I often say that the fight for democracy is the fight of our generation. But let me be clear, if you aren’t fighting for Black voting rights right now then you aren’t really fighting for democracy.

Removing I-81 viaduct in Syracuse is not just great for reconnecting the city and righting historical wrongs. It’s also bringing a huge environmental benefit through sewer separation. Yes, it will be a headache. But the results will be major. www.syracuse.com/news/2026/05...

Classic GOP: We’ll do what we should have done all along, but only if you accede to our power grab. Why on earth is “more housing” a legit partisan bargaining chip, in the county facing one of the biggest housing deficits int the country? www.syracuse.com/news/2026/05...

Happy May the Fourth! We're here in Albany fighting for funding in the budget for SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and for our watersheds and forest ecosystems.

#TaxBillionaires They'll be fine.

Why is the budget late?Because the details of policy matter. The administration’s original proposal was basically sketched on a napkin while our bill had years of stakeholder input. Negotiations can be a slog but they make a difference. gothamist.com/news/hochul-...

Time to fight for revenue raisers in the NYS budget.

It’s been really cold and wet in Russia and they’re unable to sow the usual early crops. “The Agriculture Ministry is not ruling out future hardships.”

I'm not fully versed on the CA Gov race, but this kind of advertising would speak to me if I was voting there. Positive with a dose of realism and a sprinkle of humility.

This week we voted to decouple NY's vaccine policy from federal ACIP. GOP senators warned if we abandon RFK Jr and QAnon as our health gurus, it would make our children vulnerable to entities like WHO and UNESCO. adding for good measure a Marxist health org and Sharia law. They are truly desperate.

Advanced Transmission and Grid Enhancing Technologies are good policy!

Happy Earth Day! Yesterday we passed 2 great solar bills: ASAP to reduce red tape for rooftop solar and expand our goal from 6gw to 20gw by 2035, and SUNNY for plug and play balcony solar. Here’s to more energy from the sun here in NY!

Passing Earth Day bill package in the NYSenate. So far, GOP is opposing subsidies for electric landscaping equipment and heat pumps, proper disposal of mercury thermostats, protections against poisonous cosmetics or lead pipes, and creation of a state composting program. How do they sleep at night?

Trolls can be so funny

Caught up with the amazing Robin Kimmerer at a tree planting event for protecting a local watershed. She's started a movement at plantbabyplant.com - check it out!

Just passed my bill for Advanced Transmission Technoloogies! This will push utilities to use the grid more efficiently and bring energy rates down. Of course the GOP voted Nay because... something, something battery storage ... too much regulation. Or. more likely, because the simply don't care.

I've been pushing the right to repair farm equipment in the NY legislature for years now. Under the settlement Deere must provide “the digital tools ​required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of tractors, combines, and other machinery for 10 years." www.thedrive.com/news/john-de...

A bit of sci-fi, a little free library, a reference to my neighbor Bruce Coville - gems all around. Looking forward to the next chapter! open.substack.com/pub/rogermis...

Cue POTUS declaring this a HUGE success because it brought domestic prices closer in line with imports. Who cares if absolutely everyone is worse off?

My friend Chris wins Best Protest Sign.

This is where we are. It is newsworthy that two - count them, 2! - Republicans can bring themselves to state the obvious. Otherwise the Grift Over Patriotism party just goes along with the insane Russian stooge they've canonized. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Feels like a good moment to re-up this classic. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q71X...

Because who needs enforcement of consumer protection laws or supervision of Big Finance? www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/u...

Housing committee today in NY Senate: GOP votes for unbridled rent increases, no subsidies for caregiver housing, and maximizing waste from construction. “We need more housing,” they chant, while rejecting anything that increases density or reduces restrictive codes. The nihilist party.

Ha ha ha ha ha! This was such a dumb fight for the airport to pick. www.syracuse.com/news/2026/03...

I said: Everyone point up at the sky and say “No Kings!” Then drop your hand down behind your head and thank your spine for standing up today. Keep it there a moment, to show Republicans how easy it is to find your spine, and how good it feels to use it.

This is a beautiful story about the power of showing up. I believe it made a difference to have so many of us on his zoom bond hearing; I deliberately identified myself as Senator in the zoom and maybe that swayed the judge a little bit, too. www.syracuse.com/news/2026/03...

Julius Caesar introduced a coin with his name, image, and the title DICT PERPETVO; dictator for life. It was created in February of 44 B.C. and stopped being minted in March of 44 B.C., for some reason.

My county exec is seeking developers for a Gen Z single family housing project @375K/unit, county pays for the infrastructure. All I can think is where’s the playground, can you walk to groceries, bike to work? And does Gen Z want this?

Big demo at the NYS Capitol today against any rollback of our climate protection law.

Your daily reminder that REPUBLICANS. DO. NOT. CARE. ABOUT. AFFORDABILITY. It's all ideology, spite, and super-sized profits for their fossil fuel donors. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

This is horrifying. Also a preview of what we’ll see at polling places nationwide if the SAVE Act passes.

Always an honor to be with these powerhouse women! With @newyorkstateag.bsky.social and Mayor Sharon Owens, two of my heroes. #SheShed

Awaiting the arrival of one of my constituents who was in ICE custody for 10 weeks.

Julie Tighe of NY League of Conservation Voters: Affordable clean energy is not the problem, it’s the solution

This is why I introduced the Stop Subsidizing Data Centers Act in the NY State Senate (S9182) www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/n...

Simple information about what the SAVE Act would actually do to American voters. Tens of millions would lose their right to vote unless they spend lots of $$$ and jump through bureaucratic hoops before November.

Judge at a virtual immigration bond hearing yesterday: How do I reconcile this habeas petition that was filed in NY with the fact that the petitioner is here in Louisiana? DOJ lawyer: Umm... give me 5 minutes. Defense lawyer: He was removed from NY a few days after we filed, probably in retaliation.

My comments on our NY Senate budget resolution.

I can so relate to this.

We heard a lot of powerful testimony last week about the depth and extent of fraud and scams in crypto and other fringe fintech enterprises here in NY. I'm with the banks on this one. (watch the hearing here: www.nysenate.gov/calendar/pub...) www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Great news for the Village of Marcellus: a $4.5M NY Forward Award. Thanks to the hard work of Mayor Clark and many others, this investment will support village improvements and help boost the local economy. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for investing in this community.

A Statement from the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Another white man failing upward. (Actually, does this even count as upward?)

In the SOTU Trump claimed gas prices were as low as $1.85, so by his logic, he own war has more than doubled the cost of gas. Ruh-roh. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/b...

Pass the Freedom to Read Act! NYS s8630/a9537

In the last week in the NYS Senate we have heard that climate change is just natural, burning gas has no effect on the atmosphere, and the Lorax is really about protecting the trees from the scourge of solar panels. “Fully detached from reality” is right. steady.page/en/democracy...

Now I get it. “America first” means we’re the only one left when all the other countries are obliterated. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/u...

On our dear leader's prediction of "Four to Five Weeks or More" in Iran - anyone remember when Rumsfeld predicted the Iraq War would last "six days, six weeks. I doubt six months"?