Hochul meets the Pope, and the Grieving Families Act is back
Plus: Hochul nominees are confirmed and Thursday Reads are here.
Good afternoon — it’s Thursday, and National Barbecue Day.
THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2024
TODAY’S CAPCON:
Hochul meets the Pope and talks climate in Vatican City
The wrongful death bill (aka the Grieving Families Act) is back with amendments
N.Y.’s ethics agency is carving a path to the state’s top court
Hochul nominees confirmed, others still waiting
Thursday Reads 📖
🔨 Is Tomorrow a Session Day? No.
🌷 Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Mostly cloudy, mid-50s. New York City: Chance of showers, high 50s. (National Weather Service)
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⛪ In Rome, Hochul meets the Pope
🤝 She also delivered a speech on efforts to combat climate change.
Hochul’s journey to Europe included a greeting from Pope Francis. I don’t want to speak for the governor, but I imagine that was a very special moment for her as a Catholic.
Bill Hochul, her husband, joined her on the trip, a photo from the governor’s office shows.
And she got a chance to hang out with California Gov. Gavin NEWSOM and Massachusetts Gov. Maura HEALEY, fellow Democrats.
Hochul then delivered a speech at the Pope’s three-day climate change summit, highlighting the state’s challenges while looking to the future.
“Those who are the climate refugees (due to) local circumstances, environmental challenges that are driving people from their homes because they can no longer sustain themselves in the agricultural jobs that were once there for them — that's not their fault,” she said. “We have to help them.”
🔥 Back home, though, environmental advocates from the Capital Region said Hochul was hypocritical for speaking about climate change while the state Capitol itself still relies on energy from fossil fuels.
“Decarbonizing the Capitol Complex is the right thing to do to address the climate crisis and is required by our state’s (climate law),” said Ruth Foster, a co-chair of SHARE, a coalition of local residents.
On Friday, Hochul flies to Ireland, where she’s scheduled to meet with leaders there and speak at the first-ever Global Economic Summit.
She’s the only governor from the U.S. scheduled to speak.
⚖️ The wrongful death bill is back for a third year. What’s different?
🖋️ The bill, which would allow families to seek more in damages in wrongful death lawsuits, has been vetoed by Hochul twice.
Democrats who control the Legislature have tried for the past two years to create a new law that would allow families to seek damages for emotional loss in wrongful death lawsuits.
Current law restricts families to seeking damages related to their loved one’s financial worth, like the income they would’ve made if they were still alive.
It has been sponsored by Sen. Brad HOYLMAN-SIGAL and Assemblywoman Helene WEINSTEIN, both of whom are influential members of their respective chambers.
It’s also called the Grieving Families Act.
And it cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.
Despite passing the Legislature with near-unanimous support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Hochul vetoed it in 2022 and ‘23.
It turns out that she was under a lot of pressure from different groups to sink the bill, as I wrote in February.
Opponents included New York City Mayor Eric ADAMS, other municipal leaders across the state, insurance companies, health care facilities, and more.
They argued the bill would be costly because they could potentially have to shell out more money if they’re the target of a wrongful death suit.
🥊 But it’s now round three — an amended version of the bill was introduced by its sponsors this week in hopes of passing it before the end of this year’s legislative session.
The clock is ticking. There are only 11 session days left after Thursday.
So, what’s different? I compared last year’s bill with the newly amended one so you don’t have to.
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