Dear Neighbor,

Thank you to everyone who made it to our defending democracy town hall on Tuesday night, and to all those who watched the livestream. In spite of the litany of bad news that the speakers shared about what is happening in our country, I found it to be an uplifting opportunity to connect with so many people who are eager to fight for our American values of freedom, democracy, and respect for the rights of all people. If you were unable to make it, you can view a recording of the event by clicking here.

In Albany this month we are, unfortunately, still working on the state budget that was due April 1st. Although I have always been of the belief that I’d rather have a good budget than an on-time budget, there does come a point when the lack of a state budget begins to have an impact on cities, towns, and school districts trying to plan for their own budgets. And given the chaos and threats to New York and New Yorkers constantly being lobbed at us by the Trump/Musk Administration, I believe it is critical for us to get our house in order quickly so as to not leave any openings where we might be vulnerable to federal aggression.

That’s why I have been somewhat disappointed by some of the policies over which the governor is choosing to hold up the budget: rolling back due process protections embedded in our discovery reforms, chilling free speech and promoting the spread of infectious diseases by attacking the wearing of masks in public without some underlying proof of criminal activity , and expanding involuntary commitment of mentally ill people threatening themselves or others without ensuring there are residential services in place for them. These are complex issues and would be best dealt with outside the budget.

But in New York, because of several court decisions interpreting our state constitution, governors hold almost all of the cards in the budget process. I am hopeful that these and other issues can be resolved, and we will have a final budget to vote on next week. There are still many, many critical issues that need to be addressed after the budget and before the legislative session ends on June 12th.

Below you will find updates on recent actions by the Trump Administration affecting New Yorkers and legislative activity in Albany, as well as upcoming events and other useful information. As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please email or call my office at [email protected] or 212-490-9535.

Liz Krueger

State Senator

Update on Trump Administration Impacts

Once again I would like to highlight a very small sample of some of the actions of the Trump/Musk Administration that have had concrete, negative impacts on New Yorkers, as I did in February and March. For the sake of brevity, I will just offer some bullet points with links to articles where you can read more.

But I do want to put particular focus on one area. Last week, NY Times columnist Ezra Klein shared a video titled “The Emergency is Here,” focusing on the Administration’s new practice of “disappearing” people from the United States to nightmarish prisons in El Salvador. If you have not watched it, I highly recommend you do.

Klein focuses on the story of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man originally from El Salvador, married to an American citizen, with three young children and no criminal record, who was kidnapped off the street by ICE agents, falsely accused of being a gang member, and sent to El Salvador. The Administration has since admitted that this was a mistake, and the Supreme Court has ordered the President to facilitate his return, an order which the President is ignoring.

The point, in addition to the unprecedented Constitutional crisis of a President completely ignoring the Supreme Court’s order, is that when any individual has their due process rights taken away, then none of us can rely on our due process rights being protected. Anyone can be picked up off the street and accused of being a gang member or a terrorist – without due process, there’s no way to prove otherwise – and sent to a prison in a foreign country, allowing Trump to claim it’s too late to get them back. They even claim that they don't need warrants to make arrests anymore, as long as there are "exigent circumstances" that they determine at their own discretion. This is not a case of fear mongering about possible future undemocratic actions by the Administration – it is happening now.

Here are a few other things the Administration has been up to:

• Trump’s chaotic Tariff War could lead to a recession in New York City and the loss of 36,000 jobs. This chart from economist Paul Krugman shows just how radical the President’s actions on tariffs really are:

• The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services notified state Medicaid directors that new Designated State Health Program expenditures will no longer be approved. Effective 2027, this Trump policy will cause a funding cut of hundreds of millions of dollars a year from New York's 1115 waiver, which is used to address social determinants of health, as well as severe healthcare workforce shortages throughout New York. For more information, please see this report from the Fiscal Policy Institute.

• FEMA rescinded $325 million in grants to New York State through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, most of which was destined for New York City. For context, a recent report from the US Chamber of Commerce found that spending on resiliency leads to a $13 return on investment for every $1 spent, and an analysis from AccuWeather found that damage from just five big climate disasters nationwide over the last year totaled $664 billion.

• RKF Jr. fired an additional 10,000 workers at the Department of Health and Human Services, impacting food and drug regulation, and programs focusing on vaccine research, reproductive health, gun safety, and many more.

• Among the firings at HHS were all of the staff responsible for administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps 6.7 million Americans pay their heating and cooling bills. In New York, the HEAP program helped 1.7 million households in the winter of ’23-’24, and nearly 70,000 households have received cooling assistance in the past five years.

• As part of the HHS cuts, the Trump Administration fired, then tried to rehire, the director of the World Trade Center Health Program for 9/11 first responders and survivors, as well as other key specialists.

• HHS cuts also included critical staff at Head Start, the federal early childhood education program, including closure of the New York City regional office.

• As part RFK Jr.'s Orwellian "Make America Healthy Again" program, the National Institutes of Health is cutting 40% of its budget, which has resulted, among many other things, in a loss of funding for 61 research projects at CUNY, including one study that is almost complete on the spread of vaccine misinformation.

• $12 billion in cuts to federal health grants resulted in New York State losing more than $360 million in funding for mental health and addiction services and tracking infectious disease. This has already forced the NYS Department of Health to lay off 50 workers and 168 public health fellows.

• As a result of Trump and Musk's cuts to and freezes of federal research funding, attacks on free speech and academic freedom on university campuses, and arbitrary immigration enforcement against people living and working in the US legally, American scientists are heading for the exits in droves, and Europe is reaping the benefits.

• The Administration’s early shut-down of a federal housing voucher program that was supposed to last until 2030 could put 7,600 New York City households at risk of eviction unless the City can budget at least $175 million per year to continue the program.

• President Trump cut $1.5 billion in funding that supports foodbanks, schools, and childcare centers providing food for needy families and children, which will have an immediate impact across New York State.

• On April 14th, the Administration ended phone service for retirees and survivors applying for Social Security benefits or making changes to direct deposits, meaning they’ll have to make in-person appointments if they’re unable to use the online portal. Congressman Nadler's office has put together a helpful FAQ for those who need to apply for benefits to navigate the new requirements - you can view it by clicking here. This graphic from a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report shows just how much of a burden this is, especially in light of recent significant staffing cuts at the Social Security Administration:

• Last month I reported on the impact that Trump and Musk's erratic and aggressive behavior toward our allies, as well as their arbitrary detention of immigrants and tourists, is having on tourism numbers. We know that tourism is an important industry in New York City -- according to the Mayor’s office, tourist spending “generated more than $6.8 billion in tax revenue, which helped save each New York City household around $2,000 in 2024.” But as this chart shows, tourism is plummeting nationwide as a result of Trump's actions:

Finally, if you or your organization is facing challenges as a result of presidential executive orders, funding cuts, or freezes from the federal government, please share your story with me so my colleagues and I can better advocate for you and our neighbors impacted by these decisions. You can do so by filling out the form here. I am not able to directly restore any lost or frozen federal funding, but I will use this information to inform policy priorities at the state level and advocate with my federal colleagues.

Earlier this month, the State Senate passed S.3437, which I carried, a bill that would ban new for-profit hospices in New York State. The bill passed in the Assembly last month.

An article published in 2022 by ProPublica, titled "Endgame: How the Visionary Hospice Movement Became a For-Profit Hustle," shined a light on multiple instances of fraud targeting the Medicare hospice benefit. It illustrated how patient care suffers when bad actors are able to manipulate its original intent and purpose. An earlier article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that "for-profit compared with nonprofit hospices provide narrower ranges of services to patients, use less skilled clinical staff, care for patients with lower-skilled needs over longer enrollment periods, have higher rates of complaint allegations and deficiencies, and provide fewer community benefits, including training, research, and charity care. For-profit hospices are more likely than nonprofit hospices to discharge patients prior to death, to discharge patients with dementia, and to have higher rates of hospital and emergency department use."

Health insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare, pay hospices a set daily rate for providing care to patients who are in the last six months of their lives. Considerable evidence shows that for-profit hospices seek out patients who require less intensive (and costly) care to maximize profit for their shareholders. Stable patients require fewer expensive medications and supplies than those with more complex needs or who are closer to death. For-profit entities provide a lower quality of care, and often discharge patients whose conditions worsen, to maximize profit.

Nationally, for-profit hospices are shown to accept fewer critically ill patients, provide 10% fewer nursing visits, 35% fewer social worker visits and 50% fewer therapy visits than not-for-profit hospices. This reduction of care yields a 20% net margin on care for for-profit hospices compared to 3% for not-for-profit hospices.

For-profit organizations have a duty to their owners to generate as much profit as possible and distribute net income to the owners. Their obligations to the people they ostensibly serve are secondary. This is especially troubling in the case of hospice. The mission of hospice, providing compassionate end-of-life care, should not be subservient to providing profit to investors.

S. 3437, which was previously vetoed by Governor Hochul in 2022, would prohibit the approval of new applications for the establishment, construction or increased capacity of for-profit hospice entities. New York is uniquely situated to prevent the deterioration of end-of-life care described above, as currently only two of 41 hospices in New York are for-profit, compared to a national average of two-thirds as of 2017.

When our loved ones or we ourselves enter hospice, we are putting our trust in that institution to care for us at the most vulnerable period of our lives. We will all be in that situation at some point, and the idea that decisions about our care would be influenced by the profit motive, that corners would be cut to make an extra buck, potentially leaving patients and families suffering needlessly, is something that we should not abide in New York. We have the chance to prevent New York from becoming the next chapter in a growing national problem. I urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill.

This month I introduced the State Taxpayer Oversight and Protection (STOP) Act (A.5883/S.6490), along with Assembly Member Grace Lee, to protect taxpayer dollars and set reasonable limitations on the state’s reimbursement of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. The bill aims to ensure that New Yorkers are no longer forced to foot the bill for politicians’ costly and unrestrained legal defenses. The legislation is a response to the $60 million of taxpayer money that has already been spent in relation to Andrew Cuomo’s legal troubles.

Key Provisions of the STOP Act: 

• State Comptroller to assess whether the legal fees are reasonable in lawsuits brought against state employees in their official capacity when they are represented by an outside attorney. 
• Expands the power of the Comptroller to determine if the fees are reasonable in proportion to the needs of the case, and consistent with similar cases. 
• Establishes a presumption of unreasonableness if more than one law firm is hired, unless there is a clear need for specialized expertise.
• Clarifies that the state will not pay your legal fees if you sue the state.

The state should not be in the business of financing legal vendettas or unreasonably aggressive litigation tactics. Public service is a privilege, not a free pass to funnel unlimited taxpayer money into legal defenses. This bill is about ensuring fairness and restoring trust in our government.

The STOP Act sends a clear message: taxpayer funds should serve the public, not powerful politicians. Over the past few years, New Yorkers have watched in frustration as millions of their hard-earned dollars have been diverted from essential services—such as schools, housing, and healthcare—to pay for legal battles that do not serve the public interest.

With federal threats to programs like Medicaid looming, we need to be crystal clear about our priorities. Sixty million dollars could have provided relief for struggling families, funded vital services, and strengthened our state. Instead, it’s been used to protect one man’s self-sullied reputation and further his ongoing political ambitions. That has to stop.

This month I joined Assembly Member Tony Simone to introduce legislation that will require food delivery apps to ensure that limited use motorcycles (i.e. mopeds) used by their delivery workers are properly registered.

This bill addresses the growing use of limited-use motorcycles by employees or contractors working for third-party food delivery services. As more delivery workers rely on mopeds to perform their jobs, ensuring that these vehicles are properly registered is essential for public safety and legal compliance. By mandating that delivery services verify the registration of these motorcycles, this bill aims to ensure that only legally operated vehicles are used for deliveries. This reduces the risk of unregistered or improperly maintained motorcycles being on the road. As well, it ensures that third-party services are adhering to vehicle and traffic regulations, promoting a safer environment for both delivery workers and the general public.

Additionally, the bill requires that food delivery services retain records of verification for a minimum of one year after the termination of an employee or contractor's engagement. This provision helps maintain transparency and accountability, making it easier to ensure compliance with registration laws. In the event of an incident involving a limited-use motorcycle, having verifiable records will assist authorities in determining whether the vehicle was properly registered at the time of the delivery. This requirement not only enhances regulatory oversight but also supports the safety of both the delivery workforce and the communities they serve.

The legislature has already acknowledged the need to address the alarming number of unregistered mopeds on New York City streets. In 2024, we unanimously passed a measure ensuring that new mopeds sold in our state were registered at the point of sale. While that bill substantially addressed any new moped sold, it did not retroactively apply to sales that had been completed in the last few years. This new bill follows up on that unanimously approved measure, ensuring that existing mopeds, not just new ones, are registered with the state like any other vehicle.

Sen. Krueger Re-introduces The TREES Act

This week I re-introduced the Tropical Rainforest Economic & Environmental Sustainability (TREES) Act, which was vetoed for the second time by Governor Hochul in December. The new version makes several more changes to address concerns raised by the Governor, while retaining the nation-leading impact of the original bill.

Tropical forests harbor close to 50 percent of all species on Earth. Those species are now going extinct at a rate that is at least 100 to 1,000 times higher than historical levels, due to human activity. Taking into account carbon sequestration potential, stopping the loss of tropical forests, mangroves, and wetlands could provide over 20 percent of necessary climate mitigation by 2030.

Globally, an estimated 18,000,000 acres of forest, an area more than half the size of New York State, are lost every year to deforestation according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with over one-half of Earth’s tropical forests already gone. At the current pace, the entirety of Earth’s tropical rainforests will be degraded or destroyed within the next 100 years.

Loss of biodiversity resulting from forest degradation and deforestation, as well as human encroachment on formerly undisturbed ecosystems, also increases the risks of zoonotic disease pandemics such as COVID-19.

The chart below from Bloomberg demonstrates, global deforestation continues to grow at a dangerous rate:

The TREES Act would help to ensure that New York State government procurement does not drive tropical deforestation or degradation by tightening an existing state ban on the use of tropical hardwoods for government projects, and creating a new statute requiring state contractors who deal in forest-risk commodities to certify that their products don't drive deforestation. New York would be the first state in the nation to implement such a policy, following in the footsteps of the European Union, which recently enacted economy-wide deforestation regulations.

Many businesses throughout the United States and across the world are already increasingly engaged in efforts to ensure their supply chains are transparent, traceable, ethical, and environmentally sound, whether in reaction to consumer pressure or government regulation, or out of an understanding of corporate social responsibility. Businesses that achieve ethical and sustainable supply chains may also be able to increase their appeal with certain consumers, charge premium prices, or access previously untapped markets as a result of their efforts.

In order to remain competitive, New York businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses and minority- and women-owned businesses, must be able to take advantage of and stay ahead of this socially responsible and beneficial trend. The proposed Supply Chain Transparency Assistance Program, included in the TREES Act, to be administered by Empire State Development, would be available to New York-based small and medium-sized businesses, as well as MWBEs, to help them establish more ethical and sustainable supply chains, while ensuring they have the tools they need to compete in the national and global marketplace.

As I said when the Governor vetoed this bill in 2023, this is not some esoteric issue for tree-huggers – the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis threaten the very survival of human civilization. That is why we reintroduced the bill last year and again this year. We have addressed the Governor's concerns as they were expressed to us, and we are confident that the TREES Act can not only be successfully implemented, but will enhance New York's global role as an environmental leader. I look forward to sending it back to the Governor's desk again as soon as possible.

This month, the USA Today Network ran an op-ed that I co-authored with Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, on the need to address rising costs for New Yorkers, while also taking critical climate action, by passing the NY HEAT Act and the Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act.

At the end of March I joined several of my elected colleagues on a letter to Mayor Eric Adams, urging him to stop delaying the opening of the Queensboro Bridge pedestrian path. The path, which will make it easier for both bikers and pedestrians to safely cross the bridge, has been in the works for several years, and was scheduled to open on March 16th, when the Mayor stepped in to stop it. As of right now DOT does not yet have a date set for opening the path.

A few weeks ago, NYC DOT submitted a proposed rule change amending title 34 of the Rules of the City of New York. The proposed change would allow private companies to reserve between 33% and 50% of the square footage of Open Streets and pedestrian plazas for the exclusive use of their customers.

I am strongly opposed to the privatization of our public spaces. I wrote a public comment protesting this proposal, which you can read by clicking here, and submitted it to DOT last week.

In my February newsletter, I shared a list of news outlets for anyone interested in following what happens in Albany. At this moment of crisis for our democracy, ensuring continued access to local, independent journalism is absolutely critical.

That's why I'm sharing with you this excellent Local Journalism Directory from the Media and Democracy Project. The Directory contains a near-exhaustive list of independent and local outlets across New York State, with information on what and where they cover, and where they get their funding.

NYC Community Education Council Elections

The 2025 Community Education Council Elections are here. Participating in the 2025 elections is your chance to help shape the future of your school community, so it's important to get involved and make your voice heard. While the application period has closed, the campaign season is in full swing. Candidates will be campaigning throughout April, and voting will take place from April 25th through May 13.

Explore candidate profiles and forums to learn more about those running at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/get-involved/families/education-councils/elections.

Make sure to vote before May 13th. Use your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) to vote online.

Closure of Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital and

New Mount Sinai Urgent Care Center

As you may be aware, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital (MSBI) was closed on April 9th. Because many people who reside or work in nearby communities have relied on MSBI for medical care, it is important to know what your health care options are in the changing health care environment.

One option to be aware of is the urgent care center that Mount Sinai has recently opened at Second Avenue and East 14th Street (310 East 14th Street, Ground Floor). The new urgent care center treats children and adults, accepts many health insurance plans, including Medicaid, is open 24/7, and does not require an appointment.

To learn more about the new Mount Sinai Urgent Care Center and conditions they treat, please click here.

Medicare Information Sessions

Whether you or a loved one is new to Medicare, will soon be eligible for Medicare, or you have been enrolled in Medicare and would like more information about how Medicare works, the Health Insurance Information Counseling & Assistant Program (HIICAP) offers a helpful Introduction to Medicare workshop. HIICAP provides a comprehensive overview of Medicare and related health insurance, including Medicare Part A and Part B enrollment and cost-sharing, Medigap/Medicare Supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage/Medicare Health Plans, Medicare Part D, and programs that help with Medicare costs – Extra Help/LIS, EPIC, and the Medicare Savings Programs.

HIICAP has been providing these sessions online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so. Additionally, starting in May, HIICAP will resume offering in-person Introduction to Medicare workshops.

If you prefer to attend in person, workshops will be held at the NYC Department for the Aging (2 Lafayette Street, 6^th Floor, Manhattan) on the following dates in May:

• Friday, May 16, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in Room 624
• Thursday, May 29, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Room 604  

If you would like to attend one of these in-person sessions, please email [email protected] to register to attend.

If you prefer to attend an online Introduction to Medicare workshop, please follow this link to view the schedule and register to attend:

Medicare Orientation - Understand Your Costs and Choices in Medicare Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

HEAP Cooling Assistance Benefit

Applications for the 2024-2025 Cooling Assistance Benefit opened on April 15, 2025.

Cooling Assistance benefits are provided on a first come, first served basis to eligible applicants. Funds often run out early so residents who think they are eligible are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible. 

The Cooling Assistance benefit helps eligible households buy and install an air conditioner or fan to help their home stay cool. The benefit provides cooling assistance services to households that include an individual with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat, or your household contains a vulnerable member based on their age (elderly age 60 years or older, or young children under age 6). 

New York Residents can check if they are eligible at https://access.nyc.gov/programs/cooling-assistance-benefit/#how-it-works. Applications can be submitted online via HRA at https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/. 

You can also call the NYC DSS/HRA Infoline unit at 718-557-1399 with any questions about eligibility and benefits, to have an application mailed to you, or to inquire about the status of your application.

New Good Cause Eviction Protection

Tool for Tenants

One year ago, the legislature took a historic step toward expanding tenant protections to renters in NYC and around the state by passing Good Cause Eviction.

Yet while as many as 800,000 renters in NYC gained protections against unfair evictions and rent hikes, the law’s final form included many complex and overlapping exemptions that make it difficult for tenants to understand and use.

At GoodCauseNYC.org, a brand new website launching this week, NYC tenants can enter their address and answer a short set of questions about their apartment to determine if their unit is eligible for protections and access resources to fight back against an unjust rent hike or lease nonrenewal. The site also includes a rent increase calculator to help renters determine if their rent hike is considered “unreasonable” by the law.

 Four Freedoms I Love My Park Day

How to Compost in NYC: A Guide

Now that composting is mandatory across the city, "The City", a New York based news outlet has put together a guide on how to make it easy for New Yorkers and a win for the environment.

Blood Drive with NY Blood Center

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Upcoming Events from

Friends of the East River Esplanade

As we head into the sping and summer, Friends of the East River Esplanade will have a full calendar of events for neighbors to enjoy. To see the calendar of upcoming events, click here.