a run for Rep. Tom Suozzi’s seat.

Times Union: The race for New York governor is beginning to heat up here.

NY Daily News Opinion: Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin’s ethics woes are becoming a significant distraction here.

Rensselaer County Executive to face criminal charges, according to reports.

More upstate lawmakers endorse Hochul.

Gotham Gazette: In the ‘New Albany,’ State Senate Regularly Outpaces Assembly on Reform here.

Coming Up

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on New York’s horse racing industry and the businesses that support it on December 8.

The Senate will hold a public hearing to discuss New York State’s system of ethics oversight and enforcement on December 9.

The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on December 13 and 14.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on the Gateway Program on December 3.

JCOPE will hold its next meeting on December 14.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on homelessness in New York on December 14.

The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on December 16.

The Senate will hold a public hearing on campus sexual assault on January 11.