Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

December 13, 2021

What’s Inside

  • Governor Announces New COVID Restrictions
  • James Suspends Race for Governor
  • Governor Announces State of the State Address
  • New York City Institutes Vaccine Mandate for Private Employers and Children
  • SUNY Chancellor Resigns
  • New York Power Authority Announces Economic Development Power Awards
  • Governor Issues Proclamation for Special Election
  • Political Updates
  • Coming Up

Governor Announces New COVID Restrictions

The Governor announced masks will be required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement. The new mask mandate is an attempt to address the winter surge as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise statewide. The new business and venue requirements extend to both patrons and staff. This measure is effective Monday, Dec. 13, 2021 until Jan. 15, 2022, after which the State will re-evaluate based on current conditions.

Governor Hochul said:

As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy. The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season. We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal, and I share many New Yorkers’ frustration that we are not past this pandemic yet. I want to thank the more than 80 percent of New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary. I have warned for weeks that additional steps could be necessary, and now we are at that point based upon three metrics: Increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity, and insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas.

James Suspends Race for Governor

Tish James announced this week that she is suspending her campaign for Governor and that she would be seeking re-election as Attorney General. James was the most formidable challenge to Governor Hochul, consistently coming in second in public polls. The announcement secures Hochul’s position as the clear frontrunner. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Congressman Tom Suozzi still remain in the race, so far, with the possibility that Mayor Bill de Blasio could still declare. The announcement was unexpected, as evidenced by the fact that Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced his endorsement of James only a short time prior to her leaving the race.

James said:

I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general. There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job. I am running for re-election to complete the work New Yorkers elected me to do.

Governor Announces State of the State Address

In a return to tradition, the Governor announced that the 2022 State of the State Address will be held in the New York State Assembly Chamber on Wednesday, January 5. This is a departure from the Cuomo era where he presented his remarks from the Empire State Convention Center and will mark the first time in a decade that a sitting governor delivers a State of the State Address from inside the Assembly Chamber.

Governor Hochul said:

Over the past four months we’ve taken major steps forward to address the challenges facing New Yorkers, from increasing our statewide vaccination rate to providing relief to struggling tenants and homeowners — but there’s more work to be done. I look forward to bringing the 2022 State of the State Address back to the New York State Assembly Chamber for the first time in a decade and to sharing my vision for the year to come with my legislative partners. Working together, I know New Yorkers can take on any challenge that comes our way.

New York City Institutes Vaccine Mandate for Private Employers and Children

Outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a vaccine mandate for private employers which will go into effect on December 27. According to the Mayor, private employees will not have the option to test weekly in lieu of a vaccine. The policy will apply to in-person employees who are in a workplace with other co-workers. The city is expected to release guidance in the coming weeks.

The city will also require everyone 12 and older to show proof of two vaccine doses – as opposed to one dose under the prior policy – for indoor dining, fitness, entertainment and performance venues starting Dec. 27 unless they received Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine. Children ages 5 to 11 will be required to show proof of a single vaccine dose by Dec.14 for those venues. They will also have to show proof of one dose for high-risk extracurricular activities such as sports, band, orchestra and dance by the same date.

Mayor de Blasio said:

We’ve got omicron as a new factor, we’ve got the colder weather, which is really going to create additional challenges with the delta variant, we’ve got holiday gatherings. We in New York City have decided to use a preemptive strike to really do something bold to stop the further growth of Covid and the dangers it’s causing to all of us.

SUNY Chancellor Resigns

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras, longtime aide to former Governor Cuomo, announced his resignation which will take effect on January 14. Malatras has been under pressure to resign after details from the Attorney General’s investigation showed he made statements to others in the Cuomo administration belittling accuser Lindsey Boylan, albeit prior to her accusations of sexual harassment. The Albany Times Union also made public a recording by a former SUNY employee who accused Malatras of a hostile work environment. Calls for his resignation or removal intensified in the wake of publication. Malatras was the first SUNY graduate to lead the system as Chancellor.

Malatras said in his resignation letter:

The recent events surrounding me over the past week have become a distraction over the important work that needs to be accomplished as SUNY emerges from COVID-19. I believe deeply in an individual’s ability to evolve, change, and grow, but I also believe deeply in SUNY and would never want to be an impediment to its success. Therefore, please accept my resignation effective January 14, 2022 as SUNY’s Chancellor.

New York Power Authority Announces Economic Development Power Awards

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees has approved 34 ReCharge NY power allocations to 29 customers in support of more than 22,600 jobs across the state—including 560 newly created jobs—that will also spur more than $629 million in private capital investments. The NYPA board also awarded two St. Lawrence County firms a total of $250,000 in funding support, and updated NYPA’s criteria for evaluating applications for economic development power to include consideration of applicants’ impacts on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments.

Awards can be viewed here.

Governor Issues Proclamation for Special Election

The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a special election to fill the vacancy in the 68th Assembly District. The special election will be held on Tuesday, January 18th and will fill the vacancy created by Robert Rodriguez, who is now serving as Acting Secretary of State pending Senate Confirmation.

Governor Hochul said:

With Robert Rodriguez at the helm of the Department of State, I am declaring a special election to fill this vacancy and ensure representation for residents of the 68th Assembly District. I am grateful to Rossana Rosado for her accomplished service as Secretary of State and for her new leadership at the Division of Criminal Justice Services. These are two outstanding individuals with wide-ranging expertise and backgrounds, and I look forward to working with them to move New York forward.

Political Updates

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

With James’ exit, what’s next in the race for New York governor?

Politico: Where’s the James campaign? Mostly behind closed doors here.

Max Rose to run for House in likely rematch against Malliotakis.

NYT: The Sheriff Who Wants to Put Andrew Cuomo Behind Bars here.

Times Union: Malatras berated, insulted SUNY employee in 2017 audio here.

NY Post: Hochul throws embattled SUNY Chancellor Malatras a life line, refuses call for ouster here.

Merryl Tisch intervened to save SUNY boss Malatras’ job.

Former Chief Deputy Nassau County Executive sentenced to 18 months in prison for obstructing justice.

Former Financial Services Department head Maria Vullo on running for NY AG.

Siena Research Institute issues new poll, shows Hochul with significant lead.

New York State trooper union sues Attorney General.

Coming Up

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on the Gateway Program on December 13.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on the overall impact and implementation of the enacted 2021-2022 State Budget as it relates to direct and indirect funding of workforce development programs on December 13.

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

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.