State Senator Pete Harckham

Legislation pertaining to COVID-19 and election law was delivered Friday to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

A New York state senator has introduced legislation that would mandate the state to publicly publish data and analysis about environmental radiation.

On Monday, New York state Attorney General Letitia James received the necessary referral letter from the executive chamber to independently investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Governor Andrew Cuomo. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne reports on what lawmakers in her region think should happen next.

Two Democratic New York state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley have introduced a bill to help state and local governments save money. It would be by offering early retirement to public employees.

New York state Attorney General Letitia James on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The suit comes after the NRC denied the state’s petition for a public hearing on the decommissioning of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the airwaves most of the year, there were some other significant developments in 2020. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne highlights a few of them in an abbreviated year in review.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill sponsored by Hudson Valley lawmakers to increase food donations to food pantries and similar nonprofits.

Two tight and contentious New York state Senate races have been decided — one in favor of the incumbent Democrat; the other for the Republican challenger. The New York Civil Liberties Union was seeking intervenor status in the latter until the race was decided. Still, the NYCLU says the issue in the race is a broader one that needs attention.

A first-term New York state senator in the Hudson Valley’s 40th District is declaring victory in what was a contentious race against a former Westchester County executive. The win assures a Democratic supermajority in the state Senate.

A number of New York state Senate races, especially in the Hudson Valley, hang in the balance, awaiting absentee ballot counting to see if Democrats gain ground. Two congressional races that are closer than expected expose a rift in the Democratic Party and the strength of Republicans regardless of President Trump’s actions. So says Dr. Dan McCarthy, an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College in Westchester County who specializes in American government. He spoke with WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne.

A number of New York state Senate races in the Hudson Valley have not been decided. It could be weeks before constituents know who will represent them next year.

A virtual debate between the candidates in New York’s 40th state Senate District covered just a few topics – the coronavirus pandemic, racial injustice and cash bail reform. The latter prompted the candidates to raise their voices and refute one another.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley has introduced legislation requiring zero emissions for new vehicles by 2035.

Former Westchester County executive and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Republican Rob Astorino wants to add New York state Senator to his résumé. He’s challenging first-term Democrat Pete Harckham in the 40th District. Before Harckham, the seat had been in Republican hands for a very long time. 

A New York state senator whose district was slammed by Tropical Storm Isaias last week hopes to remedy one of the outage problems through legislation.

One New York state senate race in the Hudson Valley features a challenger who is no stranger to politics. Former Westchester County executive and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Republican Rob Astorino is challenging first-term Democrat Pete Harckham in the 40th District, which includes a large piece of Westchester.

With thousands of Hudson Valley customers still without power from last week’s storm, elected officials have been unleashing their frustration with utility companies. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo weighed Monday, calling out two companies, one that services most of Westchester County. Meantime, the Westchester County executive is calling for the creation of a Utility Reserve Corps.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley says the House coronavirus aid package fails to address the pandemic’s behavioral health crisis.

In a typical year, New York state lawmakers would be entering the last few weeks of the legislative session — with the state budget already finished but the so-called “big ugly” still looming. This year has been anything but typical. But one New York state senator said he expects to be back in Albany in the next week or two, though there has been no formal announcement. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne spoke with first-term state Senator Pete Harckham about this and other COVID impacts.

The first of two functioning reactors at the Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York’s Westchester County is permanently shutting down tonight. It's something that might have garnered some in-person fanfare, but the COVID-19 pandemic has squelched any such recognition. Meantime, two area state lawmakers are promoting a few bills pertaining to the shutdown.

A New York state Senator has introduced legislation to address some of the financial concerns related to COVID-19. Democrat Pete Harckham spoke with WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne about these bills and his views on the budget due April 1. NOTE: This interview from Wednesday precedes New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget-related announcements Thursday.

Five years after the deadliest crash in Metro-North Railroad history, New York state lawmakers are renewing calls for safety upgrades to rail grade crossings.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing an application from Entergy Nuclear Operations to transfer Indian Point licenses to another company for decommissioning.  The application has kicked off a public comment period and the opportunity to request a hearing.

The New York state Public Service Commission has approved a rate hike for Con Edison. The three-year plan approval is for an amount far less than what the utility proposed, but there is still opposition among Westchester customers.

It’s a familiar experience for thousands of people in the WAMC listening area: you drive to a Metro-North station, park, and catch a train. Now, parking costs could be going up. But as WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne reports, a vote on the proposal has been postponed.

New York state lawmakers from Westchester County are letting the governor of Connecticut know they oppose his proposed toll increase on an interstate highway.

Two New York state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley say Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed their bill to help establish a distillery in Putnam County.

There is a New York state roundtable discussion and public hearing Thursday on tackling the opioid epidemic. And it’s being held in Putnam County.

With the book closed on New York’s legislative session until next year, several items were left on the table, including the legalization of recreational marijuana. One Hudson Valley state senator says a deal was close, but says the session did lead to a lot of big accomplishments.

With the New York state legislative session ending in June, two state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley are pushing bills related to the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County.