For the first time, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would sign an act that would provide tuition funding for the children of undocumented immigrants if the bill passes both houses of the legislature. Cuomo previously touted his support for the federal DREAM ACT but never answered where he stood on the state bill. Some believe Cuomo made the statement to repair his rocky relationship with the minority community. But some legislators say they have been courting the administration on the act for months and have met with them several times. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio hasrecently lent his support to the bill and touted the financial benefits it could have for the state. It is unclear if Senate Republicans will allow the bill to come to a vote and if there are enough Democratic votes for it to pass. Sen. George Latimer, R-Rye, has said he would vote for the bill.
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NYU Hospital’s Political Fund-Raising Questioned (NY Times)
Astorino to Announce Bid For Governor (NY Post)
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A federal judge in Newark ruled yesterday that the NYPD didn't discriminate against Muslims by spying on mosques and businesses in New Jersey. A class action lawsuit had argued that the surveillance programs were unconstitutional because they focused on religion, national origin, and race. But U.S. District Judge William Martini said the police were looking for Muslim terrorists, so surveying Muslim communities was necessary and not discriminatory. The plaintiffs had also argued that the spying had caused them harm, such as diminished religious expression and lost job opportunities. But the judge said the injuries were hypothetical and that any harm was caused by The Associated Press for exposing the surveillance, not the spying itself.
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De Blasio’s Caravan Caught Speeding, Blowing Stop Signs (CBS News)
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State Panel Freezes ConEd Electric, Gas Rates (Wall Street Journal)
Mayor Removing Over 400 Kids From Two Shelters (NY Times)
Cuomo Makes Conservative Argument For College In Prison (Capital)
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City's Head Of Sandy Reconstruction Steps Down (Crain's)
De Blasio Hires Sandy Point Person, Title To Be Determined (Capital)
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MTA Backs Off Plan To Remove Homeless From Subways (DNAinfo)
>As a result of a class action lawsuit, the state agreed yesterday to curtail the use of solitary confinement. New York's prison system will become the largest in the nation to ban the use of solitary confinement to punish minors; it will prohibit the use of confinement as punishment for pregnant inmates; and the punishment will be limited to 30 days for the developmentally disabled. The agreement also imposes sentencing guidelines and maximum lengths for different infractions for all prisoners. On average, about 3,800 prisoners are in solitary confinement every day for 22 or more hours for violating prison rules.
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City Comptroller Sounds Alarm Over Labor Contracts (Wall Street Journal)
De Blasio: ‘Height And Density’ Key To Affordable Housing (Daily News)
If Cuomo Wins Pre-K Battle, Will He Deliver? (Capital)
De Blasio Pitches Pre-K Tax Hike To Real Estate Executives (Crain's)
Pickpockets Look Forward To Lunar New Year (NY Times)
West Side Highway Reopens After Falling Ice From WTC (DNAinfo)
Dominican Voting Bloc Creates Battlegrounds In Harlem (Daily News)
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