Lawmakers are already back in Albany and set to vote on a package of police reform bills.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that as soon as lawmakers pass these bills, he will sign them.
What You Need To Know
- The Legislature is currently working on police reform bills
- New COVID-19 cases in the state are at their lowest since March 16
- The Mid-Hudson region will begin Phase Two of reopening Tuesday
Cuomo once again laid out what he would like to see lawmakers pass, calling it the "Say Their Name" police reform agenda.
This includes legislation that would repeal 50-a, which seals the disciplinary records of police officers, ban chokeholds, make the attorney general a special prosecutor in police cases, and make it a crime to place a false race-based 911 call.
While the nation reels from days of protests in cities large and small, New York continues to slowly recover from being the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. On Sunday, the state performed 58,054 coronavirus tests and out of these tests, only 702 were positive. This is the lowest since March 16. It also means only about 1.2 percent of cases were found to have the coronavirus.
“New Yorkers always rise to the occasion. New Yorkers represent courage and unity," Cuomo said. “I am so proud to be a New Yorker."
To help out those affected by the coronavirus, Cuomo said the state is authorizing local governments to extend the deadline for filing property tax abatements by 90 days.
The Mid-Hudson region is set to start Phase 2 of the reopening process on Tuesday, and Long Island will start Phase 2 on Wednesday.
New York City started Phase 1 of the reopening process on Monday. Cuomo again committed to performing 35,000 tests a day in the city to closely monitor the reopening with so many protestors out close together. The state is prioritizing tests for protestors at 15 testing sites across New York City and on Monday, the state announced it will be partnering with Northwell Health and SOMOS to open 14 new temporary testing sites at churches in impacted communities in the city.
Elective surgeries can also restart at New York City hospitals.