Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
February 22, 2022
What’s Inside
- Governor Releases Budget Amendments
- DOH Announces Booster Shot Mandate for Healthcare Workers Suspended
- Democratic Party Holds Convention
- Governor Establishes Office of the Chief Disability Officer
- Special Election Results
- Legislators Announce 2022 Retirements
- Suozzi Announces Running Mate
- Political Updates
- Coming Up
Governor Releases Budget Amendments
The Governor released 30-day amendments to her Executive Budget proposal this week. Most of the changes were minor or technical tweaks, only adding two new parts and removing two proposals. The first new addition establishes a young adult commercial driver’s license training program. The other new addition extends and expands the Restore New York’s Communities Initiative which expands the program to rural areas and increases the amount of the grants.
The Governor removed a proposal that would have required local governments to accept and allow for accessory dwelling units in single family neighborhoods despite local zoning that may disallow the practice. Accessory dwelling units include apartments or backyard cottages. Municipalities and Long Island legislators objected to the proposal arguing that it would harm suburban neighborhoods by worsening parking problems and straining local services, including sewer and water facilities, while eliminating local control of zoning.
The Governor also removed a proposal that would have prohibited cities, towns, and villages from taking action to limit or prevent housing with density of at least 25 units per acre on any land where residential construction and occupation is already permitted, or effectively prohibiting such housing through excessive restrictions on height, setbacks, floor-area ratio, and other requirements. Those provisions would have applied to any city, town, or village with residential zoning within a half mile of a bus transportation center or Metro North, Long Island Railroad, Port Authority, or New Jersey Transit station within 60 miles of New York City.
Changes were also made to a proposal that would provide $3,000 bonuses to health care workers to increase the income cap from $100,000 to $125,000.
The Governor said:
DOH Announces Booster Shot Mandate for Healthcare Workers Suspended
The Department Of Health (DOH) issued a press release announcing the state would not be enforcing the booster shot mandate for healthcare workers that was set to take effect February 21. The decision to suspend the mandate was justified by the desire to avoid exacerbating the current staffing crisis. According to the release, the state will reevaluate in three months whether additional steps are needed to increase booster shot rates among healthcare workers. The original vaccination mandate remains in effect.
Democratic Party Holds Convention
The New York State Democratic Party held its convention this week to nominate candidates for statewide office. Governor Hochul received 85.56% of the weighted vote which guarantees her a spot on the ballot, but, perhaps more significantly, denies her challengers an automatic spot on the ballot. In order to receive an automatic spot on the ballot, a candidate must receive at least 25% of the weighted party vote. Challenger Tom Suozzi did not put himself forward for nomination and challenger Jumaane Williams received only 12.46% of the weighted vote. As a result, in order for those challengers to continue, they must petition on to the ballot by collecting at least 15,000 valid Democratic Party members signature – with at least 100 signatures from at least half of New York’s congressional districts. Governor Hochul made history by being the first female to be nominated by a major party for Governor.
Governor Establishes Office of the Chief Disability Officer
The Governor announced the establishment of the Office of the Chief Disability Officer to advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities and appointed Kimberly T. Hill as the State’s first Chief Disability Officer. In 1983, the State Office of the Advocate for the Disabled was established through Executive Order 26, but, its function was absorbed in 2011 by the Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CQC). The CQC however, was disbanded when the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs was created.
Ms. Hill has most recently served as the Principal Analyst for the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on People with Disabilities. She previously served as Director of the Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities, which focused on issues pertaining primarily to people with physical and sensory disabilities.
Governor Hochul said:
Special Election Results
A special election was held this week to fill vacancies in two Assembly seats. The special election for Assembly District 60 in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood, vacated by Charles Baron, was won decisively by Nikki Lucas with over 77% of the vote. The special election for Assembly District 72 in Upper Manhattan, vacated by Carmen De La Rosa, was won by Manny De Los Santos with 61% of the vote. Both will serve out the remainder of the term and will have to run this fall for a full term.
Legislators Announce 2022 Retirements
Congresswoman Kathleen Rice
Congresswoman Rice became the 30th House Democrat to announce she would not be seeking reelection, making for the most Democrats since 1992 to make such an announcement. Three of the four congressional seats on Long Island will now be without an incumbent, with Suozzi and Zeldin running for Governor. Redistricting did not alter the district where she has consistently won by large margins.
Senator Todd Kaminsky
Senator Kaminsky announced that he too would not be seeking reelection for the State Senate seat he has held since the special election he won in 2016. The district is wholly contained within Congresswoman Rice’s district. He further announced that he would not be seeking any public office. Kaminsky ran for Nassau County District Attorney in 2021 and was defeated by a large margin by a political newcomer and lifelong county Assistant District Attorney.
Senator Diane Savino
Senator Savino announced the she would not be seeking reelection. The Staten Island Democrat was first elected in 2004. Beginning in 2011, Savino was a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of breakaway democrats that formed their own conference that aligned with Senate Republicans. She is the last remaining member of the IDC.
Senator Patty Ritchie
Senator Ritchie announced she would not be seeking reelection to the district she has held since defeating Darrel Aubertine in 2010. Ritchie’s district included portions of St. Lawrence County and all of Jefferson and Oswego counties. The new redistricted map will include all of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties as well as most of Franklin County and a portion of Herkimer County. Ritchie has endorsed Matt Doheny for the seat, while Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has endorsed Assemblyman Walczyk.
Suozzi Announces Running Mate
Representative Tom Suozzi announced his choice for running mate in his bid for Governor. Former City Councilmember Diana Reyna will run as his Lieutenant Governor. Reyna served in the City Council for twelve years and was also deputy to then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams from 2014-2018. In New York, the office of Lieutenant Governor is a separate race from Governor in the primary, where the primary winners run as one ticket in the General Election. In 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo’s chosen running mate H. Carl McCall lost the primary for Lieutenant Governor to Alfred Delbello forcing a joint ticket of Cuomo/DelBello. Delbello served only two years before resigning with complaints that he was underutilized by Governor Cuomo.
Political Updates
City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.
State trooper files lawsuit against Cuomo.
Senator Gillibrand endorses Hochul.
Brooklyn Democrats endorse Hochul for governor over Williams, Suozzi.
City & State NY: The evolution of Carl Heastie here.
Hillary Clinton to keynote New York state Democratic convention.
DCCC warns GOP culture war attacks ‘alarmingly potent.’
Congress hopeful Biaggi gets rude welcome on Long Island.
Two more challenge Barrett for Assembly seat.
87,000 teachers set to retire in next five years.
Deadline for senior citizens STAR rebate application nears.
Kathleen Rice’s retirement opens up another Long Island congressional seat
Elizabeth Crowley Files to Run for Newly-Created Senate Seat.
Assemblyman Salka announces run for State Senate, challenging Senator May.
Martinez announces rematch for Long Island’s 3rd Senate District.
Assemblyman Walczyk announces run for Ritchie’s Senate seat.
Republican megadonors aim to raise up to $3 million for New York redistricting legal fight.
Coming Up
The Senate will hold a public hearing on the impact of sexual assault in the prison system on March 3.
The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on March 14 and 15.
The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on March 16.
JCOPE will hold its next meeting on March 29.