Dear Neighbor,

Happy (belated) Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year to all!

Below you will find governmental updates, recent actions by the Trump Administration impacting New Yorkers, and upcoming events and other useful information affecting our district.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please email or call my office at [email protected] or 212-490-9535. Please note: my office will be closed for the holidays starting Wednesday, December 24th, reopening on Monday, January 5th.

Liz Krueger

State Senator

What's In This Newsletter?

Governmental Updates:

• Update on Trump Administration Impacts
• Governor Hochul Signs 100-ft Rule Repeal
• Bills Governor Hochul Acted On This Month
• Bill to Create Protest Buffer Zones Near Houses of Worship and Reproductive Healthcare Facilities
• Supporters Rally for Plug-In Solar
• Senator Krueger’s Virtual Older Adult Roundtable on the Impact of Federal Funding Cuts on Benefits

Community Updates:

• DOROT's Winter Package Deliver
• WCS Youth Jobs, Internships & Volunteer Expo
• Community Service Society of New York’s AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program
• DCAS Civil Service Pathways Fellowship

Update on Trump Administration Impacts

Below is a very small sample of actions the Trump Administration has taken that have had concrete, negative impacts on New Yorkers. Click on the links for more details. Here is some of what the Administration has been up to:

• Due to the failure of Congress to renew the expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies in this summer's budget bill, H.R. 1, those subsidies will expire on January 1st, leading to massive premium increases for millions of Americans. Economist Paul Krugman has a good, short discussion of the issue here, in which he points out that prices will go up in two ways - first, the loss of the subsidy, and second, an increase in premiums as healthy people forego unaffordable coverage, thereby worsening the risk pool. The charts below from KFF show that this will hit older, middle-income Americans the hardest. The numbers along the bottom are annual income, and the bars show annual cost increases resulting from the removal of subsidies combined with premium increases. Among other things, it shows that a 60-year old couple making $85,000 a year will see their premiums increase by a staggering $22,635:

• In addition to ACA premium increase, a recent report from the State Comptroller estimates that almost one million New York City residents will lose health coverage through Medicaid or the state's Essential Plan as a result of changes in H.R.1.

• Late last month, RFK Jr.'s CDC turned off the vaccine finder tool at vaccines.gov. This came after the CDC had previously removed language explaining that "vaccines can help you stay healthy," and made cuts to the site's FAQ section that promoted vaccination. The CDC claims the vaccine finder tool is down for site maintenance, but as of this writing almost a month after it was reported, the tool remains unusable.

• At the same time that President Trump has been falsely claiming that the president of Venezuela is the head of a massive drug-running conspiracy called the "Cartel of the Suns," the president announced he would pardon the former president of Honduras who was just convicted of running "a vast trafficking conspiracy," that "flooded America with cocaine."

• President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are threatening to fully cut federal funding for HIV prevention, at a time when new infections are rising in New York City.

• The Administration is cutting more than $800 million in anti-violence grants nationwide, including $60 million to community organizations based in New York City working to reduce gun violence, help crime victims, and counsel at-risk young people.

• President Trump has decided to Make Driving More Expensive Again by directing the Department of Transportation to significantly weaken fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. In addition to the fact that combustion vehicles are more expensive to own and maintain than EVs, reducing mileage standards will mean drivers will have to buy gas more frequently, and the gas itself will be more expensive when they do. The changes will also more or less guarantee that American car-makers will surrender the future to China.

• In a move straight out of the authoritarian sycophant's playbook, the National Park Service will make park admission free on Donald Trump's birthday, but eliminate the current free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth.

• Last week, in his primetime television address, President Trump promised to deliver $1,776 "warrior dividend" bonuses to members of the armed forces, which he would pay for using revenue raised from his tariffs. It turns out that was a lie, and that the money will actually be redirected from funds appropriated by Congress to supplement the military's basic housing allowance - in other words, money that was already going to the troops. For a full fact-check of the president's speech, click here.

• The Trump Administration has announced that it will be dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a leading global research center established in 1960. As Bill McKibben put it: "There’s no question about why the administration is doing what it’s doing. Project 2025 enforcer Russell Vought explained it quite succinctly—NCAR must go because it is 'one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.' This is stupid—it’s like closing the fire department because it’s a source of 'fire alarmism'—but it’s by now an entirely recognizable form of stupid. And it’s also sly: it’s like spray painting over the surveillance cameras so you can rob the bank without anyone watching. But of course nothing changes with the underlying physics."

During these challenging times, acts of nonviolent resistance that are taking place throughout the U.S. provide hope:

• DOJ vowed to punish those who disrupt Trump’s immigration crackdown. Dozens of cases have crumbled
• Faith leaders chain themselves to ICE headquarters in San Francisco protest
• Immigration Agents and Protesters Face Off in Frigid Minnesota
• Judge orders Trump to end National Guard troop deployment in Los Angeles
• Rally at Vancouver City Hall protests ICE's alleged assault on local resident
• Student-led ICE protests erupt across Washington County amid enforcement crackdowns
• Anti-Trump protests sweep the country as his approval rating sinks to new lows
• Protests disrupt City Council as ICE crackdown continues

The following articles address the current path toward authoritarianism in the U.S., the impact on global autocracy, and some predictors of a resistance movement’s victory:

• Growing transphobia and authoritarianism go hand in hand – they must be resisted
• A Green Light for Authoritarianism: How the Trump Administration Fuels Global Autocracy
• The Harvard Professor Who Quantified Democracy

Governor Hochul Signs 100-ft Rule Repeal

On Friday, Governor Hochul signed my bill to repeal the so-called "100-ft rule" mandatory gas expansion subsidy, giving New Yorkers a $600 million Christmas present. This is a massive win for New York’s gas customers, and for clean air and a livable climate. In recent years, the 100-ft rule has forced all ratepayers to subsidize gas hookups for new customers and a tidy profit for utility shareholders, at a cost of $600 million every year, which compounds many times as it is paid off on gas bills for years down the road. Although the governor negotiated a one-year delay on implementation, nonetheless a significant burden on New Yorkers will now be lifted.

The 100-foot rule repeal is an important step, but there is much more that New York can and must do to maximize the synergy between climate progress and affordability. In addition to repealing the 100-foot rule, programs like Cap & Invest, the All-Electric New Buildings Law, supporting adoption of distributed solar, reforming utility regulations, and reining in energy-guzzling data centers are critical affordability measures that we can't afford to delay. The dirty and outdated fossil-fueled status quo is driving the affordability crisis and the climate breakdown; it’s time to fully implement these critical policies and investments that will bring down New Yorkers' utility costs while at the same time meeting our reality-based climate targets.

Bills Governor Hochul Acted On This Month

This month, Governor Hochul has taken action on the final eight of my bills that passed both houses of the Legislature, including the 100-ft rule repeal mentioned above.

Bills that were signed:

• S.1261, allowing for no-fault separation in the same way the no-fault divorce is permitted.

• S.4323, the Uniform Special Deposits Act, which clarifies rules around a common banking transaction known as a "special deposit."

• S.8408, which closes a loophole in law that has allowed certain types of business entities requiring a license under Banking Law and Financial Services Law to avoid penalties that apply to licensed entities simply by not having a license at all.

Bills that were vetoed:

• S.3437, which would have prohibited the establishment of new, for-profit hospices. Click here to read my statement on the veto.

• S.929, the NY Health Information Privacy Act, which would have protected New Yorkers from having their private health information sold to third-parties by apps, social media platforms, and other technologies not subject to federal HIPAA rules. Click here to read my statement on the veto.

• S.590, which would have prevented the Mayor of New York City from using his or her own charter commission to "bump" charter recommendations added by the City Council or by citizen petitions off the ballot.

• S.700, which would have exempted low-income tax-debtors from drivers license suspension provisions.

Bill to Create Protest Buffer Zones Near Houses of Worship and Reproductive Healthcare Facilities

Earlier this month I joined my colleagues Senator Sam Sutton and Assembly Member Micah Lasher in introducing legislation, S.8599, to create buffer zones around houses of worship and reproductive healthcare facilities, requiring any protests or demonstrations to give 25 ft of clearance. The bill updates an existing law related to interference with health care services and access to places of worship, and was introduced in response to events that occurred at the Park East Synagogue in late November.

Freedom of speech and of religion are bedrock principles of American democracy, and both have equal claim to protection under our laws. When they appear to be in conflict, it requires careful consideration and thoughtful compromise. People have a right to protest, which includes saying things that some find objectionable and even making people feel uncomfortable. But that right does not extend to causing a reasonable person to fear for their immediate physical safety or preventing them from exercising their religious freedom as they see fit, including entering a house of worship. This bill strikes the right balance and provides clarity that will protect both protesters and those entering and exiting houses of worship, without unduly infringing on free speech.

Supporters Rally for Plug-In Solar

Earlier this month I joined Assemblymember Emily Gallagher and a coalition of local community organizations, nonprofits, and clean energy advocates to announce the launch of a campaign to pass legislation enabling plug-in solar in New York. The Solar Up Now New York (SUNNY) Act (S.8512) would unlock access to affordable solar power for millions of New Yorkers who cannot install rooftop solar—because they are renters, apartment dwellers, or can’t afford the upfront cost—by removing regulatory barriers to small scale plug-in or “balcony” solar units. 

This legislation would allow consumers to buy a UL certified solar system and plug it into a standard wall outlet. The effort would make New York one of the first states in the nation to enact plug-in solar following Utah, which earlier this year passed plug-in solar legislation with unanimous bipartisan support. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Vermont have announced that they will also introduce plug-in solar legislation.  

Currently, New York’s rules for connecting home electricity generation to the grid were designed for larger rooftop and backyard solar systems, and are unnecessarily complex and costly for these small-scale, portable plug-in systems. The SUNNY Act would exempt small-scale, plug-in solar from onerous requirements to have utility interconnection agreements. It would also ensure clear safety standards, so that all systems meet national benchmarks like those from Underwriters Laboratories (UL). And it would require the state Code Council to optimize New York’s Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code for broad plug-in solar adoption.

Plug-in solar breaks down the biggest barriers to solar adoption and can accommodate both owners and renters:

• Renters can set up systems on balconies or patios without altering their building, and can take their systems with them when they move.
• Co-op and condo owners gain a personal, independent solution even without rooftop access.
• Homeowners with shaded or unsuitable roofs can still generate clean energy via their yards, patios, or balconies.

When placed in a sunny area, the panels produce electricity that flows into the home’s wiring, powering appliances and reducing the amount of electricity pulled from the grid – lowering monthly bills and carbon emissions.

Plug-in solar is a powerful tool to deliver enhanced energy independence and affordability to millions of New Yorkers who are currently shut out of the solar economy. These tiny tweaks to our current laws around interconnection and net metering can be a game-changer for renters, low-income New Yorkers, and many others who can't install rooftop solar. Mass adoption of plug-in solar could also reduce demand on the grid, saving all ratepayers money by avoiding the need for costly grid upgrades. After all, the sunshine is free, so everyone should be able to benefit from it.

Senator Krueger’s

Virtual Older Adult Roundtable on the

Impact of Federal Funding Cuts on Benefits

Last week I held my fourth and final session of this year's Virtual Older Adult Roundtable Series. Session IV focused on the impact of federal funding cuts on benefits like SNAP and HEAP, as well as on the programs and services provided by older adult centers.

Although the series is geared toward older adults, this session in particular was relevant to everyone. The speakers, Jeremy Kaplan, Executive Director of Encore Community Services, and Kim Lerner, Director of the Benefits Outreach Program at LiveOn New York, provided an excellent presentation on how these cuts are not actually saving any money, but merely shifting costs, and how they are causing real hardship and crises for our neighbors.

You can view this session, and all my other virtual town halls, on my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@senatorlizkrueger.

DOROT's Winter Package Delivery

WCS Youth Jobs, Internships & Volunteer Expo

Community Service Society of New York’s

AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program

DCAS Civil Service Pathways Fellowship