NY's Care of Disabled Comes Under Fire from Federal Government

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- New York’s care of its developmentally disabled residents came under fire in a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C.

The New York Times reports that the federal department charged New York’s Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities -- which oversees larger state agencies that care for the mentally ill and disabled -- with not going far enough to fulfill its mission.

According to the commission's report, 10 percent of deaths of the disabled that were reported to the commission were not properly cited for the cause of death, suggesting New York State's carelessness on the issue.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration did not comment on the report.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Cuomo to Aggressively Pursue Education System Reform

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- Governor Andrew Cuomo says he intends to aggressively pursue reform of New York's education system, as the state stands in danger of losing millions of dollars in federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Education says New York's failure to install a student database as well as a teacher evaluation system could prove to be costly.

On Tuesday, Cuomo issued a statement calling for short and long term reform of the state's education system. In the short term Cuomo wants to see the New York Department of Education, local school districts, and the union speed up negotiations with regards to a teacher evaluation system.

And in the long term Cuomo says, "We need to overhaul the system and change the law on the books. The Assembly-led legislation in 2010 protected the teachers union at the expense of the students and instituted a system that was destined to fail."

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

New York Passes Iran Sanctions Bill

(NEW YORK) -- On Monday, New York legislators passed a bill discouraging investment with Iran.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos cited the recent assassination plot in Washington, D.C., and Iran's alleged funding of Hamas and Hezbollah, as justification for the bill's passage. The bill passed unanimously in both the Assembly and the Senate.

The bill would require the Office of General Services to prohibit companies with Iranian energy investment topping $20 million from doing business with the country.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Schumer Urges Army to End Delay of Power Plant Construction

(ALBANY, N.Y.) -- U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) called on the U.S. Army to end the bureaucratic dispute that has halted plans by the Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership's plan to expand the Watervliet Arsenal and bring jobs to the area.

Schumer says the Army's estimated two years for review of the proposal to construct a co-generation steam and electric power plant will delay other businesses and subsequently hundreds of jobs coming to the state.

"As the economy builds to recovery, it is essential that we make winning investments that will spur hundreds of new, good-paying jobs," said Schumer. "The power plant is the magnet that's going to attract hundreds of high-tech jobs to Watervliet.  We can’t let it get wrapped up in red tape."

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Delays to Education Program Implementation Could Cost NY Millions

(NEW YORK) -- Ongoing delays to the Race to the Top education reform program could cost New York hundreds of millions of dollars, U.S. Department of Education officials announced Sunday.

Despite “significant progress,” New York “hit a roadblock” in recent months when it failed to install a student-data database as well as a teacher-evaluation system, Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan said in a statement Monday.

The New York Times reports that New York has collected nearly $700 million over four years through the federal competition Race to the Top.

“New York made significant progress through Race to the Top over the last year but has recently hit a roadblock that not only impedes Race to the Top but could threaten other key reform initiatives as well,” Duncan said. “New York has a chance to be a national leader, or a laggard, and we are only interested in supporting real courage and bold leadership.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio