Judge Orders NY Assembly Maps to be Redrawn

Last Thursday, a state Supreme Court judge ruled that the Independent Redistricting Commission must submit new Assembly lines by April 2023. This mirrored an April Court decision to toss out state Senate maps, based on the idea that the state Legislature was not authorized to approve new maps if the redistricting Commission had not reached consensus. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Laurence Love ruled that the 10-member bipartisan Commission must draw up new Assembly maps, which will then be voted on by the state Legislature. The new maps will be due to the Legislature in April 2023. However, if the state Legislature does not approve, they will be able to assemble their own district maps.

Mayor Adams Announces Inaugural Chefs Council

Last Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks launched NYC’s first-ever Chefs Council. The Council, in partnership with Wellness in the Schools, will be responsible for developing scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes for NYC schools. The Council will be chaired by Rachael Ray, and a variety of chefs, culinary professionals, and food activists will also serve on the Council. These professionals will create over 100 recipes to be tested across schools in all five boroughs, along with providing training for the DOE’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services chefs.

Governor Hochul Commits All New Cars to be Zero Emissions by 2035

Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in New York State will be zero emissions by 2035. She has directed the State Department of Environmental Conservation to take regulatory action to complete this goal. The state will also be investing over $1 billion into zero emissions vehicles over the next five years. The measure aligns with New York’s climate goal to reduce greenhouse gases 85 percent by 2050.