Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MARCH 26, 2022

 845 Hospitalizations - Under 1,000 for More Than a Week

14 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

“Our battle with COVID-19 isn’t over yet — we must remain vigilant," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is the tool that will move us forward safely through the pandemic. If you’re eligible, get boosted today to ensure you have the best protection possible against this virus, and consult your child’s pediatrician about vaccinating them as well.”

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Test Results Reported – 133,894
• Total Positive – 3,117
• Percent Positive – 2.33%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 2.20%
• Patient Hospitalization – 845 (-24)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 133
• Patients in ICU – 143 (+4)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 62 (-3)
• Total Discharges – 290,121 (+151)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 14
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 55,089 

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 70,107

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.      

• Total vaccine doses administered – 37,390,979
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 14,112
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 90,108
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 92.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 83.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 86.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 82.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 72.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 81.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 73.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 89.5% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 76.1%

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:  

BOROUGH	Wednesday, March 23, 2022	Thursday, March 24, 2022	Friday, March 25, 2022
Bronx	0.74%	0.79%	0.79%
Brooklyn	1.37%	1.49%	1.54%
Manhattan	2.12%	2.27%	2.34%
Queens	1.19%	1.27%	1.36%
Staten Island	1.30%	1.42%	1.56%

Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 3/21/22-3/25/22

 

I am excited to share that I was featured in a Vice News episode about my bill, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (S7428). The episode provides a deep dive on the detrimental environmental and labor impacts of the fashion industry, and illustrates how my bill aims to reduce these harms and hold the fashion industry accountable in a transformative way.

Watch the episode here. 

This historic bill would require fashion retailers and manufacturers that conduct business in New York to map their supply chains, disclose environmental and social impacts, and set targets in accordance with Science Based Targets— regulating the fashion industry in a way that’s never been done before in the US. Companies that do not comply with regulations would be fined, and the revenues would be used to fund environmental justice projects in New York. Ultimately, this bill will allow us to build a sustainable, thriving fashion industry that prioritizes people and the planet over profits. 

To learn more about the Fashion Act or get involved with our coalition, visit our website here. 

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

NYGOP Chairman Langworthy Files FOIL Request Into Hochul Administration on All Communication Related to Bail Reform

 

Hochul is Talking Out of Both Sides of Her Mouth & Voters Have a Right to Know What She is Saying Behind Closed Doors

 New York Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request into Governor Hochul’s administration on all communications related to bail reform. 

Chairman Langworthy announced the FOIL at a press conference in front of the state capitol Friday morning. The link to the request can be found here and the link to the video of the press conference can be found here. 

The request was filed on all staff in the executive chamber, including the governor, the lieutenant governor, the secretary to the governor, chief counsel, and legislative affairs. All forms of communication, including emails, texts, and phone records have been requested from January 1, 2022, through March 23, 2022. 

Both Governor Hochul and her Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin have been dodging the press and refusing to answer any questions on their position. 

“Kathy Hochul was part of the administration that made bail reform law and she has been firmly in support of it every step of the way. Now that she realizes she has a political problem, she’s trying to do damage control while continuing to cater to the radical left behind closed doors. We filed this FOIL request on behalf of the 20 million New Yorkers who deserve to know what their governor is saying and we are going to expose her for the phony she is.” 

Fourth Largest Pension System in the U.S. Votes To Divest From Russia

 

Following a Vote by the NYC Fire Pension Fund, Trustees Announce Unified Action by the New York City Retirement System To Divest as Russian Invasion Heads Into Second Month

 Following a vote by the trustees of the New York City Fire Pension Fund, Comptroller Brad Lander and Mayor Eric Adams announced that the entire New York City Retirement System is moving forward to divest from Russian securities. 

The NYC Fire Pension Fund serves approximately 28,000 active members and retirees. The Fund held $19.5 million in Russian securities at the close of business on February 25. Today’s trustee vote follows the Board of Education Retirement System’s (BERS) vote on March 15. At close of business on February 25, BERS held $3.1 million in Russian Securities. The full resolution approved by the New York City Fire Pension Fund is available here.

 

The five pension systems that make up the New York City Retirement System are governed by five separate boards that vote on investment decisions. Comptroller Lander brought a resolution urging divestment from Russian securities to the boards, which met and voted over the course of the last three weeks, starting with the New York City Police Pension Fund (PPF) on March 1. That vote was followed by the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS) on March 2, the Teachers’ Retirement System on March 3, and the Board of Education Retirement System (BERS) on March 15. The five pension funds held a total of $185.9 million in Russian securities at the close of business on February 25, the last day of open business for trading on the Russian stock market.

“The rallying cry for peace in Ukraine has reverberated globally as millions of people are displaced and families torn apart. The New York City Retirement Systems have taken bold, unified action to express solidarity with those under attack in Ukraine and to protect the long-term value of their portfolio as additional sanctions are placed on Russia. New York City continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, and we hope that the global effort to hold the Russian government accountable for their abhorrent actions accelerates a path toward peace as soon as possible,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

 

“Freedom cannot be denied, here or anywhere. That’s why I stand in support of efforts to divest the city’s pension funds from Russian assets in light of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine — an unprovoked and unjustified war,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This is not about penalizing the Russian people, but about holding President Putin and his government accountable for violating a nation’s sovereignty and inflicting widespread suffering on its people. Our administration is committed to standing with Ukrainians and refugees here and abroad while doing all we can to advance peace, in collaboration with the community and our federal partners.”

 

“I applaud the New York City Fire Department Pension Board for their vote to divest their funds from Russian securities. This decision by the Board is not a statement against a group of people; it is a statement against an unjust war. The hearts of FDNY members are with the innocent lives still in grave danger and the first responders bravely risking their lives to save others as their homeland is attacked,” said Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.

 

“The Uniformed Fire Officers Association joins with our partners in organized labor to stand with the people of Ukraine. New York, and the United States, is the melting pot of the world, where individuals of all backgrounds, races, creeds, and ethnicities may live free. Now is the time to reflect these principles in word and in action, and stand up to Russia, which has done unspeakable harm to thousands of innocent civilians, in an attempt to strip a population of its freedom and sovereignty. Russia’s actions must have consequences and we join with many others in divesting from Russian investments, in the name of human rights,” said James McCarthy, President of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.

 

The full list of trustees of the New York City Retirement Systems are as follows:

 

New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS): New York City Comptroller Brad Lander; Mayor Eric Adams’ Representative; New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams; Borough Presidents: Mark Levine (Manhattan), Donovan Richards (Queens), Antonio Reynoso (Brooklyn), Vito Fossella (Staten Island), and Vanessa L. Gibson (Bronx); Henry Garrido, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; Tony Utano, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; and Gregory Floyd, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.   

 

Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS): New York City Comptroller Brad Lander; Mayor Eric Adams’ Appointee; Chancellor’s Representative, Lindsey Oates, New York City Department of Education; and Debra Penny (Chair), Thomas Brown and David Kazansky, all of the United Federation of Teachers.  

 

New York City Police Pension Fund (PPF): New York City Comptroller Brad Lander; Mayor Eric Adams’ Representative; New York City Finance Commissioner Preston Niblack; New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell (Chair); Chris Monahan, Captains Endowment Association; Louis Turco, Lieutenants Benevolent Association; Vincent Vallelong, Sergeants Benevolent Association; Paul DiGiacomo, Detectives Endowment Association; and Patrick Lynch, John Puglissi, Joseph Alejandro, and Thomas Gilmore, all of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.  

 

New York City Fire Pension Fund (Fire): New York City Comptroller Brad Lander; Mayor Eric Adams’ Representative; Acting New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh (Chair); New York City Finance Commissioner Preston Niblack; Andrew Ansbro, President, Robert Eustace, Vice President, Edward Brown, Treasurer, and Eric Bischoff, Staten Island Representative and Chair, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York; Liam Guilfoyle, Captains’ Rep.; Paul Mannix, Chiefs’ Rep., and Christopher Jensen, Lieutenants’ Rep., Uniformed Fire Officers Association; and Peter Devita, Marine Engineers Association.

 

Board of Education Retirement System (BERS): Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, Represented by Lindsey Oates; Mayoral: Tom Allon, Vasthi Acosta, Gregory Faulkner, Dr. Angela Green, Anthony Lopez, Alan Ong, Gladys Ward, Karina Tavera; Thomas Sheppard (CEC); Geneal Chacon (Bronx), Tazin Azad (Brooklyn), Kaliris Salas-Ramirez (Manhattan), Jaclyn Tacoronte (Staten Island), and Deborah Dillingham (Queens); and employee members John Maderich of the IUOE Local 891 and Donald Nesbit of District Council 37, Local 372.