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Presented by Healthcare Education Project: Your afternoon must-read briefing informing the daily conversation among knowledgeable New Yorkers | | | | |  | | By Joseph Spector | Presented by Healthcare Education Project | | 
This weekend is the the 52nd annual legislative conference of the Association of Black, Puerto Rican,Hispanic & Asian Legislators. | Mike Groll/AP Photo | More than 2,000 people, including state and local officials, will be in and around the state Capitol this weekend for the 52nd annual legislative conference of the state Association of Black, Puerto Rican,Hispanic & Asian Legislators. The Caucus Weekend is the place to be seen among lawmakers and advocacy groups as the influential Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus develops its agenda for the six-month legislative session that runs through June. “It's used to disseminate information to the communities we represent about laws, giving them helpful information as well as networking,” said Assemblymember Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), who is the group’s treasurer. “Everybody focuses on the receptions, but that's not what it's about. All day Saturday there will be something like 30 different workshops.” Lawmakers are holding events that include the influence of the Caribbean on New York and how to address the state's high cost of living. There’s also a youth summit that starts Saturday morning on getting people involved in politics. Assemblymembers Juan Ardila and Jessica González-Rojas are holding an event Saturday with minority restaurant owners to press for higher wages for workers, and lawmakers are hosting a panel discussion at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on their efforts to end qualified immunity, which has shielded public officials, including police, accused of civil rights violations from facing liability. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams are planning to attend events and receptions, as are Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The annual event has not been without controversy. The state Attorney General’s Office said Friday its review of the group’s questionable finances is ongoing and looks at whether the money raised from the weekend goes to college scholarships. But Pretlow said, “everything is being worked out,” and pointed to its recent filing statement that showed its books in positive territory in 2020 that included doling out $31,500 in scholarships. The event has also raised eyebrows over its sponsorship by special interest groups, unions, lobbying firms and companies with business before the state. For example, this year’s sponsors include Caesars, Wynn Resorts and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen — all of whom are expected to vie for lucrative casino licenses in New York City. The conference ends Sunday night with the after-party featuring rap legend and Brooklyn’s own Busta Rhymes. IT’S FRIDAY: Stay with us each afternoon as we keep you updated on the latest New York news in Albany, City Hall and beyond. New York Playbook PM will not publish on Monday in observance of Presidents Day. We'll be back on Tuesday. | | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project: Time to Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap. Despite COVID-19 and rising healthcare costs, there has been no significant increase to New York’s Medicaid reimbursement rate for years. As a result, pediatricians are forced to turn away low-income children, seniors face dangerously long wait times for care, and a growing mental health crisis is threatening our hospitals and putting communities at risk. Governor Hochul and the Legislature must Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap. Learn more. | | | |  | From the Capitol | | | 
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, center, and Anna Wintour attend the Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) | Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP | NO DECISION YET: State Supreme Court Judge Thomas Whelan heard an hour’s worth of testimony Friday on Senate Republicans’ lawsuit arguing that Hector LaSalle’s nomination for chief judge required a full floor vote. The arguments happened even after the full vote on Wednesday. The lawsuit was filed last week — before Senate Democrats decided to bring his nomination to the floor and reject him. Still, Senate Republicans are arguing the court case is not moot. Their lawyers said there should be a court ruling on whether any chief judge nomination requires a full Senate vote. Democrats contend a nomination only requires a Senate Judiciary Committee vote to comply with the state constitution that says a governor’s pick has to be decided with “the advice and consent” of the Senate. Nothing was concluded at Friday’s hearing. Whelan said he expects to rule “very shortly, but not today. There might be a decision on Tuesday.” Meanwhile, the chief clerk of the state’s highest court declared a vacancy for the top judicial job Friday, officially kicking off a second nomination process and allowing Hochul to ultimately pick from a new list of chief judge hopefuls. — Joseph Spector MONEY FOR JOBS: Hochul announced Friday an expansion of the state’s Professional Pathways for High-Skilled Immigrants Program to help new Americans find jobs that match their skills and experience. The expansion will include $4.4 million in state grants to community-based providers to support professional training and job placement efforts for an increased number of high-skilled immigrants in New York. The grants will be awarded over three years through the New York State Office for New Americans. — Joseph Spector
| | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project:   | | | | | From City Hall | | | 
Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced a deal on a new contract with the city's largest public-sector union. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | DC37 DEAL: From the steps of City Hall, Adams on Friday announced what he called a “landmark labor agreement” with District Council 37, the city’s largest public-sector union that covers about a fourth of its unionized workers. The tentative five-year deal would earmark 3 percent annual raises through 2025 and bump up to 3.25 percent in 2026. There’s also room for flexible work options including remote work, which Adams had opposed earlier in his tenure. City Hall put the total price tag at $4.4 billion through fiscal year 2027. It was a big step in a long road ahead for City Hall as similar negotiations continue with other unions, such as the United Federation of Teachers. The Municipal Labor Committee has asked DC37 to brief them on how money was moved around to make the deal work, per a union source. “We still have a long way to go,” said Renee Campion, the city’s labor relations commissioner. — Zachary Schermele and Madina Touré RETURN OF THE KING: Former Council Member Andy King, who was kicked out of the body for harassing staffers and misusing city resources, is looking to make a comeback, the Daily News reports. King, who maintained his innocence despite a lengthy report drawn up by the Council, filed paperwork with the city’s Campaign Finance Board to run in his old Bronx seat, which is currently held by Council Member Kevin Reily. There’s only one problem — King may not be eligible to run at all. A Council source told the News that term limits would prohibit King from running until 2025. — Joe Anuta CORRECTION: In yesterday’s newsletter we mistakenly counted Felicia Singh among those who left the Council’s Progressive Caucus and also lost out on the Working Family Party’s endorsement. Singh lost her 2021 race to sitting member Joann Ariola.
| | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project: The Medicaid Coverage Gap is making New York’s mental health crisis worse and putting our most vulnerable communities at risk. It’s time to close it.
Medicaid provides essential health coverage to millions of vulnerable New Yorkers. Yet, despite the ravages of COVID-19 and rising healthcare costs, there has been no significant increase in New York’s Medicaid reimbursement rate for years. Because of the Medicaid Coverage Gap, pediatricians are forced to turn away low-income children, seniors face dangerously long wait times for care, and a growing mental health crisis is threatening our hospitals and putting communities at risk.
To actually address this crisis, Governor Hochul and the Legislature must Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap and raise the Medicaid reimbursement rate by at least 10 percent. Closing the Medicaid Coverage Gap will help address our mental health crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities. Learn how. | | | | | On the Beats | | | 
Andy Pallotta, the president of the New York United Teachers union, is retiring this spring. | AP Photo/Mike Groll | UNION LEADER RETIRING: In a letter to local union presidents Thursday, New York United Teachers union president Andy Palotta announced his retirement, which will take effect in April. Palotta has been in education for 37 years and part of the union for 14 years. After years of advocating for schools to get fully funded foundation aid, Pallotta is expected to be leaving on a high note as lawmakers and the governor are committed to a record increase in school support. But he will close off his time as president with a fight against Hochul’s proposal to lift the geographic cap on charter schools and revive zombie charters. “In the past decade alone, we have faced constant attacks on public education and unions; financial crises on the federal, state and local level; Supreme Court decisions that challenged the way we reach our members; and a global pandemic that thrust healthcare and public school employees on the frontlines as they cared for the most vulnerable among us,” Pallotta said. “Through it all, we remained steadfast, and we came out stronger than ever.” – Katelyn Cordero CUNY TV GETS MAKEOVER: CUNY TV, the City University of New York’s public educational channel, is kicking off a new programming lineup for this year, with more than 20 extra hours of TV shows created by CUNY per week. The lineup includes a new talk show, “Café con Felo,” in which CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez will host discussions with leaders. There will also be “CUNY Uncut,” a student-hosted show, as well as a documentary show on CUNY Laureates, programs from CUNY’s 25 colleges and special presentations of local film festivals in New York City. — Madina Touré GEORGE SANTOS' SISTER: An eviction case against Rep. George Santos’ sister, Tiffany Santos, over nearly $40,000 in allegedly unpaid rent has been settled out of court, a Queens Housing Court judge said Friday. A court appearance was scheduled in the long-running dispute, in which the owner alleged Tiffany Santos had been squatting at the Elmhurst apartment after her lease was terminated in May 2022. The rent arrears go back to 2020, according to court records first reported by the Daily Beast in January, and the owners alleged Santos failed to make up the debts despite receiving upwards of $30,000 in rental assistance. Supervising Judge John Lansden said Friday the case was settled between the attorneys. A lawyer for Santos didn’t return a call seeking comment or details on the settlement, and a lawyer for the landlord couldn’t be reached. — Janaki Chadha
| | | — A dead whale was found Friday laying in Far Rockaway's sand. It's the 12th spotted in New York and New Jersey since December. (Gothamist) — What does it mean to be progressive in New York City? (New York Times) — The human cost of criminal mischief. (Streetsblog, with bonus theme song found here on Spotify) — You’ll want to take off your shoes at home after reading about this study of the microbes found on Upper East Side sidewalks. (WNYC) | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
