New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Wednesday that she plans to bring back the state's "Drinks-to-Go" initiative which allowed bars and restaurants struggling under COVID restrictions to serve take-out alcohol, the New York Post reported.
"Drinks-to-Go" was allowed to lapse in June.
Hochul, who took office in August after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's resignation, made the announcement during her first state of the state address.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
She also proposed policies she said would expand the state's health care workforce, reduce taxes for small businesses, incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles, help formerly incarcerated people find jobs, and ensure greater oversight to prevent the kinds of ethical violations that brought down her predecessor.
Of course, Hochul's first state of the state address could also be her last. The next New York gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2022, and the winner will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2023. Hochul is running for re-election but faces several Democratic challengers in the June primary, including former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Before Hochul's speech, centrist Democrat Tom Suozzi, a member of the U.S. House representing Long Island, tweeted that "the State of our State is dismal."
Meanwhile, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the candidate The New York Times describes as "the clear favorite in the battle for [votes of] the progressive left," released a written statement arguing that Hochul's proposals did not go far enough. "Much of this speech could have been given pre-pandemic, rather than meeting the moment by envisioning a new normal," the statement read.
Hochul currently leads in the polls, but many likely Democratic voters remain undecided.
-
Who owns Gaza? Israel's occupation plansThe Explainer Egypt, Israel and Britain have ruled the beleaguered territory
-
Savages: a tragi-comedy set in a 'quirky handcrafted world'The Week Recommends This new animated film by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Claude Barras is undeniably political, but it has a hopeful message
-
Why 'faceless bots' are interviewing job huntersIn The Spotlight Artificial intelligence is taking over a crucial part of recruitment
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring pushSpeed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additionsSpeed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein filesSpeed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oilSpeed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymanderSpeed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting voteSpeed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs reportSpeed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness TestSpeed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
