Fighting Crime and Keeping New Yorkers Safe
Keeping New Yorkers safe has always been Governor Hochul’s top priority. She strengthened New York’s gun laws, expanded access to mental health care, and made historic investments in law enforcement, making our neighborhoods and subways safer. And when it comes to attacks from Washington, Governor Hochul will always stand up and fight to protect New Yorkers’ rights and freedoms.
- Invested over $4 billion in law enforcement and public safety initiatives since becoming Governor.
- Signed landmark gun safety laws, strengthening New York's Red Flag law, increasing the protections of the background check system, tightening restrictions on concealed carry weapons, and cracking down on illegal firearms.
- Oversaw a 62% decline in shooting incidents with injury in communities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative, with those incidents reaching the lowest level on record.
- Removed more than 26,000 illegal guns from New York streets.
- Delivered historic subway safety investments, driving down transit crime below pre-pandemic levels and to the second-lowest level in recorded history.
- Strengthened New York’s bail and discovery laws to keep dangerous criminals off our streets while better protecting victims.
- Took decisive action against retail theft, expanding worker protections, adding new criminal charges that target organized retail theft rings, and providing security funding for small businesses.
- Responded to the rise in hate crimes by expanding hate crime–eligible offenses and securing funding to protect at-risk sites.
- Expanded tools to respond to mental health emergencies, including strengthening Kendra’s law and involuntary commitment standards.
Standing up to Attacks from Washington
- Convened the Empire State Freedom Initiative following Trump’s re-election to coordinate a comprehensive strategy to protect New Yorkers from federal interference.
- Successfully fought to restore $187 million in federal counterterrorism funding for law enforcement after the Trump administration tried to terminate it.
- Secured a court order forcing the release of $34 million in funds withheld by the federal government for subway safety.
- Continuing to defend offshore wind as the Trump administration halts New York’s offshore wind projects.
- Continuing to push back against federal cuts to health care and food assistance, while taking action at the state level to protect as many New Yorkers as possible.
Protecting Rights and Freedoms
- Signed comprehensive immigration plan to protect New Yorkers against ICE.
- Safeguarded reproductive freedom following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, ensuring New York remains a safe harbor for anyone seeking or providing reproductive health care.
- Expanded New York’s shield laws to protect health care professionals unjustly persecuted by other states.
- Enshrined the Equal Rights Amendment in the New York State Constitution, strengthening protections against discrimination.
- Signed the landmark John. R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, cementing New York State's role as a national leader in protecting and expanding voting rights.