Category: US State of New York

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured $440,000 from Denny’s franchise owners Reveille Management, LLC (Reveille Management) and Top Line Restaurants, Inc. (Top Line Restaurants) for failing to pay their restaurant workers the full wages they were owed. Reveille Management and Top Line Restaurants, both owned by Arizona-based couple Glenn and Tina Beattie, operate Denny’s restaurants in at least five states, including 23 locations across Western New York, and employ thousands of New Yorkers as cooks, dishwashers, servers, hosts, and supervisors. An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that these franchise owners repeatedly failed to pay more than 1,900 Denny’s workers the extra pay they were owed for long shifts, known as “spread of hours” pay, as required by New York law. As a result of OAG’s investigation, the Beatties must pay $440,000 in restitution to current and former employees whose wages were unlawfully withheld and overhaul their policies and procedures to ensure the violations do not continue.  

“Denny’s workers kept these restaurants running through long days and late nights, and they deserve to be paid every dollar they earned,” said Attorney General James. “These franchise owners ignored clear wage laws and shortchanged hardworking New Yorkers. My office will continue to stand up for workers and hold employers accountable when they cheat people out of their pay.” 

New York state law requires restaurant workers to receive one additional hour of pay for any workday longer than 10 hours. This “spread of hours” pay is calculated at the state’s minimum wage rate and applies by day, not by shift, meaning it covers consecutive shifts worked within a single day and includes meal breaks, rest periods, and time between shifts. Employers must provide spread of hours pay for every qualifying workday, whether or not the employee requests it. 

The OAG opened an investigation in December 2024 after a Denny’s employee filed a complaint alleging the company wasn’t paying for extended shifts. After a thorough review of payroll and timekeeping records, OAG determined that since 2019, at least 1,900 workers had completed more than 20,000 shifts that qualified for spread of hours pay but had not been properly compensated. The OAG found that the franchise owners paid spread of hours wages only sporadically, usually when an employee or manager requested it. The companies also failed to notify employees of their right to spread of hours pay and did not include the requirement in their employee handbook. 

As a result of OAG’s investigation, Attorney General James has secured $440,000 in restitution from Reveille Management and Top Line Restaurants for impacted workers. A settlement administrator engaged by OAG will distribute the funds directly to Denny’s workers who had qualified for spread of hours pay, providing them with the compensation they were denied. Eligible workers will be contacted by the settlement administrator via mail, email, and/or text with notices of the settlement and information on how to file a claim. The franchise owners will pay up to $40,000 in addition to the restitution amount to cover the costs of the settlement administrator. None of the settlement funds will revert to the franchise owners. 

To prevent future wage violations, Attorney General James is requiring Reveille Management and Top Line Restaurants to overhaul their human resources policies and practices. The companies must: 

• Provide notices to all managers and employees explaining their wage and hour policies, including the right to spread of hours pay;  
• Update their employee handbook to include spread of hours requirements; 
• Revise employee earnings statements to specifically identify spread of hours payments; 
• Train all new and existing employees on wage and hour policies under New York and federal law, including employee rights to spread of hours pay, breaks, paid sick leave, and paid family leave;  
• Conduct annual anti-harassment and anti-discrimination trainings;
• Designate a point of contact to review complaints received by OAG from current and former employees; and 
• Submit regular compliance reports to OAG for three years.  

The franchise owners are also forbidden from retaliating against any employees, including former or current employees who participated in OAG’s investigation. More information on the settlement can be found on OAG’s website. 

“As the son of long-standing union members and someone who came up in a union job myself, I know what it means when a paycheck comes up short, and for more than 1,900 workers at 23 Denny’s locations here in Western New York, it came up short for years,” said Congressman Tim Kennedy. “Thanks to Attorney General James investigation, $440,000 is going back to the workers who earned it, with real action and accountability built in so it doesn’t happen again. Every worker deserves to be paid for every minute they work, and I’m grateful we have an Attorney General willing to enforce that.” 

“The state of New York is fortunate to have a fighter the likes of Attorney General James, fighting for workers here in Western New York,” said Majority Leader Crystal People-Stokes. “Business owners are on notice: do right by your employees. Plain and simple. I applaud our Attorney General and her office for supporting Western New York workers.” 

“Every worker deserves to be paid every dollar they earn, and employers have a responsibility to follow the law,” said Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan. “I’m grateful to Attorney General James and her team for standing up for Western New York workers and ensuring that nearly 2,000 employees receive the wages they were rightfully owed. Protecting workers’ rights and holding employers accountable helps build a stronger economy and a fairer community for everyone.” 

“Employees report to their jobs expecting to be paid fairly for the work they do every day, as the law requires, and it is always upsetting to hear when employers don’t hold up their end of the deal by cheating their employees out of the wages they’ve rightfully earned. In this case, workers were entitled to extra pay after working long shifts, compensation that was illegally withheld by their employer,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “However, Attorney General James is well-noted for her pursuit of employers found to be exploiting their workers in such ways and her vigilance once again is making a big difference for these affected employees. Thanks to her, they will be getting restitution and the employers will be paying for the settlement administrator as well. Cheating employees out of their hard-earned paychecks is unlawful and unconscionable and I thank Attorney General James for once again stepping in to protect our working men and women.” 

“As a federation representing more than 145,000 union workers and retirees across this region, we applaud Attorney General James for her office’s continued work to hold law-breaking employers accountable and make workers whole,” said Denise Abbott, President of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. “When workers face abuse and exploitation on the job, their families and our communities suffer immeasurable harm. We are proud to stand with Attorney General James as she fights for working families across New York, returning tens of millions in stolen wages, tips, and benefits to the hardworking people who keep this state running.” 

This is the latest of Attorney General James’ efforts to combat exploitative labor practices. In December 2025, Attorney General James secured $45 million for underpaid home health aides. Also in December 2025, Attorney General James sued UPS for repeatedly stealing wages from thousands of seasonal and delivery workers across the state. In October 2025, Attorney General James delivered $1.4 million to New York City construction workers who faced retaliation and abuse. In July 2025, Attorney General James secured $148,000 for union workers who were denied paid sick leave. In June 2025, Attorney General James secured $400,000 for underpaid New York City school security guards. In May 2025, Attorney General James secured over $660,000 for health care workers who were recruited from abroad and coerced into exploitative contracts. In March 2025, Attorney General James secured $750,000 and critical reforms to address sexual harassment and discrimination at Con Ed. In February 2025, Attorney General James secured $16.75 million from DoorDash for cheating its delivery workers out of tips and, in January 2025, Attorney General James recovered $1.1 million for Rikers Island cleaners cheated out of fair pay. 

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Lawrence J. Reina, Auditor Investigator Erica Ciccarelli, and Civil Enforcement Section Chief Fiona Kaye under the supervision of Bureau Chief Karen Cacace, all of the Labor Bureau. The Labor Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of the Binghamton 363 Gateway Project – a transformational $46.6 million investment that will reshape a critical corridor in the City of Binghamton – enhancing public safety and creating a more connected future built around the community’s vision. The project, situated where the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers meet, will replace an outdated section of highway and two aging cloverleaf ramps with a modern, walkable, bikeable intersection designed to better connect people, neighborhoods, and destinations while also utilizing sustainable construction materials. A new pedestrian pathway running parallel to the Susquehanna River will link users to points along the shoreline and existing trails, expanding access to green space, recreation, and downtown Binghamton.

“The people of Binghamton deserve a transportation system that makes it easier to drive, walk or bike throughout the city, and that’s exactly what this project will accomplish,” Governor Hochul said. “When it’s complete, the Binghamton 363 Gateway will not only increase public safety, but it will bring people closer than ever to Binghamton’s downtown destinations and its incredible waterfront.”

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Binghamton’s rivers have always been the heartbeat of this community, shaping neighborhoods, powering the economy, and giving people a place to explore and connect with nature. Today, thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul’s vision and significant investment, we are taking the first step in reestablishing these connections by converting a highway barrier into a transportation system that will accommodate all users of the road, while increasing public safety and recreational opportunities in the Parlor City.”

The Binghamton 363 Gateway Project will transform the State Route 363 corridor with major upgrades, the centerpiece of which will be the replacement of the existing cloverleaf ramps with an ADA-compliant, at-grade intersection with State Route 434 in both directions. New and reconstructed pavement will improve ride quality for motorists while minimizing future maintenance needs.

A new 12-foot-wide, pedestrian-only pathway between Confluence Park/Washington Street to Rockbottom Dam, running parallel to the Susquehanna River, will expand the Two Rivers Greenway and link users to miles of existing trails, expanding access to green space, recreation, and downtown Binghamton. This will create a seamless connection to the South Washington Street Bridge and the Chenango River Walk, linking users to both waterfronts and miles of outdoor recreation. Whether walking, biking, or rolling, residents and visitors will have easier access to two beautiful riverfronts as well as downtown restaurants and businesses, museums, government offices, courthouses, the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, and the popular Arts District.

Among the larger project highlights, North Shore Drive eastbound will be connected directly to northbound Route 363 east of Exchange Street, and reduced to one lane in each direction, shortening the length of pedestrian crossings for safer passage, calming traffic, and lowering long-term maintenance costs.

The Carroll Street vehicular ramp to Route 363 northbound will be permanently closed, while the pedestrian tunnel will remain open and the NYS Route 363 Bridge over Exchange Street will be rehabilitated. Improvements to Susquehanna and Washington Streets in the area of Visions Veterans Memorial Arena and the Binghamton University Downtown Center will include enhanced access to local roads from NYS Route 434 and Route 363.

Beyond enhancing mobility, the project also includes major highway and bridge upgrades using Performance Engineered Mixes (PEMs), a resilient and more sustainable concrete standard adopted by NYSDOT in 2024, creating stronger, more durable material that can stand up better over time, helping to reduce future maintenance needs.

Pre-construction work began in February with targeted tree and brush clearing, including in and around the existing 434 cloverleaf ramps area, and along Route 363/North Shore Drive. Only trees that conflict with construction or ones that are considered invasive species were removed. As the project advances, hundreds of new trees will be planted along with thousands of additional plants and flowers to enhance the corridor.

The Gateway builds on earlier investments along the south side of State Route 434 Vestal Parkway, as well as multi-use path segments along Front Street (US 11) that connect to Otsiningo Park, both of which have been added to the Two Rivers Greenway trail network. Once completed, the 363 Gateway Project will unite Binghamton’s downtown and neighborhoods to miles of scenic shoreline, delivering unprecedented opportunities for recreation, ease of mobility and economic vitality.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, “The 363 Gateway Project will make Binghamton safer for the pedestrians and bikers who use Route 363. I’m proud that nearly $30 million from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law is helping build a more seamless connection between Downtown Binghamton and the Susquehanna River Waterfront to increase access to recreation and boost local businesses. I’m grateful that construction is starting and for Governor Hochul’s commitment to using federal and state dollars to build a safer, accessible, and more connected New York.”

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Today, we are another step closer to transforming a critical corridor into a safer, greener gateway that connects our communities and works for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to support investments like this that enhance public safety and access to green space, and I will keep fighting to bring home the funding needed to improve infrastructure and quality of life across the Southern Tier.”

Senator Lea Webb said, “Making our communities more accessible for all is integral for community development and our overall well-being. The 363 Gateway Project is going to transform downtown Binghamton, and I am excited to see the work getting started. Today’s groundbreaking is the start of well-deserved upgrades to our area. This project creates paths for walking and biking, easy access to waterfront areas, and will also be ADA-compliant to ensure accessibility for all. It is important that we continue to provide spaces for people to connect with our great natural resources and strengthen community support. I look forward to watching this project progress.”

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said, “After years of planning and community input, the start of construction on the 363 Gateway Project marks an important milestone for Downtown Binghamton. This long-awaited investment will modernize critical infrastructure, while creating safer access to downtown, expanded recreational opportunities, and stronger community connections. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul, NYSDOT, the City, and all of our partners who have helped move this forward.”

County Executive Jason T. Garnar said, “Investments like the Binghamton 363 Gateway Project help move our community forward by improving safety, enhancing accessibility, and creating new opportunities to enjoy our downtown and riverfront. Thank you to Governor Hochul and DOT Commissioner Dominguez for continuing to invest in Broome County and our future.”

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the award of nearly $6 million in opioid settlement funding to 12 Recovery Community and Outreach Centers across New York state, fulfilling a key promise in this year’s State of the State address. This initiative will allow these programs to expand their work to include new and additional youth-focused services. Funding is being provided through the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund, overseen by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and aligns with the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board’s recommendations to increase recovery services and outreach to priority populations.

“As part of my State of the State address in January, I made a commitment to ensuring that young New Yorkers are protected and have the tools and resources they need to live healthy, productive lives,” Governor Hochul said. “With this important initiative, we are increasing youth-focused services across the state, giving young people more opportunities to find the help and support they need and deserve.”

OASAS Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Our recovery centers play an important role in helping New Yorkers and their families impacted by addiction and this will help to further expand these services to young people who can be especially vulnerable to the effects of substance use. Governor Hochul has shown strong support for this initiative and others like it, and thanks to this work we have seen a significant drop in overdose deaths across the state.”

OASAS offers numerous services focused on youth, including youth-specific treatment programs, as well as an adolescent designation for other treatment programs, verifying they have the staff and programs in place to support young people impacted by substance use disorder. In addition, OASAS providers operate more than 20 youth clubhouses across the state, which offer services similar to recovery centers but focused on a younger population. The agency also works to implement prevention services for youth, including in schools as well as the community at large.

This funding will be used to expand the availability of youth-appropriate services at existing Recovery Community and Outreach Centers, including education, skill-building, and recreational activities. These services are focused on young people ages 12 to 17 who are in recovery from a substance use disorder, or who are not in recovery but seeking a safe and drug-free environment.

Recovery centers are non-clinical settings that offer a range of supports including the opportunity to connect to peers who are facing similar challenges. They also provide help to families of those in recovery.

The following providers were awarded funding to support these services for two years, with an additional $60,000 included in the first year:

Capital Region

• The Prevention Council of Saratoga County: $490,000

Central NY

• Center for Community Alternatives, Inc.: $510,000
• Helio Health, Inc.: $510,000

Finger Lakes

• Center for Community Alternatives, Inc.: $510,000
• UConnectCare, Inc.: $509,990

Long Island

• Family and Children’s Association (FCA): $450,000

Mid-Hudson

• Independent Living, Inc.: $510,000

Mohawk Valley

• Catholic Charities of Herkimer County: $510,000
• Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council of Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties d.b.a. HFM Prevention Council: $489,000

New York City

• Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI): $450,000
• Let’s Talk SAFETY, Inc. The PILLARS: $510,000

Southern Tier

• Friends of Recovery Dedicated to Others, Inc.: $502,000

New York State has already received $2.8 billion through various settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies that were secured by Attorney General Letitia James. A portion of the funding from these settlements will go directly to municipalities, with the remainder deposited into a dedicated fund to support prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery efforts to address the ongoing opioid epidemic.

This initiative continues New York State’s nation-leading efforts to distribute opioid settlement money. To date, New York has made more than $454 million available through the opioid settlement fund, which is the most of any state in the country. A detailed list of initiatives funded with this money is available on the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund tracker.

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports oversees one of the nation’s largest systems of addiction services with approximately 1,700 prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery programs serving more than 731,000 individuals per year. This includes the direct operation of 12 Addiction Treatment Centers where our doctors, nurses, and clinical staff provide inpatient and residential services to approximately 8,000 individuals per year.

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “Young people struggling with substance use should never have to face it alone or wait until a crisis to receive support. Recovery begins when they have safe places to turn, trusted providers who understand their challenges and opportunities to see a future beyond addiction. I thank Governor Hochul for putting opioid settlement funds to work helping more young New Yorkers heal, grow and build healthy, fulfilling lives.”

State Senator Samra Brouk said, “As Chair of the Senate Mental Health Committee, I know our young people need programs that center their recovery, healing, and growth. I applaud Governor Hochul for awarding over half a million dollars to providers here in Rochester, including Helio Health and Center for Community Alternatives, to fund services that are committed to helping young people impacted by substance use disorders in a safe, supportive environment.”

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found on the NYS OASAS website.

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the conviction and sentencing of Marc Henry Menard, formerly of Mineola, New York, for operating a three-year securities fraud scheme that targeted the Haitian community in New York, Florida, and Georgia, and stole more than $600,000 from 11 investors. Menard, who is not registered to offer or sell securities, solicited unsuspecting individuals to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars, claiming that he was a highly successful trader and could generate returns of up to 20 percent per month. Instead, Menard transferred investors’ money into his own personal trading account, where he sustained staggering losses from high-risk trading. Menard also used his investors’ money to pay his personal expenses, make expensive purchases on travel and luxury goods, including from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and repay prior investors. In April, Menard pleaded guilty in Nassau County Supreme Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Securities Fraud. Today, he was sentenced to five years’ probation and was banned from participating in the securities industry for five years.

“Marc Henry Menard lied to hard-working New Yorkers and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat himself to lavish trips and luxury purchases,” said Attorney General James. “Thank you to my partners in law enforcement for helping to end this fraud and bring Menard to justice. I encourage all New Yorkers to take caution when making investments and report any suspicious offers to my office.”

Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau (CEFC), which revealed that beginning in July 2020 and continuing through June 2023, Menard solicited members of the Haitian community to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into his company, Marcotech, LLC. Menard targeted Haitians in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, and Queens counties, as well as Florida and Georgia. He promised investors monthly returns of between 12 and 20 percent and promised higher percentages if they recruited additional individuals to invest. In order to solicit investments, Menard told investors that he was an experienced and highly successful trader of stocks and cryptocurrencies. 

After soliciting investments, Menard deposited a portion of investors’ money into his own personal trading accounts. He then used these funds to engage in risky trading options including high-risk day trading and options trading, which resulted in losses totaling over $670,000 between July 2021 and October 2022. Menard also used hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors to repay prior investors, and for personal expenditures. Menard spent over $100,000 on trips to Turkey, Puerto Rico, and Disney World, a 2021 Mercedes Benz and a 2022 BMW, and purchases at luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci.  

To further his scheme, Menard showed investors a fake ATM receipt that reflected a bank account balance of over $8 million, and a fake trading screen showing a net account value of over $1 million. Menard’s investors relied on these false statements, believing they were earning significant profits, and continued to invest. The OAG’s investigation revealed between July 2021 and October 2022, the highest net value of Menard’s trading account was $240,000 and the highest balance of Menard’s bank account was $301,000.

On April 17, 2026, Menard pleaded guilty in Nassau County Supreme Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Securities Fraud. Today, he was sentenced to five years of probation and was banned from participating in the securities industry for five years. Menard also admitted to the amounts he owes investors, totaling $385,271, and judgments were entered against him in favor of his victims. 

Attorney General James recommends that New Yorkers take basic steps to avoid becoming the victim of investment fraud schemes. These include:

• In general, do not wire money, send cryptocurrency, or give cash to people you don’t know and haven’t vetted because these transactions are irreversible;
• Be suspicious of individuals you encounter who pressure you to withdraw from retirement accounts (even at a penalty), to borrow money from friends/relatives, or to apply for loans from a bank;
• Beware of individuals who promise you higher profits if you agree to recruit others invest;
• Never rush into any investment. Be skeptical if the individual insists that you must invest money within a very short time frame, claiming you will lose out on the opportunity;
• Verify that the person offering the investment is properly registered. You can check investment professional registration at FINRA’s BrokerCheck;
• Before investing, consult a trusted legal professional or financial advisor who can advise you if the investment is proper;
• Trust your instincts and think twice before investing. If the investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is; and
• If you suspect fraud, report the individual to law enforcement. Save all communications so that you can provide them to law enforcement if needed.

Attorney General James encourages anyone who may have been a victim of this type of scam to report it to OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 1-800-771-7755. Any identifying information provided to OAG will be protected according to law and policies on the safeguarding of identifying information.

Attorney General James thanks the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and its Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group for their invaluable assistance in this investigation. Attorney General James also thanks the Sunrise Police Department, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office in the State of Florida, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General David Vargas of CEFC. Analytical work was provided by Senior Analyst Joseph Conniff, under the supervision of Chief Analyst Jayleen Garcia. Forensic accounting was conducted by Senior Auditor Investigator Brenna Magruder, under the supervision of Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri and Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro of the Forensic Audit Section. CEFC is led by Bureau Chief Stephanie Swenton and Deputy Bureau Chief Joseph G. D’Arrigo.

The criminal investigation was conducted by Senior Detective Brian Metz, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Juanita Bright, Assistant Chief Samuel Scotellaro, and Detective Supervisors Walter Lynch and Anna Ospanova. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes. Both CEFC and the Investigations Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. 

Source: US State of New York

arlier today, Governor Hochul was a guest on Spectrum News to update New Yorkers on weather conditions.

AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

Marisa Jacques, Spectrum News: Governor Hochul joins me now by phone to talk about the ongoing flooding situation. Governor, thank you so much for the time, I know you are very busy on this.

Governor Hochul: We are certainly very much involved in this. I’ve been giving out warnings for the last couple of days about how dire this can be for communities that could be experiencing record amounts of rainfall in a short time, as well as the flooding and the damage to homes and properties.

So it is still a very serious risk, and I want to make sure that everyone continues to take this seriously because this flash flooding is so dangerous. I still need residents to be vigilant and really listen to the warnings we’re issuing to stay off the roads. If you can stay at home for the rest of the day, there could be another two to four inches of rain in the hard hit areas on top of some areas of ten inches already, which is record breaking for our measurement system which tracks this.

So I’m just concerned and I want to make sure people stay home. If you absolutely have to go out, do not drive your vehicle into any standing water that’s more than six inches to a foot, because that could turn your boat, your vehicle into really a boat that’s out of control. So it’s still a very serious situation.

Marisa Jacques, Spectrum News: Governor, unfortunately we have seen some of those incidents where people have driven into it. From what we have heard, no reports of any injuries so far. Is your office hearing the same?

Governor Hochul: We are hearing some serious situations down in Sullivan County. We’ve got police responding, we also have— we’re trying to rescue some stranded campers from Schodack Island State Park. We have State Fire, DEC, State Police and State Parks on the scene right now. We have thousands of D.O.T. crews, maybe 3,400 D.O.T. crews out there trying to clear the roads to make sure they’re safe. And I’ve got police and fire and— this has been an all of government deployment because we have areas that are larger than was originally forecast by the weather. It goes all the way through the Hudson Valley, but all the way up to Albany and Rensselaer County. So we’ve got some conditions here that are still dangerous and there are some rescues underway.

Marisa Jacques, Spectrum News: Maybe one of the positives is that there is not a lot of wind with this storm so we aren’t seeing a ton of power outages, but we are seeing some evacuations. I know you were talking about some of those rescue efforts, could there be more evacuations on the way throughout the evening and night?

Governor Hochul: Yes, that is why we’re asking people to really stay tuned to the news. Stay vigilant and contact your emergency alerts, I think it’s 333-111 in your county. You should be making sure you’re getting all the notifications, because if you’re in a house that’s in an area that could flood or the local creeks or rivers are cresting and creating a life or death situation— people need to be really aware of their surroundings right now. Again flash flooding is not typical, it just accumulates off over the course of a day or so. It happens instantaneously and it can be very deadly for your family and especially our senior citizens or your children and pets. We’ve got to look out for everybody. So I think there’s still a risk.

There’s a flood risk east of Ontario as well, where there’s lots of rain from Syracuse to the North Country. That could bring another two inches an hour.

So I’d say the greatest flood risk still remains in the northern Mid-Hudson and southern Capital Region, where the rain has been accumulating and the ground is saturated and this is when trees start falling. We have about 4000 people without power which as you mentioned, could have been a lot worse if the winds had picked up. But we’re still not out of this event yet.

Marisa Jacques, Spectrum News: Governor Hochul, the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is fully staffed right now. I know they’ve got crews everywhere here in the Eastern part of the state but do we have more crews on stand by in case we see more of this weather, more unexpected weather?

As you said we predicted it was going to be pretty bad but it was even worse and that you really can never predict here especially in the Northeast what it’s going to. So do we have more crews on? Are we going to have more crews on stand-by if need be?

Governor Hochul: Of course we do, it’s a statewide effort. We can bring in deployments from elsewhere to where the most dangerous situations are concentrated — that’s what we always do. I was in Albany last night, I was in Albany this morning, in regular communication with our command center that is directing the response. Which is actually fortunate that often when there’s a devastating weather event, whether it’s a blizzard in Buffalo or flooding down in the Southern Tier, then we have to bring the resources and the personnel there. We already have that in the Capital Region, so that is another advantage that of all the places we were ready to respond as quickly as possible. But again, Mother Nature is challenging, she’s not always that predictable.

And I will say, I’m proud that we’ve invested millions of dollars over the last few years in Mesonet to have more accurate tracking of weather where the conditions will be most severe. So we did know in advance the regions that required us to deploy resources earlier. So we had our Swiftwater Rescue Vehicles ready on standby, all ready to go and they were sent to some areas that were affected. So we are preemptive in some areas, but it’s just the volume that was not accurately predicted by the weather service. That’s what made this much more difficult.

But we’re getting through it and I want to thank everybody. All of the first responders and the state teams that have been out there in really, really difficult conditions, sometimes putting their lives on the line, we owe them a debt of gratitude. And to everyone listening, we will get through this. We just want to make sure that people are as safe as possible and continue monitoring your local news.

Marisa Jacques, Spectrum News: Governor Kathy Hochul, we appreciate the time. Stay safe out there. And of course to our viewers, check on your family and your loved ones as well.

Governor, thanks for that.

Governor Hochul: Alright, thank you so much. Bye-bye.

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded the construction contract for complete station rehabilitations of the Bellerose and Floral Park Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) stations to make the stations fully accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The first accessibility award of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan, these improvements, bundled into one package known as Package 3, include the installation of a new elevator at the Bellerose station and the replacement of a non-compliant escalator at the Floral Park station with a new wider, 32-inch escalator. The Floral Park station is currently accessible and has three elevators that were put into service in 2021 as part of the LIRR Main Line Expansion Project (Third Track).

“I am proud that New York is investing in MTA accessibility like never before and building on the historic upgrades we have delivered to improve and increase LIRR service, from the completion of Grand Central Madison to the opening of Third Track,” Governor Hochul said. “The 2025-2029 Capital Plan represents the most ambitious plan to upgrade our transit system in state history, and projects like these at Floral Park and Bellerose will make the LIRR more accessible and reliable to the communities that rely on it.”

In addition to the new elevator at the Bellerose station, all existing stairs will be replaced and crews will install new ADA-compliant ramps at the north and south entrances. Workers will extend the platform and install a built-in snow melt system for use during the winter months. At Floral Park, all three platforms will be re-built and extended and will receive new platform waiting rooms and new canopy cover for customers.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “We got a head start back in 2019, leveraging the opportunity to bring elevators to Floral Park during Third Track construction. Now we’re going to tackle the rest of that station and add new accessibility at Bellerose to finish the job.”

Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free said, “This historic contract allows the Long Island Rail Road to deliver on its promise to make 98% of the rail system accessible by the end of the 2025-2029 Capital Plan. Making our stations accessible improves the customer experience for all Long Islanders.”

MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, “The 2025–29 Capital Plan represents one of the most ambitious commitments to accessibility and state‑of‑good‑repair work in MTA history. Floral Park and Bellerose are the first accessibility projects to be awarded under this plan, and are a huge part of our push to modernize and improve accessibility better, faster and cheaper than ever.”

MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said, “New elevators, wider escalators, and rebuilt platforms will make travel easier, safer and more comfortable for thousands of LIRR riders. These investments aren’t just infrastructure improvements—they’re commitments to providing a smoother ride for everyone.”

Both stations will undergo significant structural rehabilitation as well as State of Good Repair work. This includes the rebuilding of station waiting rooms, new and rehabilitated stairs and ramps, handrails and guardrails, new lighting, as well as upgrades to security and surveillance video systems. The Carnation, Tulip and Tyson Avenue Bridges at the Floral Park station will also undergo minor structural modifications and repairs as part of State of Good repair work at that station.

Following the opening of Grand Central Madison and completion of the Third Track project—which increased track capacity between Hicksville and Floral Park and unlocked more service across multiple branches—Bellerose saw a service increase of 14% and Floral Park saw a service increase of 68%. The Bellerose Station serves an average of 768 weekday riders and Floral Park, which is served by the Hempstead and Port Jefferson branches, serves an average of 3,257 weekday riders.

The 2025-2029 Capital Plan invests a historic $7.1 billion to make dozens of stations newly ADA-compliant by installing new elevators or modernizing existing elevators and escalators. For the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), these funds will allow the MTA to reach its goal of making 98% of all LIRR stations accessible by the end of the program.

The work at Floral Park and Bellerose is being awarded to Scalamandre-Gramercy JV II, a joint venture consisting of Peter Scalamandre and Sons Inc., based in Freeport, and Gramercy Group, Inc., based in Wantagh.

Representative Laura Gillen said, “I am glad to have secured federal funding to make the Bellerose Long Island Rail Road station more ADA accessible. This is a terrific project that will help make our community a more inclusive place for people with disabilities, seniors, parents with young children and everyone who depends on public transit. I will continue fighting to bring federal resources home to Long Island and deliver the improvements our communities deserve.”

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages said, “The Long Island Rail Road is an essential part of daily life for Long Islanders, especially for my constituents in Floral Park and Bellerose. These investments will improve our stations, making them more accessible for individuals with disabilities and more convenient for every LIRR rider. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and the MTA for investing in our community and for ensuring that every New Yorker can travel with greater dignity, accessibility and convenience.”

Village of Floral Park Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald said, “These long-awaited and much needed improvements will greatly enhance the daily commuting experience for the residents of Floral Park, Bellerose, and the surrounding communities who rely on these stations every day. They will also help strengthen the overall quality of life and contribute to the continued vitality and property values of our entire Village. I would like to thank the current and past Village Boards, along with the current and past MTA/LIRR administrations, and our State elected officials who have consistently advocated for these necessary improvements. The Village is excited to once again work with the MTA to improve its infrastructure and ensure that our residents have the safe, modern, and accessible transportation facilities they deserve. This is an important investment in our community, and we look forward to seeing these improvements become a reality.”

Village of Bellerose Mayor Kenneth Moore said, “The Village of Bellerose is pleased to announce significant progress on the Long Island Railroad station in Bellerose, made possible by the steadfast support and advocacy of Governor Kathy Hochul and Congresswoman Laura Gillen. Governor Hochul’s administration has prioritized critical infrastructure upgrades across Long Island, ensuring residents have access to modern, reliable, and safe public transportation. The Governor’s continued commitment to these improvements and the Congresswoman’s pivotal role in securing federal funding and support for this project will deliver expanded service, enhanced accessibility, and long-overdue facility renovations that directly benefit commuters and local businesses.

Nassau County Legislator Carriè Solages said, “Just days ago, America observed the 36th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and today’s action by Governor Hochul will go a long way toward ensuring a person’s disability is never a barrier to taking full advantage of everything that the Long Island Rail Road connects commuters to on a daily basis. These improvements will greatly benefit the communities I serve in the Nassau County Legislature—I applaud Governor Hochul for prioritizing accessibility in mass transit and thank all of the local advocates who shine a light upon this critical issue day after day.”

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State Police Troop T, in partnership with the New York State Thruway Authority, seized 214 vehicles and issued more than 1,100 tickets during four statewide enforcement details on the Thruway system to proactively address the use of missing, altered, or obscured license plates (known as ghost plates) that some motorists intentionally use to avoid tolls. The enforcement details took place during the first half of this year along the 570-mile Thruway system in the Capital, Hudson Valley and Western New York regions.

“These enforcement operations are about protecting public safety, holding toll evaders responsible and safeguarding the toll dollars that drivers rightly contribute to maintain our transportation network,” Governor Hochul said. “We will continue working with the Thruway Authority and the New York State Police to put the brakes on ghost plates.”

In total, the owners of 38 vehicles that were impounded and had Thruway suspended registrations owed $103,000 in unpaid tolls and fees to the Thruway Authority. The Authority has since recovered more than $70,000.

This is part of an ongoing commitment to combatting motorists using ghost plates to avoid tolls, evade traffic enforcement cameras, or operate unregistered or unlicensed vehicles. In 2025, the State Police and Thruway Authority conducted seven enforcement details across the state, resulting in State Police seizing a total of 310 vehicles and issuing 1,749 tickets. This initiative resulted in the Authority recovering more than $132,000 of the $224,000 owed (59 percent) from 42 vehicle owners.

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “Toll dollars collected on the Thruway are reinvested back into the system to maintain, modernize and improve the infrastructure that millions of motorists rely on every day. By holding toll evaders accountable, we help protect honest, paying customers, preserve some of the lowest toll rates in the nation and ensure the Thruway remains a safe and reliable roadway for generations to come. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Police Troop T for their continued partnership in protecting the integrity of the Thruway system.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “A crucial mission of the State Police is ensuring the safety of the state’s roadways, and an important part of that effort is holding accountable those motorists who break the law by using fake, stolen or obscured license plates. They are putting the traveling public at risk by potentially impeding an accident investigation, and further, by not paying their fair share in tolls, they reduce the revenue that enables important roadway maintenance. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support and the Thruway Authority for its partnership in helping us keep the Thruway safer for all motorists.”

2026 Toll Enforcement Details on NYS Thruway System:

• On March 17, State Police impounded 80 vehicles from motorists crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge (GMMCB), which connects Westchester and Rockland counties, including 18 impoundments for unpaid Thruway tolls. Troopers issued 293 tickets as part of the operation, 141 of which were for license plate violations.
• On May 5, a second detail was conducted on the GMMCB, in which State Police impounded 69 vehicles, 10 for unpaid Thruway tolls. The operation resulted in 290 tickets, including 178 for plate violations.
• On May 5, another detail took place in the Western region, and State Police impounded 15 vehicles from motorists on I-190 in Buffalo, 3 for toll evasion on the NYS Thruway. Troopers issued 262 tickets, including 138 for plate violations, during the operation.
• On June 11, State Police impounded 50 vehicles from motorists on I-87 in Albany, 7 for unpaid Thruway tolls. Troopers issued 310 tickets as part of the operation, including 58 for license plate violations.

Date	Location	Total Tickets Issued	Tickets for License Plate Violations	Total Vehicles Impounded	Vehicles Impounded for Thruway Toll Evasion
March 17, 2026	GMMCB	293	141	80	18
May 5, 2026	GMMCB	290	178	69	10
May 5, 2026	I-190 Buffalo	262	138	15	3
June 11, 2026	I-87 Albany	310	58	50	7
	TOTAL	1,155	515	214	38

Throughout each detail, troopers focused on suspended registrations, many of which had been suspended for unpaid tolls or lack of insurance, which resulted in the vehicle being towed. Additionally, troopers issued tickets for fraudulent and obstructed license plates, as well as speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, cell phone use, driving with an expired driver’s license or expired registration, and other violations. The Troop T Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU) also participated to enforce safety standards and regulations for trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles.

State Police Troop T, which is responsible for the daily law enforcement and public safety activities along all 570 miles of the Thruway, led the operation while the Thruway Authority’s Traffic Safety and Maintenance teams assisted with traffic control.

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 49 other attorneys general urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen its “Know Your Customer” (KYC) rules to help prevent scammers from making illegal robocalls. KYC rules require phone companies to know who is making calls through their networks and what kinds of business their customers are conducting. Phone companies use this information to terminate callers who use their networks to make unlawful calls and can decline to do business with customers that are not legitimate companies or cannot prove that they conduct lawful business. In a letter to FCC, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the agency to adopt additional KYC requirements for phone companies to help better detect and stop fraud.  

“Fraudsters are using their access to our country’s phone networks to flood New Yorkers with scam calls at all hours of the day,” said Attorney General James. “The companies that run our phone networks have a responsibility to stop these illegal robocalls. Together with a broad bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, we are calling on the federal government to strengthen requirements for phone companies to ensure robocallers are not abusing their networks.”

Robocalls are a pervasive source of fraud that costs Americans billions of dollars every year. In 2025, Americans received more than 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts and lost nearly $2 billion to these scams. Attorney General James and the coalition explain in their letter that current KYC requirements do not go far enough to stop robocallers from gaining access to U.S. telephone networks.

Illegal robocalls require access to a phone company’s network, making due diligence done by these companies critical to stopping scammers from reaching people. Attorney General James and the coalition urge the FCC to adopt new KYC rules in addition to what they’re already doing. These include:

• Requiring providers to understand their customers’ business. In addition to verifying a customer’s identity and existence, phone companies should also be required to examine and understand the customer’s business practices, reputation, history, intended use of their services, and compliance with state and federal laws. 
• Holding all providers to KYC standards. Even small service providers should be required to meet enhanced KYC standards. Scammers use providers, regardless of size, to access the communications network. In fact, illegal calls are often facilitated by smaller voice service providers. Not holding small providers to the same standards could cause them to be even more attractive to bad actors looking to use them to make illegal robocalls.  
• Require providers to collect additional information on high-risk customers. While KYC requirements should be universal, Attorney General James and the coalition support additional long-term monitoring of customers who are more likely to make illegal robocalls, such as those subscribing to high volume services.  

Joining Attorney General James in signing the letter to FCC are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Attorney General James is a leader in multistate efforts to crack down on robocalls. In 2022, Attorney General James joined 50 other attorneys general in creating the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, which investigates and takes legal action against companies that are responsible for large amounts of robocall traffic. Earlier this month, Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of 48 other attorneys general called on FCC to adopt new measures to combat illegal robocalls. In August 2025, Attorney General James and the task force sent notices to 37 phone providers to stop routing fraudulent calls. In March 2025, Attorney General James and a bipartisan coalition of 27 other attorneys general filed an amicus brief supporting an FCC rule to stop telemarketers from obtaining consumers’ phone numbers without their consent. In May 2023, Attorney General James sued Avid Telecom (Avid), its owner Michael Lansky, and its vice president Stacey S. Reeves for routing billions of illegal robocalls nationwide and ignoring repeated warnings to stop.

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released final rules on how social media companies must restrict addictive features on their platforms to comply with the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and protect children’s mental health. The SAFE for Kids Act, championed by Attorney General James, sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic, and signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under the age of 18 unless they obtain parental consent. Algorithmic feeds and nighttime notifications are tied to depression, anxiety, eating and sleep disorders, and other mental health issues among children and teenagers. The rules released today establish criteria to determine which companies must comply with the law and outline standards to determine users’ age and obtain parental consent.

“The SAFE for Kids Act leads the nation in keeping our children safe online and protecting youth from the devastating effects of unchecked social media,” said Attorney General James. “These rules set standards for age verification and parental control to ensure tech companies are doing their part to keep kids safe on their platforms. Young people are particularly vulnerable to addictive social media features, and my office is committed to protecting all New Yorkers from potentially harmful technologies and companies that try to take advantage of them.”

“When I came into office, our children were in the throes of a full-blown mental health crisis, and as New York’s first mom Governor, I felt a moral imperative to act,” said Governor Hochul. “Today, we’re sending a clear message: our kids’ mental health isn’t for sale. We promised action and the SAFE For Kids Act is delivering by ensuring that any platform that targets our children with addictive feeds will face legal consequences. Instead of clicking and scrolling, our kids will be learning and growing.”

“I passed this law for a simple reason: kids’ safety should come before Big Tech’s profits,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “The SAFE for Kids Act protects children from addictive algorithms that force-feed them content they don’t want and put their mental health at risk. These new regulations bring the law to life by keeping young people safe while protecting New Yorkers’ online privacy and holding social media corporations accountable. Thanks to Attorney General James for her crucial work to get this done. Together, we’re building a safer, better internet for all New Yorkers.”

“As a mother and legislator, keeping our kids safe is one of my highest priorities,” said Assemblymember Nily Rozic. “The final SAFE for Kids rules are a major step toward holding social media platforms accountable and protecting children from harmful and addictive features. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and Attorney General James for their leadership and for ensuring that New York continues to lead the way in putting families first.”

Algorithmically personalized feeds, or addictive feeds, recommend or personalize content for users in an endless stream based on data that the platform gathers about the user. They are designed to encourage a user to continue to use and return to a platform. Content displayed in addictive feeds is often from accounts that a user does not follow and is often displayed out of chronological order.

Addictive feeds are known to drive unhealthy levels of social media use in minors that can affect their mental health. Research shows that children as young as 10 to 14 years old experience addictive use of social media, and the more time children spend on social media, the more likely they are to experience negative mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and eating and sleep disorders.

The SAFE for Kids Act addresses these mental health concerns for children by requiring social media companies to restrict addictive feeds for users under 18. Instead of the default algorithmically personalized feeds designed to keep young people on the platform, users under 18 will only be shown content from other accounts they follow or otherwise select in a set sequence, such as chronological order, unless they get parental consent for an addictive feed. Users cannot be cut off from the platform simply because they either do not want or do not have parental consent for an addictive feed. Instead, all users will still be able to access all the same content they can access now. The law also prohibits social media platforms from sending notifications to users under 18 from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. without parental consent.

Signed into law by Governor Hochul in June 2024, the SAFE for Kids Act authorized the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to promulgate rules on how companies should comply with the law before the statute goes into effect, including rules that set industry standards for determining a user’s age and securing parental consent. The OAG issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on August 1, 2024, and provided the public with a 60-day period to submit comments. The proposed rules were made public for review on September 15, 2025. The OAG incorporated public input, industry research, and its significant experience to inform the proposed and final rules.

Age Assurance 

• For users above the age of 17, social media companies must determine that the user is an adult before allowing them to access algorithmic feeds and/or nighttime notifications. Companies may confirm a user’s age using any existing method, as long as the methods are shown to meet accuracy benchmarks and protect users’ data. Companies can use options such as:
  • Requesting an uploaded image or video; or
  • Verifying a user’s email address or phone number to cross-check other information that reflects a user’s age.
• Social media companies must offer at least one alternative method for age assurance besides providing a government-issued ID.
• Any information used to determine age or obtain parental consent must not be used for any other purpose and must be deleted or de-identified immediately after its intended use. Social media companies must use only the minimum amount of data necessary to confirm a user’s age.  
• Minor users must have an option to update their age status on the platform when they turn 18.
• Social media companies must choose an age assurance method with a high accuracy rate, conduct annual testing, and retain the results of the testing for a minimum of 10 years.

Parental Consent 

• Minors must affirmatively seek access to prohibited features and must consent to their parent being notified. Any parent who wants to grant consent must go through age assurance.
• The platform may not block a minor user from generally accessing the platform or its content through, for example, searches, simply because they or their parent has refused to consent.
• The platform is not required to show parents the user’s search history or topics of interest to obtain parental consent. 
• Parents and minors must also have the option to withdraw their consent at any time.

The SAFE for Kids Act and rules apply to “Addictive Online Platforms,” defined as platforms that display user-generated content and have users who spend at least 20 percent of their time on the platform’s addictive feeds.

The full final rules can be found on OAG’s website. The final rules will be published in the State Register on July 29, 2026. The SAFE for Kids Act goes into effect 180 days later, on January 25, 2027.

For companies that violate the SAFE for Kids Act, the law authorizes OAG to bring an action to stop violations as well as to seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, among other remedies.

“We welcome the introduction of these detailed and practical requirements for effective and certified age assurance technologies, said Tony Allen, Founder and Chief Executive of Age Check Certification Scheme. “Age assurance can be done. It requires careful and considered implementation, but international standards for age assurance already exist and demonstrate that regulations like these are feasible and will ensure users’ privacy.”

“As the trade body representing 35 providers offering a wide range of privacy-preserving age assurance solutions, securely conducting over a billion checks a year, we want to recognize the diligence of Attorney General James and her team in finalizing these clear and comprehensive regulations,” said Iain Corby, Executive Director at the Age Verification Providers Association. “The final clarifications following the consultation preserve a flexible, technology-neutral approach that platforms can meet using proven solutions already operating at scale around the world. The SAFE for Kids Act was carefully designed to enable access to certain riskier product features at an appropriate age, and this new Rule ensures that users can conveniently prove their age without revealing their identity, using cryptographic techniques through a wide choice of methods, not only physical ID documents. New York has established a world-leading, practical framework, supported by rigorous audit provisions to ensure that platforms implement it effectively.”

“The finalized rule strikes an important balance between protecting young people’s mental health and preserving access to safe, trusted online resources,” said Nadia Swanson, Senior Director of Advocacy and Global Programs at The Ali Forney Center. “LGBTQIA+ youth will continue to be able to access affirming websites and connect with crisis services under the new rule. By providing multiple age verification options that protect user anonymity, Attorney General James has recognized the unique risks that identity verification technologies can pose to LGBTQIA+ and immigrant communities and implemented meaningful safeguards to protect them.”

“We applaud Attorney General James and her team for the tremendous work that went into developing the final regulations to implement the SAFE for Kids Act,” said James P. Steyer, Founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. “The SAFE for Kids Act, and these new final rules to implement and enforce it, has the potential to be a transformative step forward in protecting children from the addictive design features of social media. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General James, and the state lawmakers who championed this landmark law. New York is setting a national standard for protecting kids online by focusing on curbing addictive social media feeds and limiting late-night notifications that disrupt children’s sleep and well-being. There is more work to do to protect kids from the risks of AI and social media, but this law and its final rules are groundbreaking.”

“As the nation’s leading nonprofit fighting to protect children from the dangers of social media harms, Fairplay welcomes the new SAFE for Kids regulations released today by Attorney General James,” said Brendan Bouffard, Associate General Counsel: AI and Privacy at Fairplay. “For too long, Big Tech companies have been allowed to make massive profits by exploiting our kids, driving them to addiction, severe mental health harms, and even death. But now, thanks to states like New York, the tide is turning. We applaud Attorney General James’ leadership in crafting strong rules that make it clear that if Big Tech wants young people to use its products, it needs to make those products SAFE for Kids.”

“New York’s SAFE for Kids Act is the nation’s strongest legislation to protect children online by ensuring they are not exposed to the addictive algorithms running rampant on social media platforms,” said Julie Scelfo, Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA). “These new rules are an important and essential step in the enforcement of this landmark legislation and provide a pathway for other states to follow. MAMA is grateful to Attorney General James and her team for their careful and trailblazing efforts. By tackling addictive and harmful feeds head-on, New York is prioritizing the safety and well-being of our children over Big Tech’s bottom line.”

“The New York SAFE for Kids Act shows that protecting young people from addictive feeds and late-night notifications can go hand in hand with protecting privacy,” said Omari Rodney, Chief Product Engineer at Yoti. “By taking a technology-neutral approach to age assurance, the regulations support innovation while setting clear expectations for accuracy, accountability, and user privacy. Yoti stands ready to help platforms meet these requirements with proven, privacy-preserving age assurance solutions at scale.”

In October 2023, Attorney General James, Governor Hochul, Senator Gounardes, and Assemblymember Rozic jointly announced  the SAFE for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act, which prohibits online platforms from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the online platform. In June 2024, the SAFE for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act were signed into law. The Child Data Protection Act is in effect. 

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) approved $13 million in funding to support clean energy workforce development across New York State. The funding, approved by the NYPA Board of Trustees, includes $3 million to be directed to six workforce development programs that will equip more than 450 New Yorkers with the training, job placement resources and technical skills needed for careers in New York’s growing clean energy economy. The awards also include $10 million will support the New York State Department of Labor’s (NYSDOL) expanded training and retraining initiatives to prepare workers for employment in clean energy careers.

“Our clean energy future depends on the people who will build it, and we’re committed to preparing them for the good‑paying careers of tomorrow,” Governor Hochul said. “This $13 million investment will open doors for New Yorkers, expanding access to valuable training, strengthening workforce pathways and helping communities across the state benefit from the momentum fueling our clean energy economy.”

New York is leading the nation in developing a green economy, with nearly 185,000 clean energy jobs already created. Building further on that statewide progress, the NYPA Board of Trustees approved funding awards to the following organizations and institutions:

Energy Infrastructure Partners (EIP) – $520,000: EIP designs and delivers energy efficiency and clean energy programs for utilities and public agencies. The funding will support building operations and energy efficiency training for staff members of the Settlement House, a NYC based nonprofit.

Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 17 – $500,000: LiUNA Local 17 in the Hudson Valley will use the funding to strengthen pre-apprenticeship pathways in the construction trades, offering foundational training and support services to prepare participants for union careers.

Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 210 – $540,000: LiUNA Local 17 in Buffalo will use the funding to support a pre‑apprenticeship program that provides certification‑based training for participants.

Both LiUNA programs build on proven models to expand access to skilled labor opportunities.

Last year, NYPA allocated more than $1 million in funding support to LiUNA’s existing workforce training initiative, stimulating the expansion of its pre-apprenticeship program, which prepares members of disadvantaged communities for careers as union construction craft laborers in Buffalo, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region.

Northland Workforce Training Center – $500,000: Northland Workforce Training Center provides workforce training and career pathways for Western New Yorkers pursuing jobs in advanced manufacturing and energy. The funding will support training for participants in HVAC and building maintenance certificate programs at the Center’s new Clean Tech Lab, along with wraparound services including career coaching, transportation assistance and job placement support.

NYPA has supported Northland since its inception, initially providing $15 million in funding to support its development in 2016. In 2023, NYPA awarded Northland more than $1.1 million to support the development of the center’s state-of-the-art auto tech lab, and donated a 2017 Chevy Volt, an electric vehicle (EV) charger and a mix of associated EV shop tools to Northland for use in its clean energy center.

Renaissance Technical Institute (RTI) – $500,000: RTI, a New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved communities through free vocational education and training, will train participants in energy‑efficient systems and electrification. NYPA, in collaboration with NYSDOL, previously allocated $500,000 in funding to RTI in East Harlem to support workforce programming and career development for young adults from under-resourced communities.

State University of New York (SUNY) Canton – $440,000: SUNY Canton will train students through credit‑bearing micro‑credentials in heat pumps, drone operations, and mapping and logistics. The initiative expands access to industry‑aligned clean‑energy training for Northern New York and disadvantaged communities, preparing graduates for high‑quality career opportunities in the clean‑energy sector.

Of the $10 million in funding awarded to NYSDOL approved by the NYPA Board of Trustees, $8 million will support the expansion and development of the Growing the Clean Energy Workforce Training Initiative, which provides grants to organizations for the development or expansion of training programs. The remaining $2 million will be allocated to the NYSDOL Renewable Energy Training Initiative (RETI) program, which supports inclusive clean‑energy workforce development by funding upskilling and reskilling for workers transitioning into clean‑energy roles and by providing essential wraparound services.

New York Power Authority Chairman John R. Koelmel said, “By supporting organizations that provide apprenticeships and technical training, NYPA is strengthening New York’s talent pipeline and expanding opportunities for workers in communities across the state to gain the skills needed for high‑demand jobs in the growing clean energy economy.”

New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “The $13 million in workforce investments will help ensure New Yorkers have the skills required to maintain and expand the state’s clean‑energy infrastructure. NYPA is doing more than simply providing funding; it is delivering real opportunities for New Yorkers by opening vital career pathways in the state’s rapidly growing energy sector.”

Connecting New Yorkers to Opportunities in Clean Energy

The Power Authority’s support for clean energy workforce training stems from a commitment of up to $25 million annually, as outlined in the 2023-24 Enacted State Budget, and largely supports the efforts of the New York State Department of Labor to connect workers to job opportunities in the clean energy economy. Many of the upskilling and training initiatives have a focus on serving those who are traditionally underrepresented, especially within disadvantaged communities.

NYPA actively engages with each community training organization to ensure skills training is matched with in-demand positions and participant success through supportive wraparound services. Additionally, the Power Authority advises on the classroom and hands-on technology curriculum.

Including this round of awards, NYPA has obligated more than $63 million for clean energy training programs, supporting thousands of trainees and more than 45 workforce training organizations statewide.

Separately, as part of Governor Hochul’s NextGen Nuclear New York Initiative, NYPA recently issued a Request for Application, targeting technical schools, colleges, unions and manufacturers, among other groups, to access $40 million in NYPA nuclear workforce development funding. The investment aims to build a skilled workforce ready to support the deployment and operation of new advanced nuclear energy in Upstate New York.

More information on the Power Authority’s support for clean energy training can be found on its workforce development webpage.

New York State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon said, “Creating clean energy infrastructure is both necessary and an economic opportunity for our state, creating thousands of jobs and strengthening local economies. I applaud Governor Hochul’s commitment to New York’s clean energy future. The New York State Department of Labor stands ready to provide the training and resources necessary to ensure our workforce is prepared to support the state’s clean energy development.”

State Senator April N.M Baskin said, “When we invest in people, we strengthen our economy. These awards will help LiUNA Local 210 and the Northland Workforce Training Center prepare more Western New Yorkers for careers in the growing clean energy economy, opening the door to good-paying jobs while building the skilled workforce our region needs. I thank Governor Hochul and NYPA for continuing to invest in our workforce.”

About The New York Power Authority

The New York Power Authority is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 17 generating facilities and more than 1,550 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Substack.