Gov. Andrew Cuomo next week will receive an International Emmy Founders Award for his televised briefings conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, the Television Academy on Friday announced.

Cuomo is being recognized for his briefings that "effectively created television shows with characters, stories, plot lines and stories of success and failure," said Academy President Bruce Paisner.

Federal officials need to bolster the nation's ultra-cold storage infrastructure ahead of the distribution of a potential COVID-19 as soon as next month, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday said.

Gillibrand in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield wrote that the federal government needs to provide a detailed guidance for the chain of supply, funding projects, and other risks with transportation and storing vaccine doses.

Officials at the State University of New York have reached an agreement with the union that represents public college and university staff to extend free COVID-19 testing through the spring.

The agreement with United University Professions comes as SUNY campuses are completing a fall semester as students leave campus for Thanksgiving, following a testing program meant to prevent COVID-positive cases spreading from some schools.

The Medical Society of New York on Thursday cheered a bill in the U.S. Senate that would provide personal protection equipment like N-95 masks for community physicians as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in many parts of the country.

The group pointed to a recent survey of its members finding two thirds of doctors that say they at least sometimes have trouble finding personal protective equipment. Nearly all of those who responded said it takes them at least four weeks to obtain protective equipment when they order it.

A coalition of education organizations that represents parents, teachers, and school officials on Thursday urged New York state to cover transportation costs incurred last spring at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At issue is schools using their buses for other transportation costs, including meal distribution, picking up and dropping off instructional material, and using them as mobile hotspots for students to access the internet. Many buses were also paid to be on standby in case schools were reopened.

In September, the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER), which is the office that deals with state employee unions, extended a telecommuting agreement until the end of the year. But a few weeks later, the Public Employees Federation started receiving complaints from members who claimed some state agencies were bringing them back to work in spite of the agreement and in spite of the surge in COVID-19.

While the agreement with the state gives agencies discretion when it comes to safely returning employees to work, according to Wayne Spence, the president of PEF, the agencies never sought any union input when developing those plans, and haven’t been responsive to questions.

Hospitals across the state that rely on a combined $6 billion money from a program within Medicaid could be out of luck if Congress fails to fund the government by next month. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday in Fulton County action is needed.

"The need to do it is more urgent than ever because of the desperation that COVID creates," Schumer said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo sounded the pandemic alarm in Western New York on Wednesday saying the region, "never lived the full pain of COVID’s wrath."

While COVID-19 rates in Western New York have spiked in recent weeks, some local residents weren’t happy with what they characterized as a "lecture" or a "scolding" from the governor.

Regular deer and bear hunting seasons in New York's Southern Zone begin at sunrise this Saturday, November 21, and continue through Sunday, December 13.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Southern Zone regular season is New York's most popular hunting season, with participation from about 85 percent of New York's 550,000 licensed hunters.

The pace of what had been an improving jobless rate in New York slowed in October as the coronavirus charges back in the state and across the country.

Numbers released on Thursday by the state Department of Labor show New York's private-sector job count grew by 45,600 positions in October, keeping the state's unemployment rate largely flat from September.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he is optimistic an agreement can be reached for a pandemic stimulus measure that has stalled since the spring.

Schumer, speaking at an unrelated news conference at a hospital in Fulton County, pointed to staff-level talks that are underway that includes Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, on a press call Thursday, says the COVID-19 positive infection rate for the state dropped to 2.7% yesterday. It was 3.4% the day before.

COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 2,276 New Yorkers yesterday and 31 people passed away from the coronavirus.

New York lawmakers and advocates held a press conference on Wednesday, calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign four pieces of legislation passed in July.

The Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act would end the practice of suspending a person’s driver’s license if they cannot afford to pay their traffic fines.

A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers on Wednesday called for the passage of a coronavirus stimulus measure as positive cases are resurgent in every state in the U.S.

And they want it done sooner rather than later.

Calls to "defund the police" earlier this year in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis stuck with voters when they cast ballots this year and may have hurt Democrats at the polls, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday said in a radio interview.

"I think 'defund the police' went too far," Cuomo said. “I think law and order makes a difference in people's lives."

The upheaval surrounding the pandemic is playing out amid another crisis for the criminal justice system. But now the coronavirus pandemic could accelerate those changes.

Advocates like Katie Schaffer believe the coronavirus pandemic is also leading to a greater awareness in the public's mind about a key issue her group pushes for: Reducing the number of people in prison.

They say three times is a charm.

There are signs that the state legislature and Governor Cuomo will try, for a third time, to pass legislation approving recreational marijuana in the next session, which begins in January.

Over the last few weeks, there have been multiple reports of doctors and nurses railing against falsehoods being perpetrated around the coronavirus.

Tuesday on CNN, the president of the American Medical Association described health care workers as fighting a war on two fronts: The virus and misinformation.

Governors of seven northeast states on Wednesday in a joint statement urged colleges and universities to test students for the coronavirus before returning home for a Thanksgiving break.

The call for increasing testing comes as coronavirus cases are increasing around the country and amid concerns the holiday season will further the spread of the virus.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will forgo a pay raise for himself and other officials in New York for 2021, he said on Wednesday at a news conference.

Members of the state Legislature and the judiciary in New York will not receive salary hikes in 2021 as part of a determination by a salary commission empowered to make the decision.

County sheriffs should enforce the 10-person limit on gatherings in home as set by New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

Upstate county sheriffs in recent days have signaled they would not enforce the limit, which is also advised by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a way of limiting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

State tax revenue was down $3 billion in October compared to this time last year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on New York's finances.

The report on the state's cash situation released Wednesday by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found New York's tax revenue through last month reached $43.8 billion.

Senator Jim Gaughran declared victory on Wednesday in his re-election bid for the 5th New York State Senate District seat.

"The last time a Democrat held this seat [before Gaughran], Harry Truman was President," Senator Gaughran said during a press event on Long Island.

The National Rifle Association has been hit with a $2.5 million fine stemming from charges it violated New York insurance law by failing to obtain a license to sell insurance products in New York.

The fine was announced Wednesday morning by Financial Services Superintendent Linda Lacewell, a top insurance regulator in New York state government.

House lawmakers on Tuesday backed a bill that is meant to make it easier for blocking suspicious opioid shipments.

The measure comes amid concerns the opioid epidemic is continuing unabated amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a twin public health crisis brought on by stress and economic dislocation.

On Monday evening, Democratic state Senate candidate Elijah Reichlin-Melnick felt like he was in a good position. He likely had enough absentee votes in hand to declare victory in a Hudson Valley State Senate seat.

“As I have said since Election Day, I’m incredibly confident that once all of the votes are counted, I will finish in first place,” said Reichlin-Melnick in a statement. “After seeing today’s preliminary results, I am now even more confident that we will soon be able to declare victory.”

There are now two vaccines in late-stage trials that are showing promise in protecting people against COVID-19.

What sets these two vaccines apart, besides being the first of a kind, is the fact that proteins from the virus were not used in these vaccines.

Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino wanted to clear something up right away in an interview on Tuesday: The concern he's raising about New York officials wanting to limit gatherings in homes to no more than 10 people isn't rooted in politics.

His trouble with the order is rooted in the constitutional issues it has raised among upstate sheriffs.

According to Common Sense Media, 726,000 students and 18,000 teachers lack adequate broadband access in New York State. Not surprisingly, the problem is particularly acute among low-income communities of color.

So how to close that gap?

There are now more than 2,000 people hospitalized in New York due to COVID-19 for the first time since the spring, according to numbers released on Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.

COVID-19 positive cases continued to also increase as the state and the rest of the country experiences a resurgence of the pandemic that had slowed over the summertime in New York.

New York State Democrats held a press conference on Long Island on Tuesday, touting Democratic Senator Kevin Thomas’ win.

“We knew this red mirage would turn out to be a blue ocean,” State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs declared.

The coronavirus pandemic has scrambled everyday life, including how kids learn and how families ensure students can be taught.

Rep. Joe Morelle on Tuesday announced his backing a bill that would examine how school schedules can be altered so they align with parents and guardians, especially in low-income families.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a radio interview on Tuesday said he was not so much concerned with people skeptical the COVID-19 vaccine would be safe, but whether they would have access to it.

Cuomo, speaking with Hot-97 in New York City on Tuesday morning, said people will want the coronavirus vaccine, but he's concerned with ensuring there will be a "social equity" for all to access it.

How much is one state Senate seat worth? For outside organizations seeking to influence policy in Albany, it runs into the millions of dollars.

Big time spending in state Senate races is not new. Businesses and labor unions alike recognize the policy outcomes in Albany, especially in the state Senate, carry potentially more weight for their interests than a gridlocked Congress in Albany.

Coronavirus cases are on the rise across the country and in New York while Congress continues to stall on another injection of money into the economy to aid small businesses and workers.

It's that combination -- a resurgent pandemic and a lack of money to soften the landing for the economy -- that has small business groups like the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) worired.

Addiction treatment and mental health service providers wrote a letter on Monday to the Department of Health asking for the state to set up free rapid testing for COVID-19 at treatment centers across the state.

“As COVID-19 surged, many addiction facilities responded by doubling as urgent care facilities, which unfortunately increased the risk of exposure to their residents and staff,” the letter states. “Tragically, some from our community died while providing critical care.”

Sales tax revenue for local governments in New York dropped by 5.2% last month compared to the previous year, according to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says the state’s shutdown of businesses and the economy early on in the pandemic still has a ripple effect and is expected to continue for the next few years.

The coronavirus pandemic has scuttled the chances of statewide elected officials, state judges and the 213 members of the state Legislature receiving pay raises in 2021, a salary commission on Monday determined.

The commission's report is not wholly surprising; state officials had previously signaled the planed pay raises were unlikely to take effect at the turn of the year. Pay raises for top-ranking New York officials were due to be phased in, but a commission was empowered to consider the state's economic climate.

Prescription drugs for people living with compromised immune systems are more important than ever during this pandemic. But a little-noticed change set to take effect in New York could make it harder for people who need that medication as well services provided by non-profit entities.

At issue is a "carve out" in the Medicaid prescription drug program. State officials say it is expected to save $87 million as New York seeks to streamline a costly Medicaid program.

The state’s top fiscal watchdog is in no hurry to cut services or raise taxes.

Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli acknowledged that some groups, including the Citizens Budget Commission, have urged the Cuomo administration to act sooner rather than later to address the current year $15 billion budget gap. But instead, he’s urging patience.

If you have $10,000 you can be among the choosen few for a video chat with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The governor's re-election campaign is planning a Dec. 17 virtual fundrasier, according to an invitation for the event. Additional tickets range from $1,000 to $5,000 for a main reception. There is also a $50 ticket for young professionals.

Landlords will be required to make court-ordered repairs on the properties within two months as part of a new law that was inspired by the death of an 8-year-old child in the Bronx 18 years ago.

The measure, signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last week, will require judges to set a maximum 60-day deadline for property owners to make repairs. The proposal was first made after 8-year-old Jashawn Parker died in a Bronx fire in 2002 in a building where tenants had long complained of the lack of repairs.

Hospitalizations in New York are approaching 2,000 patients for the first time since the spring months as the state's coronavirus positive rate stood at 2.8% in the last day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.

New York's positive rate in high-case "micro cluster" areas was at 4.19%, while 25 people in the last day have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19.

Governor Andrew Cuomo in an interview with MSNBC on Monday morning did not rule out making further changes to New York City indoor dining rules as COVID-19 cases continues to rise in New York and around the country.

At the moment, indoor dining in New York City is limited to 25% occupancy.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday vowed a robust vaccination distribution plan in New York amid a dispute with the Trump administration over how to do so, while also raising concerns the state needs the resources for the undertaking in the coming weeks.

So far, federal resources have amount to $140 million; the Centers for Disease Control believe it will cost more than $6.6 billion.

Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus pandemic have increased by a net of 57 people in the last day to 1,845 patients as the positive rate in New York continued to be above 2%, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.

Cuomo, meanwhile, embroiled in a dispute with President Donald Trump over a potential COVID-19 vaccine, pledged on Sunday communities of color would be given access to any vaccination.

Conversations with northeast governors on coronavirus policy that could lead to new restrictions will continue through the weekend as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country and in New York.

"They're going to be going on all weekend," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a conference call on Saturday. "There's numerous topics that we're dealing with. Part of it is looking at the information and where it's going."

Last spring, the coronavirus pandemic tore through nursing homes in New York, leading to the deaths of thousands of residents and controversy over what, exactly, went wrong for congregate care facilities.

Now as COVID-19 cases rise again in the cold weather months, lawmakers are hopeful nursing homes are better prepared.

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would delay sending an approved COVID-19 vaccine to New York until Gov. Andrew Cuomo authorizes it.

“We won't be delivering it to New York until we have authorization to do so, and that pains me to say that," Trump said, pointing to criticism Cuomo has made of the federal government's vaccination distribution plan.

New York has roughly 1,800 volunteer fire departments across the state, but over the past few decades, there has been a steady decline in not only the number of people willing to jump in and volunteer, but also in the number of volunteers these departments are able to retain.

This week, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that will create a New York State Recruitment and Retention Task Force.

Professor David Bateman isn’t all that concerned about the lawsuits or the president’s decision to replace some Pentagon staffers with loyalists.

“The only really troubling aspect, is the refusal to concede while there may be litigation ongoing,” Bateman said. “I have no major worries about this. If it came down to one state, it would be problematic.”

Sales tax revenue for local governments in New York dropped 5.2% last month compared to the same period last year, continuing a trend of plummeting revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

The drop is the eighth straight month sales tax collections for local governments have seen a year-over-year decline.

The Associated Press declared a winner on Thursday in the 125th Assembly District race.

Democrat Anna Kelles will represent this district after maintaining her lead over Republican challenger Matthew McIntyre.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday announced an emergency summit with northeast governors would be held this weekend to discuss aligning coronavirus policy.

The summit could potentially lead to new restrictions as the pandemic continues to spread.

A cashless tolling system for the New York State Thruway will begin on Saturday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an interview with Spectrum News.

Workers will put the finishing touches on the new system Friday night, with drivers noticing the change the next day.

When Republican Dave Catalfamo conceded to Democratic Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner on Friday, he included this message: The mechanics of conducting an election are not perfect, but the vote was not rigged.

"Our democracy is our most precious gift as Americans, and our continued shared faith in that system is essential to our future," Catalfamo said in a statement. "While our voting system is imperfect, it is not rigged. This election result is fair, I accept it without reservation and I strongly urge all my supporters to do the same."

The state association that represents local prosecutors is seeking more money to support prosecuting repeat offenders, more aid for online training, and funding for processing evidence through cloud computing.

Those are among the priorities in the coming state budget year for the District Attorneys Association of New York ahead of what's expected to be a difficult season for negotiations surrounding the spending plan.

New York generated nearly $3.7 billion from gambling last year, more revenue than any other state. But what's the human cost of this money?

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in a report released Thursday called for improving efforts to combat problem gambling in New York, pointing to the relatively low amounts of money contributed to treatment programs.

Starting on Friday, restaurants, bars, and gyms across the state will have to close every night at 10 p.m., due to the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.

Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, says these businesses are concerned with what this means moving forward.

For years, simply being gay was a legitimate reason to be dishonorably discharged from the military. Unfortunately, if a veteran is discharged dishonorably, he or she can be refused dozens of state benefits. But that excuse ended in New York yesterday when Governor Cuomo signed into law the Restoration of Honor Act, which went into effect today.

Assemblymember Didi Barrett, chair of the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, spoke with Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter about three of the bills (below) that she sponsored, as the first woman to chair this committee.

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is turning her considerable fundraising efforts toward the coming runoff for the two U.S. Senate seats in Georgia as the outcome could determine who controls the chamber next year.

"The consequences would be disastrous," Stefanik said in a fundraising appeal. "If we lose the Senate and Joe Biden is sworn in as our nation’s 46th president, there will be NO WAY to stop the Democrats’ most extreme agenda items.

With your kids learning remotely, COVID-19 hospitalization numbers back up, and the chaos around the presidential election, you might not remember that we had a census count just three weeks ago.

On Capital Tonight, Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause explained how the census count is used to determine how many members of Congress the state will have, and how district lines will be drawn.

Joanna Jansen is quick and efficient when packing her car, loading it up with tightly packed coolers of food to be delivered around Schenectady.

Jansen is helping fulfill a need -- hunger in upstate New York. Jansen works with the Catholic Charities' Meals on Wheels program. On any given route, she's delivering up to 20 meals to people.

Democratic Rep. Max Rose has conceded the 11th congressional district race to Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, his campaign on Thursday announced.

Malliotakis's victory means a Republican will once again represent a New York City-based House district after Rose in 2018 ousted Republican Dan Donovan.

The New York State Education Conference Board in a paper released Thursday urged state officials to not reduce aid to schools amid a budget season that could prove to be one of the toughest facing the state in a generation.

“In these unprecedented times, schools need more support, not less,” said the group's chairman John Yagelski. “Over the past months schools have supported families, teachers, staff and communities in astounding ways, and now is the time for our state policy makers to support them back.”

Contracts for services like gyms and fitness clubs that can be difficult to cancel could be a little easier under a measure approved this week by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The law, backed by Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz, requires businesses to make automatic renewal or continuous service offers to clearly provide the terms of agreement to consumers. The businesses would be prevent from charging consumers without their consent.

Robert Viteri, or Bobby as he is better known, has been living in a nursing home facility for the past four years.

Viteri was diagnosed with a rare neurological degenerative disorder that makes it difficult for him to eat, speak, or move on his own.

Republican Rep. Tom Reed is temperamentally the opposite of President Donald Trump. Where Trump is brash and vocal, Reed is low key. Where Trump embraces political trench fighting, Reed has emphasized commonality.

The Washington under Joe Biden may be more to Reed's personality and his approach to governing. The new Congress will be far more narrowly divided: Democrats are expected to hold a thin majority in the House of Representatives; the Senate could be split 50-50.

In the New York State Legislature, the 40-member Senate Democratic conference needs a net gain of two seats to enjoy a super majority, which would give it the ability to override a possible gubernatorial veto.

Because of the so-called "blue shift," a phenomenon in which more Democrats voted by absentee this year than Republicans, Democrats are feeling quite confident they will win those two seats, and possibly more. One reason? Republicans around the country had discouraged early and absentee voting, while Democrats supported it.

Bars, restaurants and gyms will be required to close in New York by 10 p.m. starting on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced.

Gatherings at private homes, meanwhile, will also be limited to no more than 10 people, Cuomo said, in an effort to control the coronavirus pandemic.

Litigants with deep pockets sometimes play poker with lawsuits. They will file suit against people they want to intimidate or silence hoping that the plaintiffs are scared enough to simply stop criticizing them. The suits aren’t intended to succeed on their merits, only to stifle another party’s first amendment rights.

Governor Cuomo on Tuesday signed a bill into law that could significantly hamper frivolous lawsuits brought by powerful people and corporations that have been used in this way to stifle free speech. The legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein and Senator Brad Hoylman, is known as “SLAPP,” which stands for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.”

Chancellor Jim Malatras announced on Wednesday that SUNY will be forming a Veteran and Military Action Council that will work to increase college access for all current and prospective military-connected students.

The council will work to close the current gap in tuition assistance for all those serving in Active Duty, Reserve, and in the National Guard. This means that military-connected students would be paying about $250 per credit.

Joe Biden was able to surpass 270 electoral votes with a coalition of young voters, older voters and suburbanites, especially women, in the 2020 election.

That's according to Bruce Gyory, a political science adjunct professor and a former advisor to New York governors.

Dozens of groups in a letter to top state elected officials this week urged them to take up a clean fuel standard for the transportation sector.

The push was initially made at the start of the year. But as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic took center stage this year, advocates are now looking to next year and the coming state budget talks in 2021.

Coronavirus cases are increasing in nursing homes across the country coinciding with a national surge in the pandemic, a report from a health care group released on Tuesday found.

The report from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living found the largest increase in nursing home coronavirus cases has been centered in midwest states since mid-September.

The rate of positive COVID-19 cases in New York did not slow down during election week, and now health care workers are voicing concern over this continued increase in hospitalizations.

Lona DeNisco, a registered nurse and member of the New York State Nurses Association, says nurses want reassurance that the problems they encountered in March will not happen again if the rate of these cases continues to climb.

Simply stated, the stock transfer tax is a sales tax on stock purchases. It’s one of a slew of tax increases that labor unions, advocacy groups, and educators are pushing for as New York state faces an unwieldy budget deficit.

Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter discussed the pros and cons of the tax with UUP president, Dr. Fred Kowal.

For Union-Endicott School Superintendent Nicole Wolfe, the challenge of testing teachers and students has always been about planning and communication.

Broome County has been under a yellow zone designation due to rising COVID-19 cases and for Wolfe, that has meant COVID-19 tests for at least 400 people a week.

Nearly every region of New York is seeing increasing positive cases of COVID-19, while hospitalizations due to the virus have steadily increased in New York over the last week, according to numbers released on Tuesday by Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.

The statewide positivity rate, based on tens of thousands of test results in the last day, stood over 3%, while hospitalizations have reached 1,548 patients. Thirty-two people were confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in the last day.

New York is part of a coalition of 20 states plus the District of Columbia backing the Affordable Care Act as the health care law once again faces a challenge in the U.S. Supreme Court.

A signature law for President Obama approved in 2009, the measure has withstood challenges before, but a key piece of the law requiring Americans to purchase health insurance was removed by Congress and President Donald Trump in 2017.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has long history with President-elect Joe Biden. Both men come from wings of the Democratic Party that emphasize a form of political moderation, compromise and deal making.

But Cuomo's support for Biden also comes with some wants and needs for New York when the new administration takes over in 2021.

The news that Pfizer, Inc. has made significant headway on a potential vaccine for COVID-19 has led New York officials to call for it to be distributed as widely as possible.

Governor Andrew Cuomo in recent weeks has raised concerns with the Trump administration's plan to distribute the vaccine through commercial pharmacies, arguing the move would hurt urban centers that do not have a CVS or a Walgreens nearby.

The New York State United Teachers on Monday unveiled a website meant to help people track COVID-19 health and safety concerns in schools.

The website, NYSUTCovidTracker.org, allows users to search by school district using a map of the state that highlights confirmed coronavirus cases.

Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi in an email to supporters on Monday said he was confident he would pull ahead of his Republican challenger George Santos after being down 4,000 votes after Election Day.

"We will win," Suozzi wrote in the email, expecting the final outcome to be clear within two weeks.

Tucked away behind a 16-foot-tall fence and security gate, a somewhat innocuous gray building houses one of the state’s ten regulated organizations allowed to sell medical marijuana.

Vireo Health’s cultivation and processing facility was one of the first in New York when the state launched its medical marijuana program in 2016.

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

In a statement, Barclay wrote:

It could be a tough couple of budget years for state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the state's financial situation and the aftershocks could take years to get over.

President-elect Joe Biden has signaled he is willing to support a multi-year stimulus plan for cash-strapped states and cities, effectively pumping money into these governments to help pay for schools, police departments, and social services. But there are uncertainties, including over which party will ultimately control the U.S. Senate.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh called the "yellow" zone designation for his city a "wake up call" for residents amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he said on Monday in a Capital Tonight interview.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier in the day announced Erie, Monroe, and Onondaga counties would be placed under the designation, which places limits on gatherings in public places and requires schools test students for COVID-19.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced new micro-cluster zones in upstate New York Monday, including parts of Erie, Monroe, and Onondaga counties designated as “yellow zones.”

“This is going to be the constant for the foreseeable future. Every few days we will say this place became a micro-cluster. This place is a no longer a micro-cluster,” Cuomo said.

A New York State Supreme Court on Staten Island Monday upheld the state's restrictions on indoor dining capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision by Judge Thomas Aliotta backs the state's capacity limits afte several restaurants had filed suit to challenge the regulations. At the same time, New York is limiting indoor dining in parts of Erie, Monroe and Onondaga counties as part of an effort to lower the COVID postive rate in those areas.

Absentee ballots in New York would be counted as they arrive to elections officials under a bill being proposed by Democratic Senator David Carlucci.

The measure comes as more than one million absentee ballots have already been returned to elections officials this year amid a wave of ballots. New York officials made it easier to apply for and receive an absentee ballot, creating essentially an end to excuses to get one, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump was running a "reality show" that has run its course, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday told Howard Stern in a wide-ranging interview that touched on the pandemic and his family.

"With Trump, I had an enemy every day," Cuomo said. "He was anti-New York, by the way. He was mad at New York. He hated us."

As Pfizer, Inc. on Monday announced it was close to developing an effective COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Andrew Cuomo in an interview with Good Morning America raised renewed concerns surrounding the Trump administration's distribution plan.

Cuomo has previously knocked the plan, which relies on private-sector pharmacy chains like CVS to distribute a vaccine.

President-elect Joe Biden's transition team pledged to aid state and local governments whose finances have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic as the new administration and its priorities begin to take shape.

Biden on Saturday claimed victory in the election hours after major media outlets projected he had secured 270 electoral votes; President Donald Trump has vowed to fight the outcome in court.

SPECTRUM NEWS VIDEO: Spectrum News is continuing to follow news that the AP is projecting Joe Biden to be the next president of the United States.

This is historic for many reasons, one being that Kamala Harris is projected to be the first woman of color to serve as Vice President. Our Nick Reisman sat down with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins to discuss this groundbreaking moment.