New York State
New York leaders agree to school cellphone ban as rest of budget remains in limbo
Legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul have settled on a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools, a top priority for the governor and the first budget item that appears settled
City & State’s 2025 Digital Summit explores AI, vulnerabilities to cyberattacks
The event featured keynote remarks from Dru Rai, the state’s chief information officer and a fireside chat with New York City Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser.
Loading Act’s author on New York’s AI agenda
A Q&A with state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez.
‘Science experimenting’ in a leading AI state
New York CIO Dru Rai said failing fast doesn’t need to be a bad thing as agencies experiment with new technologies.
A simple fix could stop millions in food stamp theft. Will New York commit?
Chip technology has been standard in credit and debit cards for a decade. They could stop New York’s surging rate of stolen benefits.
Federal tech grant recipients sweat future amid ongoing uncertainty
The federal Office of Management and Budget’s memo pausing grants caused massive uncertainty, including for technology efforts reliant on the money. Recipients say their work will continue, but be harder, without federal help.
For New York statewide school cellphone ban, Hochul proposes $13.5 million to cover costs
The proposal came Tuesday as Hochul presented her $252 billion 2026 state budget, which would send roughly $37.4 billion to schools across the state.
Drone sighting epidemic spurs Dems in Congress to urge more transparency from feds
Unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey and New York have raised concerns across the Northeast. Some lawmakers are demanding more information from federal agencies.
At legislators' retreat, lawmakers discuss AI and economic growth
City & State’s Legislators’ Retreat featured keynote speeches from Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez and Center for an Urban Future executive director Jonathan Bowles.
Haitian immigrants find new footholds, and familiar backlash, in the Midwest, South
Jobs are drawing Haitians from traditional communities in Florida and New York.
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A $1.3 billion project that would save drivers six minutes max
As the state’s plans to get New Yorkers out of their cars stall, Gov. Kathy Hochul is championing a highway expansion in the Hudson Valley.
The right to repair electronics is now law in 3 states. Is Big Tech complying?
You're legally entitled to fix your own gadgets in California, Minnesota, and New York — but not all tech companies have gotten the memo.
Facing natural disasters, more lawmakers look to make oil companies pay for the damage
The oil industry rejects the idea that as contributors to climate change, they are legally liable for disaster damages.
How one state has risen as ‘a leader’ in medical debt protections
Many states are cracking down on medical debt collection and payment practices, but New York’s efforts stand out, one expert says.
Could a $1,000 “baby bonus” help people afford to have children?
A New York state senator has floated the idea. Payments for newborns have reduced poverty elsewhere, but are a novel idea in the Empire State.
Can chief heat officers protect US cities from extreme heat?
Appointed officials have the life-saving solutions the public needs to stay safe from rising temperatures. But they don’t have political power.
Using ‘mindfulness’ to train employees against cyberattacks
Ohio has launched a cyber range that promises a different curriculum for state and local employees than the standard, once-a-year cyber training most public employees get.
Extreme heat is making schools hotter—and learning harder
Rising temperatures mean dehydrated, exhausted kids, and teachers who have to focus on heat safety instead of instruction.
Stigma is hindering treatment of opioid addictions. States can change that.
The health care workforce is key to treating patients' opioid use disorders, but experts say stigma toward drug use and treatment among medical professionals remains a barrier to treatment access and positive outcomes.
Proposed wage theft legislation would strip violators of their ability to do business in New York
If passed, the three bills would suspend businesses' ability to operate, collect sales tax or use their liquor licenses unless employers resolve wage theft claims within 15 days.
