ALBANY, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul wrapped up her third State of the State Address in Albany Tuesday afternoon. Hochul's speech covered a lot of topics. She previewed most of them over the past week.
When it comes to crime, Governor Hochul mentioned that shootings are down by a third across the state. But she also wants to focus on fighting retail crime saying, "The chaos must end."
To do that, Governor Hochul is proposing several things including launching a dedicated New York State Police team to build cases against organized retail theft rings and starting a New York State Police Smash and Grab Enforcement Unit.
"We used this approach with illegal guns and it worked. I'm also proposing to help those business owners with a tax credit to help them cover the additional security costs, and I'll work with the legislature to strengthen penalties for assaulting a retail worker or fostering the sale of stolen goods online," said Gov. Kathy Hochul.
When it comes to mental health, the Governor focused part of her speech on expanding services for children and teens. She says high-quality care needs to be accessible and affordable.
Hochul wants the state to make investments to have mental health services available to every school-aged child.
She also says every school that wants a mental health clinic will get one and promises to hold social media companies accountable. Additionally, she plans on expanding mental health care for adults.
"Everyone can agree that healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy adults, but too many grow up without the support they need and pose a danger to themselves or others. That's why I'm proposing comprehensive reforms to our behavioral health system. Starting in 2024, we will require hospitals to screen patients with mental health conditions for risks like suicide, violence, substance abuse, and other complex needs," said Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Follow-up care will also have to be coordinated before a patient can leave the hospital.
Governor Hochul wants to protect seniors from debt collectors who manipulate them, stop predatory student loan lenders, establish regulations on the buy now pay later loan industry, protect low-income New Yorkers from being sued for medical debt, and increase paid disability leave.
"Disability leave has not been raised a penny in 35 years. What's the point of paying for this benefit your whole life if it only gives you a fraction of what you need to recover? We have to right this wrong and increase this benefit from a paltry $170 a week, which is what people get right now, to bring it up where it would have been adjusted for inflation - as much as $1,250. That's seven times more than it's been, and I say it's about time," said Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The Governor says these would be the biggest changes to consumer protection laws in the state since 1980.