News and Issues

Bills Introduced: A bill to prohibit the expenditure for an abortion of federal funds authorized or appropriated for preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; A bill to establish the Office to Enforce and Protect Against Child Sexual Exploitation, A bill to provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child protective services; A bill to allow 2020 recovery rebates with respect to qualifying children over the age of 16; A resolution recognizing the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States more »

If you want some provocative thinking in these days of the doldrums, read Tigar's five mythologies. His chapter on race starts with the 1944 Supreme Court decision upholding the war-time internment of Japanese Americans on the West Coast. The Court accepted the myth that these Americans might help the Japanese government even though there was no supporting evidence. Of course, he discusses the myths behind "separate but equal" and why it was so hard to end that doctrine. Tigar draws upon his own experience in his discussion of the criminal justice system as he represented many criminal defendants in different states. He believes that "fair trial" is one of the myths of the system, though he writes about several such myths. more »

Examining an array of issues, from presidential approval ratings, the Constitution, election law, unemployment rates to the security of digital voting, the scholars concluded it was still too uncertain to draw any sweeping conclusions. Except that November 2020 will be an election without precedent. “The Trump administration has decided to make an enormous policy and political bet, and the bet is that they can re-open the economy, and the economy will come back in time for the election, and that COVID-19 won’t re-erupt in a way that will either stifle those efforts or kill lots of people,” said Henry Brady, dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy. more »

Through Nourish New York, the State is providing funding to New York food banks so they can purchase excess products, such as fruits and vegetables, from New York farmers and surplus dairy products from New York dairy manufacturers, to distribute directly to communities. Food banks are expected to receive funding and begin purchasing this week. Emergency food providers can spend the money allocated to them by doing any of the following: Setting up food-drive through events/giveaways; Distributing dairy vouchers that can be redeemed in grocery stores for products like cheese, yogurt, milk, sour cream, and butter, throughout the state, and/or; Purchasing products directly from New York dairy/food manufacturers for their feeding programs. Gov. Cuomo extends rent relief moratorium, no evictions through August 20 and security deposits may be used to pay rent.. more »