The session that won’t end

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Jun 12, 2023 View in browser   By Joseph Spector and Hajah Bah Presented by The New York state Assembly Chamber is seen as lawmakers debate end of session legislative bills on June 7. | AP Photo/Hans Pennink Just when you think the legislative session is over, the Assembly will pull you back in. New York's Democratic-led Assembly worked through Saturday, even with the state Senate already home after a late Friday night. And though it appeared lawmakers would be finished for the year, this is Albany and there’s always another wrinkle. Assembly officials said there are still a number of local bills — in other words “members’ priorities” — that weren’t done being passed. So instead of concluding with “Live from Albany… It’s Saturday Night!”, they packed it in for the weekend, with the expectation they’ll come back in a few weeks to address remaining legislation. What’s still left?  The Assembly wants to follow the Senate’s lead and pass the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act, which would make it easier for people convicted of crimes to try to overturn their cases. Another bill that passed the Senate but still needs Assembly approval would bolster abortion protections for health professionals who provide telehealth services to out-of-state patients. Advocates will get another shot to press for the Coverage for All bill when the Assembly returns. The bill, which cleared the Senate, would use a federal waiver to provide health care coverage for undocumented New Yorkers. But there are concerns that, while the federal government will pick up the immediate tab, the cost might ultimately end up with the state. Another hangup: The Seneca Nation wants enabling legislation so it can negotiate a new 20-year gaming compact with the Hochul administration. But word that the compact is expected to authorize the Western New York tribe to build a downtown Rochester casino — without community input and serving as a direct threat to neighboring casinos — derailed a vote in the Assembly. Whether the sides can reach an accord on the Seneca compact in the coming weeks is uncertain. “Before a state compact is made with the Seneca Nation, I believe there needs to be an opportunity for public comment and demonstrated partnership with local governments, including the City of Rochester,” Sen. Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) said Saturday. HAPPY MONDAY.  WHERE’S KATHY? Delivering remarks at the opening of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. WHERE’S ERIC? Making a streets-related announcement, delivering remarks at a flag-raising ceremony for Guyana, hosting a “Community Conversation” in Flushing and presenting a proclamation at the Black Restaurant Coalition’s gala. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Just like the budget, the close of session has been delayed, and just like the budget, don’t expect to be happy.” — Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Staten Island) in a statement Saturday on the extended legislative session. A message from Uber: Uber riders have already paid $629 Million in Congestion Pricing fees. If the Congestion Pricing on Uber rides goes up even more, it will put tens of thousands of NYC Uber Drivers out of work. That’s why 35,483 drivers across New York have signed a petition telling the MTA not to raise Congestion Pricing on them. Learn More   ABOVE THE FOLD "Reparations, holidays and Clean Slate: What did — and won’t — pass in Albany this year," by WNYC’s Jon Campbell: “Now, despite the Legislature passing hundreds of bills, this year’s annual session will be remembered just as much for what didn’t get done as what did.” "It’s official, the Legislature changed most local elections to even-numbered years," by Syracuse.com’s Mark Weiner: "Democrats who control New York’s Legislature voted on the last day of their annual session to change most town and county elections to even-numbered years, when Democrats typically have their highest voter turnout."   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     WHAT ALBANY'S READING “Expansive Vote by Mail Bill Moved Through State Legislature as Session Ended,” by Gothamgazette’s Ethan Geringer-Sameth: “The State Legislature passed a last-minute bill to bring a new form of universal mail-in voting to New York, relying on a novel interpretation of the state constitution that has so far required an ‘excuse’ for absentee voting.” SCHUYLER SHIFT: Not only did Albany quietly move the statue of Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler from his spot in front of City Hall, but it also turns out there's a time capsule underneath it. More from Times Union’s H. Rose Schneider:  “City workers uncovered a copper-colored box within the statue's circular base matching descriptions of a time capsule from news articles when the statue was first put in place in 1925, David Galin, the mayor's chief of staff, said in an email Saturday afternoon.”   A message from Uber:   What City Hall's reading “NYC food app delivery workers to get pay raise as Mayor Adams implements overdue rate hike,” by New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt and Leonard Greene: "App-based food delivery workers in New York City will earn $17.96 an hour before tips beginning July 12, an amount that takes into account their costs of operating, Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday afternoon. "With the rate, New York will become the first major U.S. city to establish and implement pay requirements for delivery workers toiling in the gig economy." “Migrants Find work and forge new networks but still live in hotels and relief centers,” by THE CITY's Gwynne Hogan: “Asylum-seekers who have been here for many months are helping newer arrivals find jobs and their way, but a paycheck is no guarantee of escaping city shelters.”   GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE.     AROUND NEW YORK — A deep dive into a private contractor at Rikers Island. (THE CITY) — New York has a new health commissioner, officially. (State of Politics) — A guide to weed smoking in New York. (Newsday) SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NBC’s Carrie Budoff Brown … Dag Vega of BCW Global … Bloomberg’s Kevin Sheekey … U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Management and Reform Chris Lu … Rachel D’Oro … Alexis Levinson … (was Sunday): Steven A. Cohen ... Greta Van Susteren … former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) (93) … Michael Schoenfeld ... Matt Nosanchuk ... Barry Friedman ... Betsy Gotbaum … Wendy Teramoto … CNN’s Morgan Rimmer … Will Rahn … Bob Brockmann … Juliette Medina … … (was Saturday): CNN’s Jeff Zeleny (5-0) … ABC’s Ellie Kaufman … Meta’s Meredith Carden … former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer … WSJ’s Corinne Ramey ... NBC’s Shannon Pettypiece, Kate Snow and Sarah DeCaro … Jeff Greenfield … Edelman’s Matthew Streit A message from Uber: Who says polluting doesn’t pay? Today gas powered trucks pay $0 in Congestion Pricing  Meanwhile all electric Uber Green cars pay $2.75 in Congestion Pricing everytime they go into Manhattan’s congestion zone. Do you think electric Ubers should have to pay more than gas trucks? Learn More   Real Estate “Ex-Gov. Paterson says it’s a ‘frightening time’ in NYC with migrant crisis, toxic smog, weak real-estate market,” by New York Post’s Jorge Fitz-Gibbon "A Pier Deal Is Full of Developer Perks, but Is It Good for the City?," by The New York Times’ Matthew Haag and Dana Rubinstein: “The pier project revives an age-old debate in New York City and beyond about the pros and cons of offering hefty incentives to attract development and businesses; the opaque and often overstated projections of economic impact; and whether such concessions are necessary in the first place.”   Follow us on Twitter Danielle Muoio Dunn @muoiod   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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