New York state news

The measure would seal some people’s criminal records so they have a better chance of getting a job or finding housing.

The case could open the door to redrawing congressional district maps.

As authorities on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. provide air quality alerts, Canadian officials continue to fight numerous wildfires that are the cause of the particulate material.

Hochul says details of the Clean Slate measure, including how long someone has to wait before their criminal records are sealed, and which crimes are eligible for expunging, are still being worked out with democratic leaders of the legislature

the governor says due to the smoke drifting in from the northern fires, New York City and Syracuse were among the worst places for air quality on the entire planet yesterday. The air in the rest of the state is classified as either unhealthy or very unhealthy

Bills to allow food and water to be served to voters waiting in long lines on Election Day and mandating "plain English" on ballot initiatives are stalled in the state Assembly

Supporters of bill to let terminally ill people end their lives at the time of their choosing, known as Medical Aid in Dying, say they have enough votes in the state legislature to approve the bill. Now, they say, they just need the democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly to agree to put it on the floor for a vote.

The bills include a plastic packaging reduction measure, a Superfund to pay for climate change effects, and a bill to cap utility costs for lower-income New Yorkers.

From Governor Kathy Hochul’s election to a full term to the dramatic rejection of her first choice for chief judge to an overdue state budget, it has been an eventful few months in New York politics. Now, the legislative session is down to its final days, with a number of outstanding issues still on the table.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and other state and county leaders have made little progress over the past week on getting help from the federal government as asylum-seekers continue to arrive in New York City, and Mayor Eric Adams continues to send some of them to other parts of the state.