On September 8, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New Yorkers have saved more than $100 million through the MTA’s expanded CityTicket program, which now covers all off-peak and peak train rides on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North. Since March 2022, over 37.2 million discounted tickets have been sold, giving residents in the…
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of labor bills Sept. 6 in Albany aimed at strengthening union rights and expanding worker protections across the state. The measures include new safeguards for collective bargaining, rules to expand apprenticeship programs tied to renewable energy projects, and initiatives to create union jobs. Framed as a response…
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a sweeping settlement with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, closing out litigation that began in 1982 over disputed land along the Canadian border. The deal transfers more than 14,000 acres back to tribal control, secures $70 million in payments and long-term power access from the New York Power Authority,…
Governor Kathy Hochul has officially recognized September as Suicide Prevention Month in New York, underscoring the state’s leadership in reducing suicide rates and expanding crisis support. To honor lives impacted by suicide and raise awareness, 16 landmarks across the state will be illuminated in purple and teal. New York, which had the second-lowest suicide rate…
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $7.5 million in funding to establish four Youth Safe Spaces across New York State, offering free, voluntary, peer-led programs for young people ages 12 to 24. These community-based centers will provide safe and inclusive environments where teens and young adults can access mental health resources, build peer connections, and reduce…
As the new school year begins, Governor Kathy Hochul is reminding parents to review New York’s new Distraction-Free Schools policy, which enforces bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in all K-12 public schools, charter schools, and BOCES. Starting with the 2025-26 school year, students will be prohibited from using smartphones and internet-enabled personal devices during the entire school…