andrea stewart-cousins
Advocate who lied about vets being booted from hotel is stripped of ‘Women of Distinction’ honor
Sharon Toney-Finch was nominated for the New York State Senate honor by Sen. Rob Rolison on May 16.
NY judges to get even more leeway on bail laws in unexpected deal
"What we're looking to give the courts is more autonomy in deciding the conditions and the kinds of real control that is necessary to return someone to court," Gov. Hochul...
NY's long, $229B budget nightmare nearly over as lawmakers finally begin voting
The state Senate and Assembly started passing budget bills to enact the proposed $229 billion spending plan, which has been weighed down by divisive issues.
Albany isn't in a Staten Island state of mind on crime
Staten Island DA Michael McMahon is rightly blasting Albany for refusing to fix the state’s disastrous criminal-justice laws.
NY on cusp of being first state to ban natural gas under new budget — and residents are furious
Albany Democrats are getting ready to make New York the first state to ban natural gas in new buildings, but not everyone supports the idea.
NYC DAs blast discovery reform tweak as ineffective, leaving changes to state trail law in jeopardy
"Imagine negotiating a public safety change that is so meaningless you make Alvin Bragg look pro public safety," state Senate Republican Minority Leader Robert Ortt (R-Lockport) tweeted.
Tell Albany: For once, read the budget bills before you pass them
With the state budget already nearly a month late, lawmakers now have no excuse for not reading the necessary legislation before they pass it.
Hochul says NYers care about bail reform changes, affordability — not late state budget
"The only thing holding up the budget is her incompetence," a Democratic insider groused of Hochul to The Post on Tuesday.
State budget agreement close on allowing 22 more charter schools in New York City
The looming compromise would keep a regional cap of 275 charters in place within the five boroughs while allowing 22 so-called "zombie" licenses to get reissued.
Albany lawmakers hash out ways to deal with NYC's illegal weed shops as part of $227B state budget
"I want to be able to shut them down," state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said of the roughly 1,500 black market shops operating in plain view across the Big Apple's...
State pols agree to give $1B to NYC for $4B-plus migrant crisis
"The city is being destroyed by the migrant crisis,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a lobbying trip to DC last week.
New bill would cap NY charter school grade offerings as Albany budget fight rages
New legislation would bar New York's charter schools from expanding their grade offerings as a budget fight between Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature heats up over the issue.
Hochul demands, micromanaging holding up Albany budget talks: sources
The governor is micromanaging too much as budget negotiations continue on issues like bail and housing 19 days past an April 1 budget deadline.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie denies deal on state bail laws
"Nothing is finalized," the Bronx Democrat said at the Capitol in a brief interaction with a reporter from the Albany Times Union.
Sex assault survivors rip Hochul top judge pick Rowan Wilson
Wilson is expected to get confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday despite writing the majority opinion for a controversial ruling released in March that freed a convicted rapist on technical...
Judges will have more leeway on bail as Dems, Hochul reach deal to roll back reforms
There will be changes to [the] bail system to make clear judges have discretion and least restrictive standards will be removed for serious offenses,” a source with knowledge of the...
Housing tops bail as issue stalling New York state budget talks nearly 2 weeks past deadline: source
A focus on housing rather than bail, however, would be a notable change from discussions over the past week when controversial limits on cash bail dominated negotiations among Gov. Kathy...
Hochul expands bail budget battle against NY Legislature with proposed discovery changes
Gov. Hochul has a new fight with fellow Democrats in the state Senate and Assembly as a budget impasse on cash bail laws stretched into its twelfth day past an...
New York state Senate Democrats want to end judicial pick screening panel
"I think the majority of us really would like the executive to be able to name whomever it is and then we go through our process," she told reporters at...
Budget deadlock over bail holds up talks on expanding NYC charter schools
Hochul is proposing to allow roughly 100 more charters to open in the five boroughs, but budget talks with legislative leaders on the matter remain paused while they haggle about...