Governor Hochul Announces Partnership Between State Police and DFS to Crack Down on Insurance Fraud
New York State Police and Department of Financial Services (DFS) will partner to crack down on insurance fraud by hosting a specialized training to further strengthen the skills of its investigators, and local law enforcement professionals across the state so they can better detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes, including auto insurance fraud, according to Governor Kathy Hochul
The new program, developed in partnership with the DFS and prosecutors, will provide training to 250 members of law enforcement, including State Police investigators and uniformed troopers, as well as representatives from law enforcement agencies throughout New York State.
“This symposium will serve to enhance our statewide investigatory capacity to identify and investigate these types of crimes, often perpetrated against the most vulnerable of New Yorkers,” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said. “By providing enhanced awareness and training to our members in the field, we will foster more effective partnerships with the DFS and local authorities, leading to more complex investigations, increased arrests, and a measurable reduction in fraud.
The symposium, slated for July at the New York State Police Academy in Albany, will address financial crimes and multiple categories of insurance fraud, including auto insurance, along with investigations involving deceptive contractors and elder fraud. The training will feature an overview of relevant insurance fraud statutes, case studies, and practical instruction from the New York State Police BCI Financial Crimes and Special Investigation Units (SIU) on core investigative techniques.
The program builds upon an established partnership between the Division of State Police and the Department of Financial Services. The New York State Police Financial Crimes Unit, part of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, works with the DFS Insurance Frauds Bureau to address the rise in auto insurance fraud cases, which are prevalent in New York City’s five boroughs. As a result of this new training, New York State Police investigators will be positioned to better investigate cases beyond the five boroughs.
“Combating insurance fraud takes the full force of state government working together, which is what this partnership delivers,” DFS Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow said
According to the Governor, New Yorkers pay some of the highest car insurance rates in the nation — more than $4,000 annually on average, nearly $1,500 above the national average. New York’s crushingly high premiums are a direct result of outdated and anomalous laws that enable fraud and encourage expensive litigation, and put New York out of step with other states. Insurance carriers reported 43,811 incidents of suspected motor vehicle insurance fraud to the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Insurance Frauds Bureau in 2025. This is up from 24,238 incidents of suspected motor vehicle insurance fraud in 2020, an 80 percent increase in five years.
The Insurance Information Institute has estimated that reforms that limit instances of fraud could reduce auto insurance rates by around $300 per policy, a reduction to the statewide annual rate of nearly 8 percent.
Bills Passed by Both Houses
A1396 AM Eachus/Senator Ryan — Prevents outsourcing during a hiring freeze.
A2657A AM Otis/Senator Krueger — Establishes the electric landscaping equipment rebate program Creates the Electric Landscaping Equipment Rebate Program within the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
A3318 AM Dinowitz/Senator Kavanagh — Requires private arbitration organizations involved in fifty or more consumer arbitrations per year to collect, publish at least quarterly, and make available to the public in a computer-searchable database certain information relating to such arbitrations.
A8410 AM Barrett/Senator Comrie — Relates to the annual reporting obligations of the NYSERDA.
A8492C AM Weprin/Senator Hinchey — Requires the development and implementation of a tattoo policy by law enforcement agencies.
A9333 AM Hevesi/Senator Skoufis — Relates to authorizing body scanner utilization in certain facilities under the office of children and family services
A10711 AM Paulin/Senator Stavisky — Requires the administration of certain vaccines for children in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and/or other similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations.
S1239F Senator Kavanagh/AM Kelles — Enacts the “food safety and chemical disclosure act,” creating a New York State Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) disclosure system in relation to the manufacture and commercial distribution of food products.
S9999 Senator Serrano/AM Pretlow — Provides for emergency appropriation for the period April 1, 2026 through April 27, 2026.
In The News-New York City
Mamdani Administration Releases NYCHA Sustainability Agenda
Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week released the 2026 NYCHA Sustainability Agenda, providing a comprehensive update on the Authority’s work to date and sets targets for the next five years. Innovating at Scale sets nine sustainability goals for 2031, including for high-efficiency lighting and water fixtures, modern waste infrastructure, protection from climate related disruptions, and solar energy.
According to the Administration, these goals and strategies address capital needs for most major building systems and infrastructure – heating and cooling, domestic hot water, building envelopes, electrical, lighting, plumbing, apartment kitchens and bathrooms, elevators, waste management, and flood protection – through replacements and upgrades that make them more reliable, resilient to climate-related disruptions, and efficient. Rounding out NYCHA’s goals and strategies are public-private partnerships in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, solar power, and job training programs to ensure that NYCHA residents benefit from the broader expansion of the green economy.
The reports details the $2.46 billion capital investment needed for implementing this Agenda, approximately $1.2 billion for Section 9 properties and a similar amount through Section 8 conversions. At the time the report was written, NYCHA has secured or anticipates securing funding or financing commitments for fully achieving five of the agenda’s nine goals through Section 9 capital projects and Section 8 conversions, from a combination of Federal, State and City capital appropriations, disaster recovery funds and competitive grants; tax credits and private debt and equity investments; energy performance contracts (EPC); and public-private partnerships.
A funding gap of $1.2 billion remains across four goals, specifically for NYCHA’s Section 9 properties: installation of heat pumps including domestic hot water and window renovations ($650 million), installation of induction stoves ($35 million), scale-up of waste plumbing renovations ($500 million), and resident economic opportunities ($1.6 million).
The report indicates that NYCHA is advocating heavily with government partners to secure additional funding.
Mayor Mamdani Appoints Leaders Across City Government
Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week announced three appointments across City agencies and offices: Paul Ochoa as Commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction (DDC), Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz as Commissioner of the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) and Annie Levers as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Operations.
DDC Commissioner Paul Ochoa
Paul A. Ochoa joined the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) in 2022 as Executive Deputy Commissioner, where he oversees administrative divisions, including a $1.5 billion expense budget and a $34 billion 10-year capital plan. He also leads DOT’s Capital Program Management division, working closely with DDC on street reconstruction projects.
Ochoa previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at the Department of Sanitation and Director of City Legislative Affairs in the Mayor’s Office. Earlier in his career, he worked at the California State Assembly on labor issues, immigrant rights and environmental protection policy.
Ochoa holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, San Diego.
DORIS Commissioner Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz
Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz is a librarian and archivist with nearly 20 years of experience, most recently serving as Dean of the Barnard College Library.
She serves on the board of the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) and has held leadership roles at New York University, the CUNY Graduate Center, Brooklyn Public Library and Storycorps.
Smith-Cruz holds a master’s degree in library science with a concentration in archives and a master’s in fine arts with a focus on fiction from Queens College, CUNY, as well as a bachelor’s degree from the CUNY Baccalaureate Program.
Mayor’s Office of Operations Director Annie Levers
Annie Levers most recently served as Deputy Comptroller for Policy at the New York City Comptroller’s Office. She co-chaired the City’s Joint Task Force to Get Nonprofits Paid on Time, helping reduce contract delays and improve payment practices.
Levers previously worked in the New York City Council and across nonprofit and academic institutions, including the Pratt Center for Community Development and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding.
She holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Pratt Institute and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Ithaca College.
Mayor Vetoes Education Facility Buffer Zone Bill; Approves House of Worship Buffer Zone Bill
Mayor Zoran Mamdani today vetoed legislation (Intro 1-B), sponsored by Councilmember Eric Dinowitz, which would have allowed New York Police Department (NYPD) to create buffer zones around educational facilities during protests, warning it could be applied too broadly and include universities, museums, and teaching hospitals.
“The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest,” the Mayor explained. “As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions. This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”
Mayor Mamdani noted that the bill is “a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement, reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize.”
Council Speaker Julie Menin’s bill (Int. 175-B) which allows the NYPD to establish a buffer zone around houses of worship subject to protests was not vetoed, although the Mayor did “disagree with its framing of all protest as a security concern.”
“Following a thorough legal review, I do not believe it poses the same risks it once did, and that is why I will allow it to become law,” he said, referring to an earlier version which raised some constitutional concerns.
Briefs
Governor Hochul Signs Executive Order Banning State Employees From Insider Trading on Prediction Markets
Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order prohibiting state employees from engaging in insider trading on prediction markets. These markets allow individuals to place bets on the outcomes of real world events, including both major events such as outcomes of military activity, election results, or the severity of natural disasters, as well as obscure and manipulable events such as betting on the attire of public officials at appearances.
Under this executive order, covered state officers and employees will be forbidden from using confidential information acquired in the course of their official duties to further their personal financial interests through these markets. These officers and employees will also be barred from assisting others in profiting on confidential information through prediction markets.
The provisions of this executive order take effect immediately.
PSC Adopts Cybersecurity Regulations for Major Electric, Gas, Steam, and Water Utilities
The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) this week adopted Information Technology (IT) cybersecurity regulations for regulated electric, gas, steam, and water utilities. The new regulations require utilities to plan both to respond to and recover from cyber incidents.
The new regulations will require these utilities to assess their specific risk profiles and to design a cybersecurity program to address risks. Utilities will be required to protect their IT systems using generally accepted access controls and authentication practices and take affirmative steps to detect network intrusions.
Broadly defined, the regulations define IT as any set of electronic systems used for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of electronic information. This includes systems as varied as billing systems, human resource management systems, and company websites. Information Technology systems are utilized across all electric, gas, steam and water entities regulated by the Commission.
The Commission continues to review whether the telecommunications industry should be included in the regulations, and it reserves its ability to possibly add that industry at a later date, if needed.
After the order is issued, the Secretary to the Commission will submit a Notice of Adoption to the Department of State and the regulations will take effect on June 1, 2026. Commission staff intend to begin the process of promulgating Operational Technology regulations for individual industries in the near future.
Attorney General James Sues Coinbase and Gemini for Running Illegal Gambling Platforms in New York
New York Attorney General Letitia James yesterday sued Coinbase Financial Markets, Inc. (Coinbase) and Gemini, Titan LLC (Gemini) for illegally running gambling operations in New York through their so-called “prediction market” platforms. Both Coinbase and Gemini offer users the ability to bet on events, including sports, entertainment, and elections, in violation of New York laws.
An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that Coinbase and Gemini are running prediction markets that constitute illegal, unlicensed gambling operations. These illegal operations expose New Yorkers – including those under the legal gambling age of 21 – to serious financial and personal risk.
According to the Attorney General, Coinbase and Gemini have failed to obtain a license from the New York State Gaming Commission, sidestepping their obligation to pay taxes like licensed casinos and mobile sports gambling platforms do. Coinbase and Gemini’s prediction markets are also available to users between the ages of 18-20.
New York law states that a person must be at least 21 years old to participate in mobile sports betting.
Attorney General James’ lawsuits also allege that Gemini and Coinbase are violating New York laws that forbid any betting on games in which New York college teams participate.
In her lawsuits filed yesterday, Attorney General James is asking the court to require Coinbase and Gemini to forfeit illegal profits, distribute restitution to consumers who were harmed, and pay fines equal to three times the profits the companies made through their illegal actions.
Additional $30 Million Is Now Available to Help Purchase or Lease an Electric Vehicle in New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul this week announced that an additional $30 million is now available for consumers to use towards the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle (EV) in New York State.
This funding is available through the Drive Clean Rebate Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which provides consumers with a point-of-sale rebate at the time of vehicle purchase or lease from a participating dealership. The amount ranges from $500 to $2,000 off of the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of a battery-powered EV or plug-in hybrid, with a higher rebate available for longer-range EVs.
9/11 Solidarity Network Helps Claimants Obtain Vital Documentation for 9/11 Compensation Fund Claims
It is becoming increasingly difficult for some claimants to find documents to prove their presence at an eligible location so many years after the attacks. In fact, last year, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) went to the State Legislature for assistance in verifying its members’ 9/11 service. On September 10th, Governor Kathy Hochul signed chapter 390 of the Laws of 2025 which establishes a presumption that a New York City Police Pension Fund member participated in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up operations at the World Trade Center, unless their employer proves the contrary by competent evidence.
The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) understands this challenge and encourages individuals who were present in the exposure zone to gather and save their proof of presence documents now, even if they aren’t currently ill or planning to file a claim.
To help members of the general public verify their 9/11 service, Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno LLC’s affiliate Pitta & Baione LLP is developing the 9/11 Solidarity Network, a system where members can act as witnesses for one another in verifying 9/11 service. The network utilizes sworn Witness Presence Statements from people who can attest to a claimant’s presence which are accepted as secondary evidence by the VCF when primary documentation is unavailable.
By participating, individuals can provide the crucial testimony a fellow member might need while also securing potential support for their own future claims. This initiative formalizes the collective memory of its members to help ensure no one is left to prove their presence alone.
For more information regarding the 9/11 Solidarity Network, please contact Pitta & Baione at 844-901-1262.
Coming Up
New York State
Monday, April 27th
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 3 p.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, April 28th
Senate Libraries Committee Meeting, 901 Legislative Office Building, 10 a.m.
Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee Meeting,510 Legislative Office Building, 10 a.m.
Senate Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee Meeting, 912 Legislative Office Building, 10:30 a.m.
Senate Consumer Protection Committee Meeting, 804 Legislative Office Building, 10:30 a.m.
Senate Finance Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol Building, 11 a.m.
Senate Banks Committee Meeting, 710 Legislative Office Building, 11:30 a.m.
Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee Meeting, 813 Legislative Office Building, 12:30 p.m.
Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol Building, 1 p.m.
Senate Labor Committee Meeting, 123 Capitol Building, 1:30 p.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 3 p.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany, 9 a.m.
Wednesday, April 29th
Senate Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee Meeting,813 Legislative Office Building,
9:30 a.m.
Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee Meeting, 816 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 11 a.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany
New York City
Monday, April 27th
Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations, 250 Broadway – 8th floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 28th
Committee on Civil and Human Rights, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Committee on Children and Youth, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Higher Education, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Economic Development, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29th
Committee on Technology, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 10 a.m.
Committee on Women and Gender Equity, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 10 a.m.
Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Public Housing, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, Committee Room – City Hall, 11 a.m.
Committee on Land Use, Committee Room. – City Hall, 11:30 a.m.
Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Relations, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing room 1, 1 p.m.
Committee on Public Safety, Council Chambers – City Hall, 1 p.m.
Committee on Education, Council Chamber – City Hall, 1 p.m.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Committee on Contracts, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Thursday, April 30th
Committee on Finance, Committee Room – City Hall, 11 a.m.
City Council Stated Meeting, Council Chambers – City Hall, 1:30 a.m.