Friday Morning Brief March 24, 2023

Mar 24

It's Not "I Love NY" It's "WE Love NYC"

The iconic "I ♥ NY" logo and catchphrase have been changed to "We ♥ NYC" to reinvigorate post-pandemic NYC. The campaign to change the iconic logo and slogan has been led by Partnership for New York City, which consists of business and community leaders across the city. The previous "I ♥ NY" was launched in 1977 to attract tourists to NYC, which was economically struggling at the time.

Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Hochul in Times Square started the campaign on Monday with various business, labor, community leaders and Broadway stars. "This 'We Love NYC' campaign will help to capture that energy and preserve the city's spirit by encouraging New Yorkers of every background to come together, get involved, and make a positive change in their community," Hochul said. "New York is not coming back, New York is back," Adams added.

The "We ♥ NYC" civic engagement campaign also includes a “Spread Love NYC.” cross-sector initiative led by NYC Services, which would provide volunteer projects for communities and neighborhoods.

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

With the new statewide crime data, Hochul held a conference in the Capital, highlighting her commitment to public safety proposals under her Budget. Hochul outlined her $491.9 million investment in public safety strategies and initiatives to prevent gun violence, reduce recidivism, and help the justice system post-pandemic. Hochul also reiterated her support for removing the “least restrictive standards” to “remove any question about whether a judge has the discretion to set bail or remand individuals if they’re accused of a serious crime,” according to Hochul. To watch the press conference or read the transcript, click here.

Hochul announced her new proposed legislation on Wednesday to increase civil and tax penalties for the unlicensed and illegal sale of cannabis & related products. The office of Cannabis Management and the Department of Taxation and Finance would be given additional enforcement powers to enforce the new regulatory requirements. Violations could lead to fines of $200,000 for illegal cannabis products and $10,000 per day for engaging in cannabis sales without a license. This comes as lawmakers seek to overhaul the state’s cannabis tax laws.

Hochul announced the opening of the first CAURD-licensed dispensary in the Capital Region. “Upstate Canna Co.,” located at 1613 Union Street, Schenectady, continues the state’s Seeding Opportunity Initiative. “Upstate Canna Co.” will open its door on April 1st at 11 A.M. and close at 9 P.M.; regular opening hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M., Saturday 11:00 A.M.-11:00 P.M. and Sunday 11:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.

In response to the CDC Report on the increasing drug-resistant fungal infections from Candida Auris, Hochul directed the state Department of Health to cooperate with healthcare facilities to identify cases and take precautions. "…our ability to track these infections is nation-leading and continues to help us take the aggressive action needed to contain this threat and ensure our healthcare facilities are safe,” said Hochul. The state Department of Health will continue to provide guidance and assistance to hospitals and nursing homes to strengthen readiness, enhance surveillance, and implement effective infection prevention and control measures. For more information on state-reported cases of Candida Auris, click here.

LEGISLATIVE/BUDGET UPDATES

Next week, the legislature is scheduled to be in session from Monday - Friday

Last week, both chambers passed their respective "One-House" Budget resolutions. This week, the budget negotiations between the Governor and both chambers started with the public General Budget Conference Committee – the "Mothership" – on Monday. Lawmakers held the first round of subcommittee meetings earlier this Tuesday before the closed-door negotiations start:

One more week remains until the April 1st budget deadline. Although a "timely" Budget has been a recent norm, some lawmakers expressed that the Budget could be released after the April 1st deadline. "I feel confident we'll be able to achieve an on-time budget," Hochul explained on Wednesday, "But if we don't, it will be because we have ongoing discussions about matters I deem exceedingly important."

Earlier this week, Senator Liz Kreuger, the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Gotham Gazette’s Max Politics Podcast to discuss the Senate’s Budget priorities and the start of the budget negotiation process. To listen to the podcast, click here.

College Credits for Veterans Bill Passed the Senate

The Senate advanced a bill enabling veterans to attain college credits based on their military experiences and training from SUNYs and CUNYs. Review teams would review training materials, determining their equivalency from college-level coursework. The bill was passed unanimously by those that were present.

Social Media & Human Trafficking Research Bill Passed the Senate

The Senate also advanced a bill requiring the state interagency task force on human trafficking to investigate social media’s role in human trafficking. The bill’s sponsors hope that the bill would provide further research and information on combatting human trafficking. The bill was passed unanimously.

OTHER UPDATES

Sports Betting Expected to Rise in Revenue After March Madness

In the first two months of this year, the state’s sports betting industry generated an estimated $3.3 billion, with $1.7 billion in February alone. This was similar to last year, as the sports betting industry generated $3.2 billion by the end of February. March Madness, hosted in Albany for the first two rounds, is expected to result in $15.5 billion in handle, with the state taking away $1 billion in revenue in the following two months.

Adams Signed Bills to Reduce Fire from E-Bikes & E-Scooters

To reduce fires caused by lithium-ion batteries used for e-bikes and e-scooters, Mayor Adams signed five legislations this week. His Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan was released with the support of the FDNY and NYC DOT. “Today, we are supercharging safety for all our e-bikes and e-scooter users. These are convenient transportation options for New Yorkers, but faulty and illegal devices are making their way into our homes and streets, causing fires and putting lives at risk,” said Adams. The five bills signed were:

Intro. 656: require the FDNY to develop an informational campaign educating the public on fire risks posed by powered mobility devices and how to mitigate those risks
Intro. 663: prohibit the sale, lease, or rental of powered mobility devices and storage batteries for these devices, that fail to meet recognized safety standards
Intro. 722: require the FDNY to submit five reports relating to fire risks and powered mobility devices
Intro. 749: require the DCWP, in consultation with the FDNY, to publish materials that provide guidance on safe use and storage of powered mobility devices
Intro. 752: prohibit the assembly or reconditioning of lithium-ion batteries using cells removed from used storage batteries and prohibit the sale of a lithium-ion batteries that use cells removed from used storage batteries.

NYC Council Budget Hearings on NYC Hospitals & Health Department

On Tuesday, NYC Council held a Preliminary Budget Hearing on Health and Hospitals by their respective committees. This comes as NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene is expected to take a $1.9 billion budget cuts for FY2024, which is down from the $2.2 billion budget for the current year. The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene is expected to lay off approximately 369 workers for the upcoming fiscal year.

Ed Cox on Possible Indictment of Former President Trump

State GOP Chair, Ed Cox, weighed in on the possible indictment of former President Donald Trump by the Manhattan DA, saying that the investigation into the former President is politically motivated. “He was a Republican President, and this is all political. It just doesn’t hold up from a legal point of view,” said Cox. About the upcoming presidential election, Cox iterated that the state GOP plans to refrain from endorsing candidates.

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