State Senator Sue Serino

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley is calling for the state budget to include funding for Lyme and tick-borne diseases research, education and prevention initiatives. It comes as other lawmakers and advocates share her hope that the COVID-19 pandemic is not distracting from other health issues, like Lyme.

Several lawmakers in the Hudson Valley are urging New York state officials to set up joint COVID-19 vaccine distribution sites closer to home. Local leaders in the region have repeatedly said traveling to the closest state sites is too far for many mid-Hudson region residents. 

The Ulster County executive is calling on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to activate a joint state- and county-run COVID-19 vaccination site in Kingston. He says the site has the capacity, and the closest state sites are not close at all. As WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne reports, others are echoing the call.

Criticism continues over New York Governor Andrew Cuomo administration’s handling of nursing home death data during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two state Senators from the Hudson Valley are dissatisfied with different aspects, and both want to see the governor’s emergency powers diminished.

State and local lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for New York to release funding to veterans organizations for a peer support program. Every year, they press for the funding, and every year, the funding is released. This year’s plea comes with a request that the funding become a permanent part of the budget.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley wants to ensure smaller stages are part of the governor’s plan to revitalize the state’s arts industry.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, a lawmaker from the Hudson Valley is urging New York state to develop a plan to more effectively protect residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

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.

One of the Hudson Valley’s New York state Senate races is a rematch from 2018. Democrat Karen Smythe is running against incumbent Republican Sue Serino in the 41st district. Smythe spoke with WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne about her campaign approach and platform.

A New York state senator is launching a virtual initiative to spark interest among local teens in the trades.

Two New York state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley say they’ve introduced legislation to protect people whose personal information was leaked after applying for unemployment benefits.

With New York’s backlog of claims from the COVID-19 pandemic, a state senator from the Hudson Valley has joined six of her Republican colleagues in launching a petition urging New York to fix its unemployment system.

A New York state Senator and the Dutchess County executive have launched a donation drive to support those caring for the children of first responders, healthcare workers and other essential employees.

Lawmakers from the Hudson Valley are among those calling for funding in the New York state budget for a veterans peer support program. They want to sustain the program in the counties where it already exists, and expand it elsewhere in the state.

State lawmakers and others stood outside the New York state Bridge Authority headquarters at the Mid-Hudson Bridge Thursday to speak out against a proposed merger with the state Thruway Authority. They say such a merger would negatively impact the five Bridge Authority crossings. Thruway Authority officials, however, see it differently.

Some New York state lawmakers in the Hudson Valley are calling for changes to criminal justice reforms that took effect January 1. There is bipartisan support to pass legislation that would allow judges to consider how dangerous a defendant is when determining pre-trial detention.

In the final hours of New York’s legislative session, funding was secured to help combat Lyme and tick-borne diseases. But it’s less than initially requested.

With New York state budget negotiations ratcheting up in the final days, myriad groups are advocating for their funding needs — including advocates who want money for fighting Lyme disease.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley has introduced a bill that would bring voters into the mix regarding any legislative pay raises.

Candidates in New York state’s 41st Senate District will participate in a discussion Tuesday about aging in place and home care.

Just in time for the start of the academic year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a law that helps keep sex offenders from working in schools.

Six New York state senators are calling on the state Health Department to act aggressively to stop the spread of the longhorned tick. The species was discovered for the first time in New York earlier this month in Westchester County. A health department official says efforts have already been ramped up.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delivered a presentation in Poughkeepsie Wednesday to a packed room at a community center. Army Corps officials spoke about six conceptual plans to manage storm risk for an area that includes the Hudson River. Environmental groups are concerned.

Visitation continued Friday at the DiDonato Funeral Home in Ulster County for New York state Assemblyman Frank Skartados. Several assemblymembers, including Speaker Carl Heastie, were expected. Skartados died Sunday at age 62 from pancreatic cancer. People attending viewing hours Thursday remembered the Hudson Valley Democrat as a most honorable public servant.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley is sponsoring legislation to combat sexual harassment in state government. The bill also would end the use of tax dollars for secret settlements.

The federal government recently informed a housing organization in Dutchess County that it will cut funding for a program that serves homeless veterans by the end of September. The surprise announcement is prompting local officials to band together for a solution. On Tuesday, two members of Congress from New York asked the Department of Veterans Affairs secretary to reverse the decision.

Two New York state senators have introduced legislation to fix what they say is a dangerous loophole in recently approved ride-sharing services for outside New York City.

Two New York state lawmakers from the Hudson Valley have introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding the Hudson River from proposed anchorage sites. Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard has not yet decided how to proceed with the controversial proposal.

Three state lawmakers from New York’s Hudson Valley gathered in the City of Poughkeepsie earlier this week to call on the Assembly to pass a so-called “punishment fit the crime” bill when it is re-introduced next session. They met at an intersection where a Poughkeepsie couple lost their lives four years ago.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law two bills concerning Lyme and Tick-Borne diseases. The bills were sponsored by Hudson Valley lawmakers.