Selected items posted on Blogs during the week ending June 13, 2025

Artificial Intelligence and the legal profession -- An item recently posted by  Rochester, New York attorney Nicole Black, indicates that the legal profession is falling behind with respect to artificial intelligence while other industries move ahead. Click to Read the whole entry 

New York State Has Fallen Behind in NG911, Audit Says New York State’s Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli places the situation on New York’s homeland security agency, and urges it to provide more guidance. NG911 is among the main drivers of the public safety technology industry. READ MORE  

How Trump's Drone Orders Will Impact State, Local Government New executive orders seek to boost the use of drones in public safety, mandate the use of AI to speed up the drone waiver process and provide funding opportunities to boost anti-drone tech access. READ MORE

Maryland Targets Tech for Hundreds of Millions in Savings Changes to procurement, cybersecurity and even "legacy" landlines will help the state save $250 million in the next five years, according to Gov. Wes Moore. It’s all part of his modernization plan. READ MORE 

Feds Release BEAD Program Rules After Months of Review Federal officials have unveiled widely anticipated revisions regarding the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. States had paused some activities in anticipation of the changes. READ MORE

Information of Nearly 300,000 Compromised in TxDOT Breach Personal data from more than a quarter-million Texas Department of Transportation reports was accessed improperly through a compromised account. It originated in Crash Records Information System documents. READ MORE

Elevating Government: New IT, New Strategies, New Efficiencies Join us for this dynamic virtual summit designed specifically for government and education leaders who are ready to modernize operations, enhance service delivery, and build resilience for the future. WATCH NOW  

Keeping Mission-Critical Data Accurate, Reliable, and AI-Ready Watch this webinar to learn how to break down the essentials of data integrity--what it is, why it matters, and how automated solutions can help ensure your data remains mission-ready. WATCH NOW 

Defending Today's Government Workforce Against Cyber Threats Learn how to protect your workforce and maximize limited cybersecurity resources against growing threats. WATCH NOW

Selected press releases posted on the Internet by the New York State Comptroller's Press office during the week ending June 13, 2025

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Analysis of Enacted State Budget The Enacted Budget for State Fiscal Year 2025-26 is projected to total $254 billion, a 5.2% increase in spending at a time when new federal actions on funding and policy may change the relationship between the federal government and states. Actions that have already occurred at the federal level, paired with potential Congressional action, may mean that in the upcoming months New York will see challenges to the recently Enacted State Budget, according to a report by Comptroller DiNapoli. “The stakes are high for New York if the cuts being discussed in Washington occur,” DiNapoli said. “The state needs to do what it can to stabilize finances, build reserve funds, focus on efficient service delivery and develop a strategy for how to contend with federal changes. The final budget had some measures built into help navigate this uncertainty, but the state needs to do what it can to prepare in a transparent manner before our options are even more limited.” Read More NYC’s Finances Benefiting From Better Than Expected Revenues Stronger than anticipated revenues and lower costs for asylum seekers will help New York City balance its $118 billion fiscal year 2026 budget, according to a report by Comptroller DiNapoli. However, potential fiscal challenges are emerging, including continued uncertainty regarding federal policy and economic conditions, and fiscal risks from anticipated federal budget cuts. These challenges could limit the city’s potential revenue upside and make it harder to continue to fund recent spending additions for discretionary programs and maintain services. “New York City’s fiscal outlook has improved since January as revenues have surpassed the city’s expectations, supported by the financial industry’s strong performance,” DiNapoli said. “But the economic conditions that drove higher revenues may be softening and local fiscal pressures could be exacerbated by decisions made at the federal and state levels. Boosting budget contingencies and setting money aside in its Rainy Day Fund would help the city manage fiscal challenges that may arise and help mitigate the impact to public services.” Read More

Physical and Financial Conditions at Selected Mitchell-Lama Developments in New York City (Follow-Up) Comptroller DiNapoli released a follow-up report on the physical and financial conditions of selected Mitchell-Lama developments in New York City. This report assesses the extent to which previous recommendations to protect residents' health and safety and ensure proper use of funds have been implemented. Read More

Concerning professional disciplinary proceedings conducted by the New York State Department of Education's Office of Professional Discipline

Citing Matter of St. Hill v New York State Bd. for Professional Med. Conduct, 166 AD3d 1092, the Appellate Division opined that there is no statute of limitations and the doctrine of laches does not apply to professional disciplinary proceedings conducted by the New York State Department of Education's Office of Professional Discipline [OPD]."

With respect to satisfying a minimum number of members on a OPD disciplinary panel required to satisfy a quorum for the transaction of business, §6510[3][b] of the Education Law prescribes the specific composition of members to serve on an OPD hearing panel to conduct a professional disciplinary proceeding.

Observing that it was undisputed that relevant ODP panel was otherwise authorized by statute to conduct the underlying investigation and to hold the professional disciplinary proceedings at issue, the Appellate Division concluded that Supreme Court correctly determined that the granting of Petitioners' petition seeking the extraordinary remedy of a writ of prohibition was not warranted.

Click HERE to access the Appellate Division's decision posted on the Internet.

Federalizing the National Guard and domestic use of the military

On February 21, 2024, Just Security, a non-profit, daily digital law and policy journal, published an article by William C. Banks, a Syracuse University College of Law Board of Advisors Distinguished Professor and Founding Director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism, focusing the federalizing of units of a state's national guard and the domestic use of military personnel in the United States.

Click HERE to access Professor Banks' article posted on the Internet.

A three-year collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the State University of New York Graduate Students Union Local 1104 and the State University of New York ratified

On June 11, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the ratification of a three-year collective bargaining agreement by members of the Communications Workers of America/Graduate Student Employees Union, Local 1104 (GSEU) and the State University of New York. 

The GSEU includes more than 4,500 teaching assistants and graduate assistants who are pursuing advanced degrees at campuses within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Members of the GSEU are employed assisting SUNY faculty and administrators in a variety of teaching, research and administrative activities. The agreement, which runs until July 1, 2026, won the overwhelming approval of the unit members who cast ballots.

“This labor agreement with the Communications Workers of America and the Graduate Student Employees Union reflects our commitment to affordability and higher education,” Governor Hochul said. “I appreciate the partnership of the union leadership throughout negotiations and thank its membership for their commitment to furthering the educational experience at our SUNY campuses across New York State.”

The ratified contract includes compensation increases in each year of the agreement, as well as increases to the minimum stipend paid to unit members. In addition, the contract includes a lump sum bonus in the last year of the agreement and increases to labor/management funds for each year as well.

Communications Workers of America Union 1104 Executive Vice President for Education Andrew Dobbyn said, “GSEU is pleased to reach this agreement with Governor Hochul’s administration. This contract will improve the lives of thousands of Graduate Assistants, both economically and non-economically, who provide the vital instruction and research that makes SUNY run.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY’s graduate student employees serve our campuses through teaching, research, and so much more as they earn their degrees, and this contract is a well-deserved and responsible reflection of the important role graduate student employees play. We are grateful for the commitment of the Governor’s office, the NYS Office of Employee Relations, and the Graduate Student Employees Union to work together toward this agreement.”