Mon, Dec 12th 2022 01:45 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the New York State Division of Human Rights is launching a statewide hate and bias prevention unit, which is charged with leading public education and outreach efforts, serving as an early warning detection system in local communities, and quickly mobilizing to support areas and communities in which a bias incident has occurred.
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Fri, Dec 9th 2022 02:25 pm
Empire State Development announced U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Dennis Alvord visited Buffalo to kick off the projects awarded under the "Build Back Better Regional Challenge." The EDA team met with the Western New York Manufacturing Coalition and held a roundtable discussion before concluding the visit with a tour of Buffalo Manufacturing Works and the Northland Corridor.
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Thu, Dec 8th 2022 06:40 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation (A.1451A/S.8426) to allow homeowners leasing liquified petroleum gas tanks to receive emergency deliveries from any supplier during times of a qualifying emergency, helping homeowners keep the heat on during severe weather emergencies and other critical periods.
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Thu, Dec 8th 2022 06:40 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins, a member of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, announced the final approval of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R.8404). The bill, cosponsored by Higgins, will constitutionally recognize same-sex marriage, and formally repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
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Thu, Dec 8th 2022 06:40 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins announced hundreds of Western New Yorkers will benefit from action by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., provided through the American Rescue Plan, to protect the retirement savings of Central States Pension Fund workers and retirees.
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Thu, Dec 8th 2022 08:30 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed legislation that will require residential health care facilities to "swiftly update residents as well as their family members and guardians when an infection is detected within the facility. It also requires nursing homes to have a plan in place to accommodate exposed or infected residents to stop the spread of the infection."
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Thu, Dec 8th 2022 08:25 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced the New York State Department of Financial Services has adopted a regulation to "protect consumers from unfair, surprise costs when they relied on incorrect information in their insurer's health care provider directory."
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Wed, Dec 7th 2022 07:45 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins named nine local residents to serve on a service academy advisory committee. The panel met Dec. 4 to interview local high school students applying to one of the U.S. service academies, and to recommend those deserving of a nomination.
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Wed, Dec 7th 2022 09:55 am
Congressman Brian Higgins announced a federal grant totaling $4.5 million awarded to the City of Buffalo by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). Awarded through the National Coastal Resilience Fund, the grant will support shoreline resiliency and improve public waterfront access at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
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Tue, Dec 6th 2022 04:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday signed legislation to crack down on unwanted telemarketing calls. Legislation S.8450-B/A.8319-C requires telemarketers to give customers the option to be added to the company's do-not-call list at the outset of certain telemarketing calls. The new legislation is designed to help safeguard New Yorkers from continuous unwanted calls.
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Tue, Dec 6th 2022 04:15 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation to protect New Yorkers' right to vote and improve the voting process. Legislation (S.284C/A.642C) requires the counting and canvassing of affidavit ballots cast by eligible voters who appear at the wrong polling place, as long as they are voting in the correct county and assembly district.
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Tue, Dec 6th 2022 04:15 pm
Older rural New Yorkers are struggling to age in place due to a dearth of affordable and accessible housing, while many older adults who no longer drive or don't have access to public transportation or privately owned vehicles face numerous challenges in obtaining rides to such essential services as medical appointments and grocery stores.
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Fri, Dec 2nd 2022 04:50 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies issued a record 3,062 tickets from April 1 to Nov. 17 as part of Operation Hardhat.
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Fri, Dec 2nd 2022 11:10 am
Congressman Brian Higgins welcomed what his team called the "long-overdue news that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is preparing to update its guidelines regarding blood donations, moving away from blanket, discriminatory rules banning donations from some gay and bisexual men."
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Thu, Dec 1st 2022 09:25 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul today issued a proclamation recognizing World AIDS Day in New York state on Dec. 1, and recommitted to ending the AIDS epidemic in New York state by the end of 2024.
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Thu, Dec 1st 2022 09:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York state was awarded a $28 million, seven-year Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase college and career readiness for more than 6,200 low-income New York state students. The GEAR UP program will help New York students attending high-poverty middle and high schools prepare for and succeed in college.
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Wed, Nov 30th 2022 09:55 pm
The New York State Senate Republican Conference on Wednesday reelected Rob Ortt leader of the minority conference. The leadership vote was held at the New York State Capitol ahead of the 2023-24 legislative session.
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Tue, Nov 29th 2022 04:00 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced nearly $45 million in grant awards through the New York State Council on the Arts.
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Wed, Nov 23rd 2022 04:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $9 million in state funding for a loan repayment program to help community mental health agencies recruit and retain psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will provide loan repayments of up to $120,000 for psychiatrists and $30,000 for psychiatric nurse practitioners, provided they remain employed by licensed community mental health programs for three years.
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Wed, Nov 23rd 2022 11:25 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation (S.6522A/A.7363A) to protect patients facing steep medical bills that can lead to wage garnishment or liens against their property.
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Tue, Nov 22nd 2022 07:00 pm
The New York State Gaming Commission's Division of Lottery is once again joining lotteries and public health organizations around the world to raise awareness about the risks of gifting lottery tickets to children. The campaign is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University.
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Tue, Nov 22nd 2022 03:10 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday signed legislation (S.5891-F/A.5115-E) that allows New York collegiate student athletes to receive compensation for their name, image or likeness without the risk of forfeiting their scholarships or eligibility to participate in collegiate athletics.
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Tue, Nov 22nd 2022 07:00 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will participate in a special traffic safety initiative to prevent unsafe driving behaviors as the winter holiday season kicks off. The Thanksgiving weekend initiative runs from Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Monday, Nov. 28.
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Mon, Nov 21st 2022 05:20 pm
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Niagara River Greenway Standing Committee has canceled its next meeting due to lack of business. The meeting was scheduled for Dec. 7.
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Mon, Nov 21st 2022 03:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday directed the Department of Financial Services to issue temporary adjuster permits to qualified out-of-state independent insurance adjusters, in order to expedite insurance claims in light of the winter storm impacting the Buffalo and Watertown areas.
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Mon, Nov 21st 2022 03:20 pm
Even though the record-setting $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot was claimed in California, ticket sales leading up to the Nov. 7 draw generated more than $100 million combined for New York's public schools and Lottery retailers.
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Mon, Nov 21st 2022 03:10 pm
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday announced President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for New York.
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Mon, Nov 21st 2022 12:25 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced the New York State Police is increasing surveillance and protection for communities at risk of hate crimes, following a thwarted attack on Jewish communities in New York City and a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado.
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Sun, Nov 20th 2022 03:20 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday announced that flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff starting today in honor of the victims of the mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs. The governor also announced that New York state landmarks will be lit pink, white and light blue today in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 05:20 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins hailed action by the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC) to approve $963.4 million in special financial assistance to the New York State Teamsters Conference Plan. The move will cover 33,643 New York Teamster workers, including approximately 5,000 in Western New York, who saw their pension benefits cut by up to 29% going back to 2017.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 02:35 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently issued a proclamation declaring November Transgender Awareness Month to celebrate the trans community in New York state and across the country. The governor also announced that New York state landmarks will be lit pink, white and light blue on Sunday, Nov. 20, in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 11:50 am
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for November. All households participating in SNAP - including those already at the maximum level of benefits - will receive a supplemental allotment this month, resulting in a roughly $234 million infusion of federal funding into the New York state economy.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 10:50 am
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced $850,000 is available for eligible school districts to expand farm-to-school programs across New York.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 10:30 am
The New York State Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) aims to raise awareness about charity scams. Donations of any kind can make a real impact on a good cause, which is why charity scams are especially cruel. Unfortunately, scammers never miss an opportunity to defraud people, so it's important to remember that not all donation requests are legitimate. The division has created this quick guide to help donors do their own due diligence on the charities seeking their support.
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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 09:10 am
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing the availability of $38 million in funding from the "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law" for fish passage projects across the nation that address outdated, unsafe or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other barriers "fragmenting" the nation's rivers and streams.
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Thu, Nov 17th 2022 03:45 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a state of emergency was issued Thursday morning for 11 counties as a winter storm is forecast to impact portions of upstate New York with intense lake-effect snow through Sunday.
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Tue, Nov 15th 2022 04:20 pm
Marking the one-year anniversary of the signing into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congressman Brian Higgins highlighted some of the awards to date - and what he called "the lasting impact the law's investments will have on Western New York."
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Tue, Nov 15th 2022 03:55 pm
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) have partnered with Blooming Health to improve older adults' awareness and connection to community-based aging services via an inclusive, digital engagement platform being made available through a select group of county-based offices for the aging.
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Tue, Nov 15th 2022 03:55 pm
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more than $21.4 million has been awarded to help Ukrainians, who have fled their country as a result of Russia's military invasion, to temporarily resettle in New York. The funding will be utilized by 17 refugee services providers around the state to assist displaced Ukrainians now living in New York.
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Tue, Nov 15th 2022 03:55 pm
The state Department of Labor's (DOL) failure to replace its long-troubled unemployment insurance (UI) system and ad hoc workarounds to compensate for the old system weakened oversight and ultimately contributed to an estimated billions of dollars in improper payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
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