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Civil rights, government watchdog groups, and others are contemplating their next steps after Onondaga County’s new legislative district map was quietly signed into law right before the new year. They’re not happy with how the process began and ended.

Onondaga County officials are trying to clear up confusion about changing COVID-19 contact tracing protocols as the number of new cases continues to rise. On December 31st, the county said it would no longer be calling individuals to trace infections. The state followed suit Tuesday.

Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that the tenant protection law will expire on January 15th. A few dozen tenant advocates with the group Housing Justice for All barricaded one of the entrances to the State Capitol building with tables, chairs and other furniture that they say could end up on sidewalks, along with renters, if the state does not enact new tenant protections before the eviction moratorium ends on Saturday.

Clean energy advocates in New York say laws and regulations on the books could be preventing the state from adopting more climate-friendly transportation options to meet its climate goals. Governor Hochul said during her state of the state address she wants to promote electric cars, trucks, and buses.

The New York State Senate approves a package of bills to expand voter access, after voters in November rejected two ballot proposals to make it easier to vote. The bills would continue expanded absentee ballot voting that was allowed earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, and permit voters to cite the virus as a reason to skip going to the polls.

Advocates of clean energy in New York say they’re glad to see Governor Hochul make a strong commitment on critical pieces of the state’s Climate Action Plan in her state of the state address.

Medical workers from different parts of the U.S. are in Syracuse for 14 days to assist with the high amounts of patients in hospitals due to the pandemic, on top of the usual medical emergencies.

A city court judge in Albany has dismissed a charge of forcibly touching a former staffer against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after the Albany County district attorney declined to prosecute, citing a lack of evidence to meet the burden of proof at a trial.

Advocates at a Syracuse agency that helps formerly incarcerated people re-integrate into society are heartened to see Governor Hochul’s state of the state proposals to improve their chances of success.

A stolen election. Voter fraud. A rigged election. A Syracuse University expert in constitutional and national security law worries the disinformation that fueled the attack on the US Capitol one year ago will lead to additional unrest in the future.