Dan Clark

Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t plan to renew a set of emergency powers granted to her office through executive order that have allowed her administration to waive certain spending oversight procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmworkers in New York should earn overtime pay after 40 hours worked in a week, as opposed to the current 60-hour threshold, a state wage board recommended on Tuesday.

The state legislature approved new voting rights legislation on Thursday that would, among other things, require certain local governments to seek clearance from the state when they make changes to their elections, like clearing voter rolls or moving polling sites.

A handful of Democrats voted against the measure, but it passed with strong support from that side of the aisle. Republicans were opposed to the bill.

It’s a last-minute proposal, with just three scheduled days of this year’s legislative session left, but Hochul said she was confident the legislature would be willing to work with her on the change.

The first debate will be held on June 7 and broadcast on CBS New York and WCBS Newsradio880. The second debate will be held on June 16 and broadcast on NBC New York and Telemundo 47.

Speaking to reporters in Albany, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she has started conversations with leaders from the state Legislature on moving that process forward.

“Yes, we’ll have policy in the budget,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “and I believe that it makes sense — especially when we have a shortened time frame. The Legislature plans on leaving in early June, and we want to get it all done.”

The funding would be directed toward providers that receive funding from the state through several agencies dealing with mental health, developmental disabilities, addiction services, children and families and more.

That might not sound like news, but it’s a signal that Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t plan to return Albany to the days of blowing past the budget deadline, sometime for months, before reaching a deal.