Karen DeWitt

Albany, NY —

President Barack Obama and Congress do not agree on a way to increase the federal debt ceiling, the default could affect New York State in a number of ways — from a weakened state pension fund to significant gaps in the state budget, the state's comptroller warned.

Same-sex marriage opponents are suing to overturn the law in New York a day after gay weddings began in the state. The suit, filed by the evangelical Christian lobby group New Yorker...

The New York Senate has sent the same-sex marriage bill to the floor for a vote after days of closed-door meetings in legislative overtime. WATCH LIVE: STREAMING VIDEO FROM NY SENAT...

Senate Republicans ended another marathon session late Thursday without taking up the issue of same-sex marriage, which has been languishing in legislative overtime in Albany for days.

Albany, NY —

A vote in the state Senate on gay marriage is not expected until next week, as Republicans, who hold the majority in that house, wrangle with concerns over greater protections for religious organizations.

The Republican majority in New York's state Senate met privately in Albany Wednesday to discuss how they want to proceed on the gay marriage bill, including whether or when to hold a vote. The closed-door session stretched over four hours, and at the end, Majority Leader Dean Skelos emerged to say they haven't decided yet how to proceed.

A bill on gay marriage in New York is close to being introduced with one Republican senator pledging support and the minority leader saying he will not try to sway GOP voters, New York could become the seventh state to allow same-sex marriage, and prominent New Yorkers are weighing in on the contentious legislation.

Standing alongside Gov. Andrew Cuomo, three Democratic senators announced Monday that they would support gay marriage, reversing their position from two years earlier. Shortly thereafter, Republican Jim Alesi indicated that he is also prepared to vote "yes." That means the bill needs just two more supporters in the Republican-led state Senate to become law in New York.

It's the final week of the New York State legislative session. With many major agreements still outstanding, including a property tax cap and gay marriage, the leader of the Senate says it will be an "exciting" one.

Albany, NY —

Mayor Mike Bloomberg is the latest elected official to lobby Republicans in the New York State Senate to pass a bill to legalize gay marriage. Bloomberg said he told GOP senators who have been leaning against voting for same-sex marriage that, in the end, they will be on the wrong side of history if they do not change their minds and vote yes this session.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is wrapping up the first week of his statewide tour to tout his legislative agenda and taunt the legislature.  With stops in Syracuse and Buffalo so far, Cuomo has been talking up his agenda for a property tax cap, ethics reform and gay marriage while dressing down the legislature and the Capitol’s political culture.

New York's Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy told a major gay marriage rally at the State Capitol that his boss, Governor Andrew Cuomo, remains committed to the issue.

Advocates for same-sex marriage in New York got a boost from more than 700 members of the clergy, as Governor Cuomo says he’s optimistic that a marriage equality bill can become law this year.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced grants for the four State University Centers in New York. The schools will compete for a total of $140 million dollars for what Cuomo says will be “seed money” for plans to expand the centers and create jobs.

The State Senate held a panel discussion with major health care stakeholders, on how New York will implement the federal health care reforms proposed by President Obama and passed by Congress.

The federal health care reform act requires states to set up health care exchanges to give the uninsured access to the health care that they will be required to buy when the new law takes effect in 2014.

College students from around the state concerned about the natural gas extraction process known as hydro fracking presented Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office with petitions to study the practice more carefully.

Governor Cuomo may have achieved an on-time budget for only the third time in 25 years, but there is one April 1 deadline that he missed.

 

Former New York city Mayor Ed Koch launched robocall attacks on state legislators, many of them Senate Republicans, whom Koch says have violated a pledge they signed to back non-par...

Governor Andrew Cuomo has settled his first union contract with the prison guards union, which includes benefit and pay concessions.

Senate Democrats, including Senator Liz Krueger of Manhattan, are calling for public hearings next month on several ethics reform proposals that they say need to be passed this session.