Karen DeWitt
Capitol Bureau chiefKaren DeWitt is Capitol Bureau chief for the New York Public News Network, composed of a dozen newsrooms across the state. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.
She is also a regular contributor to the statewide public television program about New York State government, New York Now. She appears on the reporter’s roundtable segment, and interviews newsmakers.
Karen previously worked for WINS Radio, New York, and has written for numerous publications, including Adirondack Life and the Albany newsweekly Metroland.
She is a past recipient of the prestigious Walter T. Brown Memorial award for excellence in journalism, from the Legislative Correspondents Association, and was named Media Person of the Year for 2009 by the Women’s Press Club of New York State.
Karen is a graduate of the State University of New York at Geneseo.
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The New York state budget is now nearly two weeks late, and lawmakers are due back Monday afternoon to pass a fourth extender to keep government running.
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The main item holding up a deal is a housing package that would build new affordable housing and strengthen tenant protections.
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Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said a new budget extender will authorize state spending until next Tuesday. She said budget talks are at “the beginning of the end” — but noted that the end is always the hardest part. The budget was due April 1st.
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New York state lawmakers are on a four-day break for the Easter holidays, while they let the budget deadline pass. One of many sticking points remaining in the spending plan is how to crack down on growing instances of retail theft.
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The legislature approved one budget bill, to authorize the state to continue paying its debts, and adjourned until next Tuesday, April 2, one day after the budget is due.
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A bill that would extend New York state’s ban on natural gas fracking is heading to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk after the State Legislature acted recently to prohibit using liquid carbon dioxide to extract the gas from shale rock. It’s one of a number of measures that lawmakers are considering to combat climate change.
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The upcoming solar eclipse, which is occurring in two weeks, will be fully visible in 29 counties in western and northern New York and at least 88% visible in the rest of the state.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul this week took charge of New York’s troubled recreational cannabis rollout, appointing one of her top commissioners to temporarily oversee the process.
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While birth control medicines remain legal in the U.S., some states are placing restrictions on obtaining the pills or contraceptive devices. Gov. Kathy Hochul says in New York, there will be full access.
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New York legislators are beginning what they hope is the final stretch to accord on a state budget before it’s due at the end of the month.