Cuomo's State Of The State: Vaccinations, Marijuana, Betting

NEW YORK — New York must rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his State of the State address Monday unveiled a seven-point plan he said will lift the state up after some of its darkest days.

"We will win this war," Cuomo said.

He said his top priorities include continuing the rollout of coronavirus vaccinations, ensuring hospitals do not become overwhelmed, and dealing with the economic crisis wrought by the pandemic.

"We were decimated by this virus," he said. "That can never happen again."

He said a focus on infrastructure will help create new jobs and serve as a boon to the economy.

Cuomo in his address pushed for the legalization of recreational marijuana and online betting, green energy, the fight against racial injustice, and health care initiatives. Cuomo said he will follow his broad-strokes address Monday with a series of talks focused on specific points.

For all the negatives and disruption the coronavirus has caused, there are opportunities, he said.

"We see the risk and peril but also possibility and potential," he said.

He proposed the Medical Supplies Act, which would prioritize the purchase of American-made personal protective equipment and create local jobs. He said the state must be prepared — when the pandemic arrived last spring, there was a shortage of personal protective equipment.

The governor proposed telehealth legislation that would address reimbursement incentives, eliminate prohibitions on telehealth delivery, and remove location requirements. He said he will focus on making vaccines accessible to Black, Hispanic and poor communities. He proposed the New York State Public Health Corps, comprised of 1,000 people recruited for administering vaccines, and a free public health training program for citizens.

He proposed a rapid coronavirus testing network and pointed to the success of the Buffalo Bills, who welcomed fans back to their stadium Sunday thanks to virus tests.

Cuomo again called out the federal government for assistance as the state deals with a $15 billion revenue hole.

"Washington has relentlessly abused this state, providing the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rate in the nation, starving infrastructure funding, and curtailing the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which raised New Yorkers' taxes and starved New York of $30 billion over three years," he said. "After all of this, New York cannot also afford to pay the bill for the federal government's incompetence."

Legalization of recreational marijuana and online betting

Cuomo proposed a new Office of Cannabis Management to oversee a possible recreational cannabis program. The office would also oversee the state's existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs. Legalizing recreational marijuana would mean 60,000 new jobs, $3.5 billion in economic activity, and more than $300 million in tax revenue, he said.

The governor said legalizing online sports betting would also generate millions of dollars in tax revenue.

"At a time when New York faces a historic budget deficit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current online sports wagering structure incentivizes a large segment of New York residents to travel out of state to make online sports wagers or continue to patronize black markets," Cuomo said. "New York has the potential to be the largest sports wagering market in the United States, and by legalizing online sports betting we aim to keep millions of dollars in revenue here at home, which will only strengthen our ability to rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis."

Police reform
Cuomo reminded all municipalities they must engage in police reform efforts by April 1 or lose state funding. He said police reform is critical to facilitate trust between law enforcement and the community.

Child care

Cuomo said the state will invest $40 million to reduce the burden of parent subsidy co-pays for child care, helping about 32,000 families. The state will invest $6 million for start-up grants to create programs in child care deserts and increase the value of the New York State Employer-Provided Child Care Credit by expanding the amount a business can claim for qualified child care expenditures to up to $500,000 per year.

Domestic violence

Cuomo announced a new series of initiatives to combat domestic violence and gender-based violence, including a proposal allowing courts to require abusers to pay for damages to housing units, moving expenses and other housing costs. Other proposals would create a domestic violence misdemeanor label to close a loophole and ensure abusers convicted of misdemeanors cannot obtain weapons.

Rent and mortgage relief

Cuomo said he will sign legislation banning fees for late and missed rent payments during the pandemic and allow renters to use their security deposits as immediate repayment through May 1. A statewide moratorium on commercial evictions 1 will also remain for commercial tenants through May 1.

Elimination of health care premiums for low-income residents

Monthly premiums for more than 400,000 New Yorkers will be eliminated, saving families nearly $100 million per year in premiums and enrolling 100,000 New Yorkers who are currently uninsured, Cuomo said.

Election reform

Cuomo called for procedures to expedite vote counting and expand access to early voting, as well as allowing more time for voters to request absentee ballots.

Utilization of vacant commercial space for affordable housing

The governor announced plans for legislation to create a five-year period during which property owners can convert office buildings and hotels in the Manhattan central business district for residential use. He has also vowed to provide safe homeless shelters.

In sum, Cuomo challenged New Yorkers to reimagine, rebuild and renew. "We can't — only if we believe we can't," he said. "That is what we mean when we say New York tough.