HOCHUL’S POLICE PICK ADVANCES: A pair of state Senate committees approved Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pick of Steven James as superintendent of the State Police today. James was supported by each of the 18 senators in the room. “I’m extraordinarily impressed,” Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, said. “You have an amazing resume,” added Republican state Sen. George Borrello from Western New York. James, who spent 32 years on the force before retiring as deputy superintendent in 2020, is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate later this week. He answered questions this morning on subjects such as how to deal with staffing shortages (he proposed “heavier recruitment in the military” and starting to recruit “even further down” by launching an “explorer program” in schools) and how to use artificial intelligence to police mass gatherings and develop smarter protective vests (“Either we use it, or the enemy will use it against us,” he said). — Bill Mahoney NO BUDGET SOUP FOR YOU: Top legislative Democrats met behind closed doors for more than two hours with Hochul today at her second floor offices at the Capitol. But no white smoke signifying a budget deal was seen. The biggest piece of news to emerge from the meeting came from Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who confirmed what most in Albany had assumed: An extension of mayoral control of New York City schools won’t be in the budget. But as a huffing and puffing pack of Capitol reporters tried to catch their breath after stopping Stewart-Cousins outside her office following the meeting with Hochul, she also insisted a housing plan still was under discussion as part of the budget talks. So far, it’s not being kicked to later in the year when lawmakers might have more leverage to shape the policy — and a (more bare bones) budget stands a better chance of getting agreed to. “We’re continually trying to get everyone to one accord,” Stewart-Cousins said. Heastie, meanwhile, pivoted from his recent space analogy on budget talks to trains to suggest momentum continued. “The train is still moving down the tracks,” he said. — Nick Reisman PUBLIC SAFETY: In the wake of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller’s death, Senate and Assembly Republicans are once again bashing the 2019 bail reform changes. The man accused of killing Diller had 21 prior arrests, which Republicans blasted as an inexcusable failure of the justice system. “That evil man killed officer Diller had 21 prior arrests. But it's not just about the arrests. He had two prior felony convictions,” Michael Reilly, a Staten Island assemblymember and former cop, said at a GOP news conference at the Capitol. “What you see here is just another way of how our colleagues in the majority are really empowering criminals. They're giving them a get out of jail free card.” Assemblymember John McGowan, a former prosecutor, drew parallels to another news conference Republicans held after dismembered body parts were found on Long Island where they discussed the same bail reform laws and how they did not allow for judges to set bail on some crimes. “Because the New York State Legislature has legislated away that opportunity for judges, that offense is not bail eligible. And I've heard from my colleagues kind of one central theme: How many more? When is enough enough in New York state?” McGowan, a Rockland County Republican, said. Hochul talked last weekend about the officer’s death and said she has toughened the bail laws repeatedly since they were passed before she took office in 2021. — Shawn Ness
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