When then–Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed through the 2017 renaming of the new Hudson River crossing to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, it looked less like the work of a modern democracy and more like a scene borrowed from a handbook on soft authoritarianism.
A bridge generations had known as Tappan Zee abruptly became a family monument — not a tribute to the region’s history, but to a political dynasty.
Cuomo bridge NY news Tappan Zee 2025
How the “New Tappan Zee Bridge” Became a Family Trophy
The story started out mundanely enough. By the early 2000s, the original Tappan Zee Bridge, opened in 1955, was a chronic headache: overcapacity, constant repairs, aging infrastructure that had outlived its intended design life. New York didn’t just want a facelift; it needed a new bridge.
Andrew Cuomo made that project the showpiece of his infrastructure agenda:
a multi-billion-dollar megaproject,
design-build contracting,
the longest bridge in New York State,
a sleek new profile across one of the Hudson’s widest points.
For years, the project went by pragmatic working names: New NY Bridge, sometimes New Tappan Zee Bridge. The implication was obvious: a new bridge replacing the old Tappan Zee while keeping the historic name.
Then came the plot twist — in the final hours of the legislative session in Albany. Buried in a thick end-of-session bundle of bills was a neat little provision: the new bridge would be officially named the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, after the sitting governor’s late father and former governor of New York.
What followed was textbook politics:
minimal debate,
maximum party discipline,
and no visible appetite to question whether turning a vital crossing into a family monument was appropriate.
New York’s legislative machinery performed flawlessly — if the goal was to display loyalty upward rather than fidelity to local identity.
When Albany Decides How People Are Supposed to Speak
There was one problem: people already had a name for the bridge, and had used it for more than half a century.
Tappan Zee isn’t just a random phrase; it refers both to the Indigenous Tappan people and the Dutch word zee (“sea”), a compact nod to the layered history of the Hudson Valley — from Native nations to Dutch colonists to postwar suburbia.
In 2017, state government effectively declared that the living language of the region was a detail to be corrected from Albany.
On paper, the new name became Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. On road signs, too. But in the mouths of drivers and residents on both sides of the river, it largely remained the Tappan Zee.
The result is a political paradox: officially, a tribute verging on personality cult; unofficially, a quiet, everyday refusal to go along.
A Cult of Leadership, American-Style
In countries Washington likes to label “developing democracies,” the pattern is familiar:
airports named for sitting leaders,
universities named for presidents,
bridges and stadiums named for their relatives.
Change the ruling faction, change the signage. Infrastructure doubles as a map of who’s in favor.
The Cuomo Bridge episode looks uncomfortably similar.
Yes, formally the bridge honors Mario Cuomo, the three-term governor from the 1980s and ’90s, a gifted orator and progressive icon of his era. But the timing and the method gave the move a different flavor:
not a broad, deliberative decision,
but a gesture of loyalty to the sitting governor and the family name.
In that moment, state legislators didn’t behave like representatives of their districts. They looked more like a chorus standing at attention, signaling due reverence to the executive and his lineage.
The Politics Change — and Tappan Zee Returns
The political weather has shifted sharply since then. Andrew Cuomo left office under the shadow of a scathing report from the state attorney general detailing multiple allegations of sexual harassment. His attempted comeback in New York City’s mayoral politics fizzled at the ballot box.
Against that backdrop, the bridge’s name no longer feels “above politics” or timeless. It increasingly looks like a relic of the high-Cuomo era — and an awkward one at that.
In November 2025, a new online petition appeared, calling for the bridge to be restored to Tappan Zee. The authors more or less spell out what many had whispered for years:
the renaming was a political vanity project,
the historic name was erased to flatter the governor and his clan,
it’s time to “correct the mistake” and honor the region, not the dynasty.
For Andrew Cuomo, the story plays like a harsh epilogue to his time in power: first the bridge becomes a soaring symbol of the Cuomo family; now that same bridge is the stage for a public reconsideration of his legacy.
A Bureaucracy That Loves the Boss More Than the History
The underlying issue isn’t just the Cuomos. It’s the logic of the system around them.
When officials so readily agree to strip away a living, historical name in favor of a recent or current leader’s surname, they reveal who they think the real audience is. Spoiler: it isn’t the voter stuck in traffic on the span.
The old name Tappan Zee didn’t require a massive branding budget or a governor’s press conference. It required only one thing: admitting that symbols in public space do not belong to whoever currently occupies the corner office in Albany.
But it is far easier — and safer — to demonstrate loyalty upward:
vote yes on the right bill,
smile at the ribbon-cutting,
and pretend that of course a strategic highway crossing should double as a 3-mile-long commemorative plaque for the boss’s family.
Why the New Petition Is More Than a Fight Over a Sign
The current petition to restore the name Tappan Zee isn’t just about highway markers. It’s a modest but revealing referendum on a bigger set of questions:
Who controls the symbols of shared space — residents or political dynasties?
Is it acceptable to turn critical infrastructure into a gallery of last names of the powerful?
And can a bureaucracy admit it went too far in its eagerness to show deference?
The bridge may or may not officially revert to Tappan Zee; there are egos and reputations at stake, and bureaucracies are skilled at defending both.
But it’s already clear that, in everyday speech, the name never really left.
On official letterhead and state websites, it’s the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. In conversation — “Take the Tappan Zee.”
And in that quiet, stubborn choice of words, you can glimpse a version of democracy that outlives any one governor: the kind that refuses to let a highway span become just another monument to whoever happened to be in charge when the ribbon was cut.
In this episode, DeVory Darkins reports on chaotic anti-ICE protests in lower Manhattan, where more than 150 demonstrators descended on a federal government building and blocked access to a parking garage used by ICE agents. Police say protesters were repeatedly ordered to disperse but instead surrounded vehicles and tried to prevent federal officers from leaving, leading to multiple arrests and tense clashes with NYPD. Darkins criticizes elected officials and “sanctuary city” policies for enabling obstruction of federal immigration enforcement and counters claims that migrants are being detained “for no reason” by citing provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act on deportable aliens.
The show then pivots to the economy, highlighting a record $11.8 billion in online Black Friday spending, which contradicts widespread complaints about financial hardship. Administration officials hail tax cuts, deregulation and improving inflation data as signs that 2026 will be a “banner year” for growth and job creation. Darkins, however, points to soaring demand at food banks, stagnant household budgets and persistent price pressures as evidence that many Americans are still struggling. He argues that continued robust consumer spending helps keep prices elevated and urges Republicans to sharpen their message ahead of the 2026 midterms, warning that voters will judge both parties on whether they feel real relief in their wallets.
In the final segment, Darkins covers the arrest of a second Afghan national in a week, this time in Texas, after authorities say he posted a TikTok video describing plans to build a bomb and target the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Both this suspect and the Afghan accused of killing a National Guard member in Washington entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, raising fresh questions about vetting of evacuees from Afghanistan. Darkins details the Trump administration’s response: pausing asylum decisions, freezing visa issuances for Afghan passport holders, reviewing green cards from 19 “countries of concern,” and moving to block undocumented immigrants from federal tax-based benefits while pursuing a broader halt to migration from so-called third-world countries. He frames the crackdown as a necessary correction after years of lax border and refugee policies that, in his view, left the country dangerously exposed.
In this episode of Front Page with Scott Goulet, the host opens with President Trump’s sweeping announcement that he is rescinding and terminating all Biden-era executive actions signed via autopen, calling them legally void because they were not personally approved by Biden. Trump also responds to the Washington, D.C. shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members by vowing to permanently pause migration from all third-world countries, cut off federal benefits and subsidies for non-citizens, and deport foreign nationals deemed security risks, public burdens, or “incompatible with Western civilization.” The segment highlights the death of Guardsman Sarah Beckram, the suspect’s background as an Afghan national admitted under Operation Allies Welcome, and the push to treat the case as terrorism with the possibility of the death penalty.
Goulet then covers the major legal development in Georgia, where the 2020 election interference case against Trump and his allies was dismissed in its entirety due to insufficient evidence and problems with the racketeering theory and jurisdiction. With this, Trump no longer faces open criminal cases and celebrates the ruling as a victory for law and justice. The show also addresses a New York Times article questioning Trump’s age, stamina, and schedule; Trump fires back on Truth Social, listing his economic and political achievements, insisting he is in excellent physical and cognitive health, and branding the paper an “enemy of the people” engaged in deliberate smears.
The final part of the episode shifts to the war in Ukraine and global fallout. Goulet profiles Dan Driscoll, the 39-year-old Secretary of the Army and Trump ally, as an “unsung hero” behind a U.S.-backed peace plan that Putin now says could be the basis for ending the conflict. Driscoll’s background as a veteran, Yale-trained lawyer, and close friend of Vice President JD Vance is traced, along with his role as “Trump’s drone guy” and his quiet shuttle diplomacy with Kyiv. The episode closes with an investigation into a Czech shell company allegedly re-selling Chinese drones to Ukraine at huge markups and funneling profits back to China, raising questions about war profiteering, tax evasion, and who in the Ukrainian system approved such deals.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is blasting the Trump administration, saying the White House is threatening to pull hundreds of millions of dollars in rural broadband funding from upstate communities because the state passed tough new rules on artificial intelligence. Hochul says the AI safeguards are designed to protect kids, workers and consumers, and accuses Washington of siding with big corporations that don’t want to take basic steps to prevent AI-related harm. Calling the move “unacceptable,” she vows to keep fighting for working families and to keep New York at the forefront of “responsible AI” policy.
Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul
“We passed some of the nation’s strongest AI safeguards to protect kids, workers and consumers. Now, the White House is threatening to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in broadband funding meant for rural upstate communities, all to shield big corporations from taking basic steps to prevent potential harm from AI.
“This is unacceptable. In New York, we protect working families and set the standard for the nation. I will continue to fight to ensure our state remains a global leader in responsible AI.”
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a major evolution of Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) — the city’s health-led response to 911 mental health calls — that will shift the focus even further towards a health-first response by streamlining management to be fully operated and managed by NYC Health + Hospitals in the coming months. As part of the transition, Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) previously assigned to B-HEARD will be reassigned to other emergency response units as part of the city’s efforts to improve ambulance response times in cases of emergencies. This change will preserve EMTs for the most critical medical emergency responses while enabling B-HEARD to continue featuring medical and mental health professionals for nonviolent mental health 911 calls. After the transition, B-HEARD will continue to send out response teams to nonviolent 911 mental health calls with medical and mental health professionals. The new model is expected to take effect in the spring of 2026. Today’s announcement further builds on Mayor Adams’ commitment to supporting New Yorkers with serious mental illness and treating the city’s mental health crisis as a public health issue.
“Today, we are proud to announce a new model for our city’s response to 911 mental health calls that will be fully operated by NYC Health + Hospitals ,” said Mayor Adams. “This new model for B-HEARD will allow our FDNY EMTs the opportunity to focus further on other emergency response units as part of our city’s efforts to improve ambulance response times and use our resources more efficiently, while still addressing mental health emergencies we continue to see playing out in our city. From day one, our administration’s goal has been to keep New Yorkers safe and to help those struggling with severe mental illness; doing this means we must provide treatment and support to those in crises in the most efficient and compassionate way possible. We are building a culture of compassion in the name of public safety, public health, and the public interest, and we are proud to be delivering just that.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals is proud to be the largest provider of behavioral health services in New York City, and our commitment to the city’s innovative B-HEARD program is unwavering,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are grateful to our outstanding partners in the program’s first iteration, and we look forward to continuing its evolution as we serve New Yorkers in mental health crisis.”
Launched in 2021, B-HEARD was created as an interagency collaboration between the FDNY and NYC Health + Hospitals with oversight from the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH). During its initial years of operation, B-HEARD partnered EMTs and mental health clinicians to respond as a team to 911 mental health calls without violence or weapons as the primary concern.
Over the life of the program — between its launch in 2021 through June 2025 — B-HEARD teams have responded to nearly 35,000 mental health 911 calls. Of the patients who received a mental health assessment by a NYC Health + Hospitals clinician, 43 percent were served in the community instead of being transported to a hospital emergency department. B-HEARD teams work to understand each individual’s needs, de-escalate situations, and, whenever possible, connect with family members and the individual’s existing clinicians to determine the best path forward. The program achieved an overwhelming patient-satisfaction rate with 96 percent of survey respondents reporting B-HEARD helped them and 94 percent agreeing that the B-HEARD response was more appropriate for their needs than the traditional emergency response they had previously received. Each B-HEARD response reflects New York City’s commitment to responding to the mental health crisis with the most appropriate care and reducing unnecessary use of a hospital’s emergency department and of police resources.
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest provider of behavioral health in New York City. The system provides over 60 percent of behavioral health services citywide, serving over 78,000 patients annually across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient care.
Commitment to Mental Health
In 2023, Mayor Adams announced a sweeping mental health agenda, “Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for New York City,” with $20 million in new commitments that invested in, among other initiatives, an online hub to connect New Yorkers with serious mental illness to care, as well as a substantial expansion of the clubhouse program.
Alongside the Adams administration’s focus on mental health, Mayor Adams also launched “HealthyNYC” in November 2023, an ambitious plan to extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers by, among other things, reducing the impact of deaths related to mental health, like overdoses, suicide, and homicides, by 2030. Additionally, HealthyNYC expands access to culturally responsive mental health care and social support services, including early intervention for communities of color and LGBTQIA+ youth, and helps address the impact of social media on youth mental health and suicidal ideation to reduce suicide deaths.
The announcement builds on the work of the Adams administration in addressing the crises of severe mental illness on New York City streets. In August 2025, Mayor Adams launched the “End the Culture of Anything Goes” campaign to highlight the work the administration has done to change the culture and laws that prevented people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed while making the investments necessary to support outreach, harm reduction, wraparound services, and housing to make lasting impacts in lives and communities. As part of this campaign, Mayor Adams made a series of announcements promoting the administration’s efforts to help New Yorkers struggling with severe mental illness and substance addiction while simultaneously addressing quality of life and public safety on New York City streets, including:
An expansion of the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD’s) Quality of Life Division, or “Q-Teams,” announced earlier this year, to every precinct and all housing commands citywide. Q-Teams focus on tackling daily issues that impact New Yorkers’ sense of safety and well-being, including cracking down on illegal mopeds, towing abandoned vehicles, cleaning up encampments, addressing outdoor drug use, responding to noise complaints, and more.
Opening of 13 newly contracted clubhouses — the city’s first procurement of clubhouses in nearly 30 years — to support people with severe mental illness thanks to a $30 million investment by the Adams administration.
Launching the city’s first-ever Involuntary Transports Dashboard, which allows New Yorkers to track trends in involuntary transports and better understand how the city connects individuals with emergency psychiatric care, while simultaneously upholding the administration’s commitment to transparency.
Opening the Bridge to Home facility, a new, innovative support model designed to help patients living with severe mental illness who are ready to be discharged from the hospital but do not have a place to go.
Opening two additional Extended Care Units in the city’s public hospitals, where patients can stay for up to 120 days after being discharged from an inpatient psychiatric unit, receive psychopharmacological treatment, and pursue rehabilitative activities.
Strong Fiscal Management
In the lead up to the upcoming November 2025 Financial Plan Update, Mayor Adams recently announced a new investment that will increase the uniformed headcount of the NYPD by 5,000 officers, increasing the total number of officers to 40,000 — the highest level in 20 years — by Fiscal Year (FY) 2029. Mayor Adams is making an investment of $17.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year that will increase to $315.8 million by FY 2029 to support the phased-in hiring of the additional 5,000 officers by July 2028.
Today’s announcement follows Mayor Adams’ long history of strong fiscal management, including delivering an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $115.9 billion Adopted Budget earlier this year, which built on the FY 2026 Executive Budget, often called the “Best Budget Ever.” The Executive Budget doubled down on Mayor Adams’ commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family by, among other things, investing in “After-School for All,” a $755-million plan to deliver universal after-school programming to families of children in kindergarten through eighth grade; baselining funding for 3-K citywide expansion and special education pre-K to build on the administration’s work to dramatically expand access to early childhood education; investing over $400 million to fully fund the transformation of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan into a world-class, pedestrian-centered boulevard; and revitalizing “The Arches,” the public space on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. The FY 2026 Adopted Budget was also the first to implement Mayor Adams’ landmark “Axe the Tax for the Working Class” plan, which abolishes and cuts New York City’s personal income tax for filers with dependents living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line. Because of this plan — which the Adams administration successfully fought to pass in Albany this budget cycle — $63 million will go back into the pockets of over 582,000 low-income New York filers, including their dependents, helping make New York City more affordable for working-class families.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time limit rules for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants are in effect as of November 2025. Due to federal law changes, New York State’s waiver of work requirements for certain able-bodied adults without dependent children (ABAWD) will end as of November 2025. As a result of this federal action, as of November 2025, those subject to ABAWD time limit – including new groups of individuals subject to these rules – must comply with certain work requirements to keep SNAP benefits for more than 3 months. The information below explains who is subject to these work requirements and how they can meet the requirement to maintain SNAP benefits. SNAP recipients will be notified by their local social services district if they are subject to these requirements. If you believe you should be exempt from these requirements based on program rules or if you are meeting the work requirement, you should inform your local district worker.
Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Rules
Who is an ABAWD?
An ABAWD is a person who is:
Aged 18 to 64,
Not living with a child under 14, and
Able to work.
Does everyone need to follow the ABAWD work rules?
No. You might not have to follow the ABAWD work rules, if:
You are younger than age 18, or age 65 or older,
Someone in your household is younger than age 14,
You receive disability benefits from a public or private source, such as Veterans Affairs or New York State disability benefits,
You are pregnant,
You are unable to work at least 80 hours per month because of a physical or mental health reason,
You are an Indian, Urban Indian, California Indian, or other Indian eligible for the Indian Health Services, or
You are excused from the General SNAP Work Rules because you are:
A 16 or 17-year-old who is not the head of the household or who is in school or in an employment program at least half-time,
Unable to work because of a mental or physical health reason,
Taking care of a child younger than age 6,
Taking care of an incapacitated person,
Meeting the work rules under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program,
Receiving or applying for unemployment benefits,
Participating in a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program,
Enrolled in a school, training program, or college at least half-time (students may be subject to other eligibility rules),
Already working at least 30 hours per week,
Already earning $217.50 (30 times the federal minimum wage) or more per week, OR
An SSI applicant or recipient.
Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household should be excused from following the ABAWD rules.What is the ABAWD time limit?
If you are an ABAWD, you must meet the ABAWD work rules to continue receiving SNAP benefits for more than 3 months in a 3-year period. This is also known as the ABAWD time limit. Once you use up the 3 months and you are not meeting the ABAWD work rules, you will lose your SNAP benefits. In New York, the current 3-year period started on October 1, 2023, and will end on September 30, 2026.How can you meet the ABAWD work rules?
Paid or unpaid work for 20 hours per week (80 hours per month)Examples include:
Having a job where you work at least 20 hours per week or earn at least $217.50 per week, even if you work less than 20 hours per week.
Doing in-kind work by exchanging your services for something other than money for at least 80 hours per month (for example, doing building maintenance in exchange for a reduction in rent).
Learn job skills, approved by the social services district for 20 hours per week (80 hours per month), that can help you earn more money.Examples include:
Doing job searches, workshops on resumé writing, or other training approved by your local district. Some of these activities can be done online at websites like JobZone and Virtual Career Center.
Job skills training programs, English language instruction, or educational activities – including college courses, certifications, or credential programs – that help you prepare for work.
Community Service/Volunteer
The number of hours you would need to participate in community service or volunteer work is based on your SNAP benefit divided by the state minimum wage. For example, if you get $300 in SNAP and the state minimum wage in your area is $16.50, then you have to complete 18 hours of community service or volunteer work each month. ($300 ÷ $16.50 = 18 hours).
Volunteer or do a Work Experience Program assignment with local nonprofit or public service organizations (such as food pantries, parks, or libraries).
Keep Your SNAP Benefits Fact Sheet – This flyer helps SNAP recipients and organizations that work with them. It raises awareness and promotes compliance with ABAWD work rules.
ABAWD Medical Statement — This form will help SNAP recipients document that they are exempt from the ABAWD time limit because of a physical or mental health reason, pregnancy, or participation in substance use treatment
Monthly WIOA Job Search Activity Record — Print Ready — This form will help ABAWDs keep track of their job search activities under WIOA (Use this form if you are completing the record by hand.)
Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you are already doing one of these things. Also, if your work hours including paid and unpaid work drop below 80 hours per month, you must let the local district know within 10 days after the end of the month.
Remember: Tell your local district if you earn more than $217.50/week before taxes (even if it is less than 20 hours/week of work). If you do, you are exempt from the ABAWD work rules.What if you have a good reason for not following these ABAWD work rules?
You may receive SNAP benefits beyond the 3-month time limit if you have a good cause reason for not following the ABAWD work rules or you show that you should be excused from following the ABAWD work rules because you meet one or more of the conditions to be excused. Good cause reasons for not following the rules include issues that a person cannot control, such as getting sick or having a household emergency. These are some examples of good cause reasons but there are others, too. If you claim to have a good cause reason for not following the ABAWD work rules or believe you should be excused from following the rules, you must provide proof if the district asks you to do so. If you believe that you have a good cause reason for not meeting the ABAWD rules, you should call the Local District Contact Number to provide proof.If you lose your SNAP benefits, how can you get them back?
If you lose your SNAP benefits, because you did not meet the ABAWD work rules, you should call your Local District Contact Number. The district will explain what you need to do to start getting SNAP benefits again. The district must offer you help in meeting the ABAWD work rules to start receiving SNAP benefits again.
General Work Rules for SNAP Recipients
Some people getting SNAP age 16 to 59 must follow the general SNAP work rules. Some adults getting SNAP age 18 to age 64 must also meet the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rules. SNAP work rules and ABAWD rules can be met by participating in SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) work activities. Many people do not have to meet the SNAP work rules because they are excused. Below, you can learn if you are excused from the general SNAP work rules and the ABAWD rules or how to meet them if you are not excused.
General SNAP Work Rules
What do you need to do to follow the general SNAP work rules?
You must follow these general SNAP work rules to keep your SNAP benefits:
Accept any job offer you receive, unless there is a good reason you can’t.
If you have a job, don’t quit your job or choose to work less than 30 hours each week without having a good reason, such as getting sick, being discriminated against, or not getting paid.Note: You will not lose your SNAP benefits if your hours fall below 30 hours per week and you are still earning $217.50 per week (30 times the federal minimum wage).
Tell us about your job and how much you are working.
Participate in SNAP E&T work activities if assigned by the district.
Does everyone need to follow these General SNAP Work Rules?
No. You may not have to follow these rules if you are:
Younger than age 16, or age 60 years or older (Please read the important note below about people aged 60 to 64),
A 16 or 17-year-old who is not the head of the household or who is in school or in an employment program at least half-time,
Unable to work because of a mental or physical health reason,
Taking care of a child younger than age 6,
Taking care of an incapacitated person,
Meeting the work rules under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program,
Receiving or applying for unemployment benefits,
Participating in a drug or alcohol addiction treatment program,
Enrolled in a school, training program, or college at least half-time (students may be subject to other eligibility rules),
Already working at least 30 hours per week,
Already earning $217.50 (30 times the federal minimum wage) or more per week, OR
An SSI applicant or recipient.
Important: If you are between 60 and 64, you don’t have to follow the general SNAP work rules. However, if none of the other conditions listed above apply to you, you may still have to follow the ABAWD rules. Find out if you are excused from the ABAWD rules.What if you think you should be excused from the general SNAP work rules?
Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household should be excused from following the work rules.What if you have a good cause reason for not following the general SNAP work rules?
Good cause reasons for not following the general SNAP work rules include things that you cannot control such as getting sick, facing a household emergency, or not having childcare. These are some examples of good cause reasons but there are others, too. You must provide proof of any good cause reason when asked by the local district. If you believe you should be excused from following the general SNAP work rules, you must also provide proof, if asked by the district. For example, the district might ask for a statement from your doctor or other documents showing you had a good cause reason for not following the rules or should be excused.
Call your Local District Contact Number as soon as possible if you think you or someone in your household has a good cause reason for not following the work rules.
SNAP Employment & Training (SNAP E&T) Assignments
What are SNAP E&T assignments?
The SNAP E&T program can help you and people in your household gain skills and find work. If you are assigned to SNAP E&T, you may be required to participate in supervised job search, job readiness activities, work experience, job skills training, vocational training, educational training, or other work activities. SNAP E&T participants receive case management services to help them reach their employment goals. If the district assigns you or someone in your household to participate in SNAP E&T, they cannot ask you to participate in work activities and/or employment to meet the SNAP work rules for more than 30 hours per week (no more than 120 hours per month). A person may choose to participate in work activities for more than 30 hours per week but cannot be required to do so.
Note: People who are also receiving Temporary Assistance (TA) benefits may be required to participate in work activities for up to 40 hours per week. The assigned work activity for these people is generally a combined TA and SNAP work assignment. A person who receives TA and SNAP and does not comply with assigned work activities willfully and without a good cause reason may be subject to a TA work sanction. However, if the person participates in the assigned work activities for at least 30 hours per week (120 hours per month), the household’s SNAP benefits will not be affected.What if you have costs from participating in the SNAP E&T program?
Your local district will pay costs for you or people in your household that are necessary and reasonable to participate in a SNAP E&T activity. These costs may include:
Transportation
Childcare
Personal safety items or equipment
Other reasonable required costs, such as tools, books, and uniforms
If the district cannot pay your costs to participate in a SNAP E&T assignment, you will be excused from participating. If the district tells you or someone in your household that you must participate in a SNAP E&T work activity, the person must participate. If you do not participate in the SNAP E&T assignment or you quit a job willfully and without a good cause reason, you may lose your SNAP benefits.What happens if you don’t follow these general SNAP work rules?
You may lose your SNAP benefits if you don’t follow these work rules and you don’t have a good cause reason. If you do not follow the general SNAP work rules or you do not participate in a SNAP E&T assignment, you will be sent a Conciliation Notification. You will be offered a meeting with the district to explain why you did not follow the rules.
If you receive a Conciliation Notification, you must contact the local district by the date on the Conciliation Notification to explain why you did not follow the work rules. If the district decides you had a good cause reason, your household’s SNAP benefits will stay the same. If you did not have a good cause reason, the district will offer you a chance to participate in the same activity you did not complete in order to not lose SNAP benefits. If the district decides that the same activity is not available or is no longer a good fit for you, you may be asked to complete another activity. If you do not complete the activity or prove they had a good cause reason, your household’s SNAP benefits may go down or stop.How long will you lose your SNAP benefits if you don’t follow these general SNAP work rules or do not complete a SNAP E&T assignment?
The first time you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for one month.
The second time you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for three months.
The third time, and any additional time after that, you do not follow these rules, you can’t get SNAP benefits for six months.
If you lose your SNAP benefits because you did not follow the general SNAP work rules or did not complete a SNAP E&T assignment, you must be allowed to start receiving SNAP benefits before the end of the time period noted above if you prove you should be excused from following the general SNAP work rules.Where can you find additional resources?
New York City recorded 2,192 overdose deaths in 2024, down 28% from 3,056 in 2023—the first substantial drop after nearly 10 years of increases, Mayor Eric Adams and DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said Tuesday. Declines were seen across all five boroughs, with Staten Island down about 49%. Black and Latino New Yorkers saw 29% reductions yet still died at roughly twice the rate of white residents, and the Bronx remains the hardest-hit borough. City, state, and federal investments—backed by nearly $190 million in opioid-settlement funds to date and projected to reach $550 million by 2041—have expanded prevention, treatment, and harm-reduction services, including Overdose Prevention Centers and wider access to methadone and buprenorphine. The city budgeted $41 million in FY2025 for overdose response. New Yorkers can call or text 988 for 24/7 support.
Mayor Adams Announces Opioid Overdose Deaths in City Drop Significantly for First Time in Past Decade
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse today announced new data released by DOHMH that shows a significant decrease in overdose deaths in New York City in 2024 — marking the first substantial decrease following a nearly 10-year period of increasing overdose deaths in the five boroughs. There were 2,192 deaths last year, down from 3,056 in 2023, mirroring national trends, and overdose deaths decreased almost universally across demographic groups and neighborhoods in 2024. Additionally, residents of all five boroughs saw decreases in overdose deaths and, for the first time since 2018, overdose deaths decreased among Black and Latino New Yorkers; however, significant racial and geographic inequities persist.
“The data we are releasing today represents a major shift in a decades-long overdose crises that has claimed the lives of so many New Yorkers and Americans across the nation. Progress on reducing opioid overdoses will never make up for the families that have been devastated and the communities torn apart by these drugs, but it gives us hope that brighter days are ahead,” said Mayor Adams. “I am proud of the work our administration has done to stay focused on this issue by pursuing litigation and using funds from opioid settlements proactively, strategically, and forcefully to support those who are struggling. We will continue to make the right investments in programs and treatments that help keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.”
“While we are finally seeing the needle move on fatal overdoses across the city, too many New Yorkers still continue to die from preventable deaths,” said DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Morse. “As city leaders, we must be steadfast in our support of programs that save lives, while we continue to address historic disinvestment and other forms of structural racism. I am grateful for the tireless dedication of advocates, local providers, Health Department staff, and partners inside and outside government as we work to keep our communities and neighbors safe and connected to care.”
Despite seeing promising decreases, inequities in overdose deaths still persist in New York City. Black and Latino New Yorkers each saw a 29 percent reduction in overdose deaths but died at twice the rate of their white counterparts. While the rate of fatal overdose decreased 24 percent among Bronx residents, the borough continues to have the highest rate of overdose deaths — at more than double the rate of Manhattan, the borough with the second-highest rate. The rate of overdose deaths among Staten Island residents decreased by about 49 percent. Residents of Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Highbridge-Morrisania, Crotona-Tremont, East Harlem, and Fordham-Bronx Park continued to bear the greatest burden of overdose deaths in 2024.
To address the continued need for comprehensive services, the city continues to invest in evidence-based practices and partner with local providers to reach the communities most in need. In FY 2025 alone, the city allocated $41 million across DOHMH, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the Office of the New York City Chief Medical Examiner to support the expansion of services around the city and enhance the existing network of care.
Ongoing funds from opioid settlements through DOHMH have supported wraparound services for syringe service programs, including on-site medical care, connections to health care and social services, and support for basic needs. In FY 2025, syringe service programs that operate Overdose Prevention Centers provided approximately 39,000 harm reduction services to more than 8,000 participants, reducing the risk of overdose and infectious disease and providing referrals to treatment and other health and social services. In 2023, the Adams administration also allocated $3 million to eight providers on Staten Island through a request for proposal to directly support the expansion of buprenorphine treatment, outreach and engagement, and care navigation services in the borough. This past July, the city announced $4 million in annual funding for nine outpatient and opioid treatment programs citywide to increase access to methadone and buprenorphine. Contracting for the expansion of the number of hospitals participating in DOHMH’s emergency department-based nonfatal opioid overdose response program called Relay remains ongoing.
Since beginning to receive funding through opioid settlements, NYC Health + Hospitals has had over 9,700 patient engagements with expanded substance use services at Street Health Outreach and Wellness vans, nearly 83,000 encounters with patients in emergency departments with addiction services provided by the Emergency Department Leads program, and has successfully launched a cutting-edge addiction simulation training for emergency department prescribers. Additionally, NYC Health + Hospitals has provided comprehensive addiction consultations at over 24,700 inpatient admissions through the Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals program.
Further, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Drug Intelligence and Intervention Group program has offered support services to more than 4,000 individuals following the death of a loved one from an overdose.
All actions taken by Mayor Adams and the Adams administration to prevent overdose deaths also underscore the administration’s efforts to improve and extend the average lifespan of all New Yorkers through “HealthyNYC” to 83 years by 2030. HealthyNYC sets ambitious targets to address the greatest drivers of premature death, including chronic and diet-related diseases, screenable cancers, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, violence, and COVID-19.
New Yorkers looking to access substance use services can call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. Resources can also be found on the “NYC HealthMap” and on DOHMH’s website.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has launched a statewide crackdown on impaired and reckless driving, deploying extra State Police and local law enforcement patrols from October 25 through Halloween night on October 31. Funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the initiative includes sobriety checkpoints, heightened DWI enforcement, and targets for speeding and distracted drivers amid heightened risks from trick-or-treaters and partygoers. Last year’s effort yielded over 46,000 tickets and 1,260 impaired-driving arrests; officials urge motorists to plan sober rides via the free “Have a Plan” app, citing federal data showing Halloween pedestrian deaths surge 43% and nearly one-third of fatal crashes involve drunk drivers.
Governor Hochul Announces Increased State Police and Local Law Enforcement Patrols to Combat Impaired and Reckless Driving Through Halloween
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that State Police and local law enforcement will increase patrols through Halloween, targeting impaired and reckless drivers. The enforcement period, which is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, runs from Saturday, October 25 through Friday, October 31.
“Halloween should be fun and safe for everyone, regardless of how you choose to celebrate,” Governor Hochul said. “Unfortunately, poor choices behind the wheel can lead to deadly consequences. There is no excuse to drive impaired, drive distracted or speed. The New York State Police and our local law enforcement officers will be out and looking for anyone who makes the decision to jeopardize the safety of others this Halloween.”
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “We want everyone to be safe and enjoy Halloween festivities. If your celebration includes consuming alcohol or drugs, plan to have a sober ride. Nothing will haunt you like a DWI. We all play a part in ensuring children and parents get home safely when they are out trick-or-treating. Look for pedestrians, lower your speed, put away the distractions and make sure everyone gets home safely.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Keeping our roadways safe is a shared responsibility, and that begins with making smart choices before you get behind the wheel. Our Troopers will be out in full force this Halloween to protect the public from impaired, distracted, and reckless drivers. We want everyone to enjoy the holiday, but safety must come first. Plan ahead, drive sober, and help us make sure every child and family makes it home safely.”
New York State Sheriffs’ Association President and Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone said,“Law enforcement will be out to make sure everyone is safe this spooky time of year. As families are enjoying Halloween, and sometimes the days before and after, drivers need to be on the lookout for pedestrians. It is hard to see little ghouls and goblins if you are speeding or driving impaired. The Sheriffs of New York State want you to enjoy your tricks and treats safely, so obey the speed limit and drive sober.”
During last year’s initiative, law enforcement officers issued 46,212 citations, arrested 1,260 drivers for impaired driving and ticketed 9,029 drivers for speeding.
Motorists can expect several sobriety checkpoints and additional DWI patrols during the enforcement period. In addition to targeting impaired drivers, law enforcement officers will also be looking for drivers that are distracted or speeding.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to the high number of impaired drivers on the roads and a significant increase in pedestrians. In 2023, 29 percent of fatal car crashes on Halloween involved impaired drivers. Studies also show that pedestrian deaths increase by 43% on Halloween compared to other nights. NHTSA data also shows that the impaired driving crisis killed more than 13,000 people for the second year in a row. Drunk driving deaths have increased 22 percent since 2019 with someone killed or injured in a drunk driving crash every 85 seconds.
For drivers who might find themselves in need of a way home after Halloween parties, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation’s “Have a Plan” mobile app is available for Apple and Android smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi service and program a designated driver list. It also provides information on DWI laws and penalties, and a way to report a suspected impaired driver.
New York City has joined a nine-jurisdiction coalition led by Chicago to sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, aiming to block new FY2025 “Standard Terms and Conditions” the cities call unlawful and dangerous to public safety. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, argues that federal officials exceeded their authority by conditioning counterterrorism and disaster-preparedness funds—over $100 million nationally—on certifications that recipients do not run “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)” programs and that they comply with all of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders. NYC warns the cuts could hinder the NYPD’s radiological/nuclear detection efforts and transit system security, including active-shooter training and daily specialized deployments. The suit contends only Congress can change grant conditions and challenges a clause that could claw back triple the grant amounts, risking critical services. Joining NYC and Chicago are Denver, New Haven, Baltimore, Boston, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Ramsey County, MN.
City of New York Files Lawsuit to Protect Over $100 Million in Federal Emergency and Disaster Grants to Local Governments Nationwide
– The City of New York — as part of a national coalition of nine local governments from across the country — has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), challenging the federal government’s effort to force cities and counties to agree to unlawful conditions to continue to receive over $100 million in federal funding for countering terrorism, disaster preparedness, and other public safety programs. In the lawsuit, the coalition argues that without this funding, the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) ability to detect and defend against a radiological or nuclear attack could be compromised. Additionally, funding that supports the New York City transit system’s operational security capability and capacity, including active shooter training and deploying specialized teams within the transit system every day, could be affected.
“Public safety has always been our administration’s North Star, which is why we have always fought for every penny from our state and federal counterparts to keep us safe,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We’ve hit historic lows in crime because we’ve always been willing to make the necessary investments, so now is not the time to go backwards. We are proud to join partners from across the nation, once again, in filing this lawsuit to keep New Yorkers, and Americans from across the nation, safe.”
“Losing funding that helps the NYPD prevent terror attacks on our subways, bridges, and tunnels would be contrary to law, the intent of Congress, and put millions of New Yorkers at risk,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant.
In each of the last three fiscal years, New York City has been awarded approximately $150 million in grant funding for critical emergency management programs at the NYPD, the New York City Department of Transportation, and other city agencies. However, in Fiscal Year 2025, as part of the “Standard Terms and Conditions,” DHS adopted unlawful new conditions requiring recipients to certify that they do not “operate any programs that advance or promote ‘Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility’,” and requiring compliance with all of President Donald Trump’s executive orders to be eligible to receive the funds. The DHS grants help local governments prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters such as acts of terrorism, mass shootings, cyber incidents, and other complex emergencies, putting critical services for numerous communities, including New York, at risk.
The lawsuit — led by the City of Chicago in Illinois and filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division — states that new funding conditions added by the heads of federal agencies are unconstitutional and an overreach by the executive branch, which does not have the authority to change conditions related to federal grants without the approval of Congress.
The lawsuit resists efforts by the federal administration to coerce local governments into accepting these unlawful grant conditions, including a condition that puts at risk three times the amount of the grants based on vague and undefined requirements — further endangering critical services for New Yorkers.
Joining New York City and Chicago in filing the lawsuit are the cities of Denver, Colorado; New Haven, Connecticut; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Saint Paul Minnesota; as well as the county of Ramsey, Minnesota.
Oct. 21, 2025—Mayor Eric Adams, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos and MOME Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman launched the sixth annual “Battle of the Boroughs,” a Minecraft Education esports contest inviting K–12 students to reimagine Pier 6 at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The city will baseline $60,000 to support technology needs for participants and educators; team submissions are open now through Jan. 16, 2026, via the New York City Public Schools website. Top entries will advance to in-person borough qualifiers and a Mayor’s Cup Final at the 2026 New York City Video Game Festival. The program aligns with City Hall’s digital-games push as the local industry grows to roughly 380 studios, 7,900 jobs and an estimated $2.6 billion in economic impact.
Mayor Adams, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos, Commissioner Kaufman Kick Off 2026 “Battle of the Boroughs” E-Sports Competition
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman today launched the first round of the sixth annual New York City Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs Esports Competition (BOTB). Through BOTB, K-12 students compete to build a more inclusive, sustainable, future-ready New York City in Minecraft while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, for the first time, the Adams administration will baseline $60,000 for the annual competition to support critical technology needs for participants and educators. Submissions for student teams are open now and close on January 16, 2026. Information on how to join the challenge, as well as entry-level training courses for educators to bring digital gaming into their classrooms, is available on the New York City Public Schools website.
“We’re not just making sure our students are prepared to join the digital gaming industry but training them to lead it — that is what this competition is all about,” said Mayor Adams. “By encouraging students to learn computer science, build critical thinking skills, and explore sustainable design, we are both engaging our young people today and laying the foundation for good-paying careers after they graduate. Congratulations to last year’s winners and good luck to this year’s teams!”
“The annual Battle of the Boroughs competition showcases the incredible potential of our students when they’re given the tools and the platform to thrive,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “The new funding set aside by New York City Public Schools to support this initiative will help us to celebrate and lift the creativity and innovation of our young people even further. I’m proud of every student who participates, and I’m grateful to the educators and partners who continue to support them every step of the way.”
“The annual Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs competition is back, with the earliest entry date yet, so that even more students across the five boroughs get an opportunity to enter and take a meaningful step towards an education and career in the city’s burgeoning digital games industry,” said MOMECommissioner Kaufman. “The Adams administration and our office are committed to supporting digital game development through the Battle of the Boroughs competition leading to the Mayor’s Cup Final and the second annual New York City Video Game Festival in the spring of 2026.”
“The Battle of the Boroughs empowers the next generation of New Yorkers to use digital gaming technology to reimagine city spaces, inspiring NYCEDC and our continuous revitalization work,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “The competition is an outstanding opportunity to engage students across the five boroughs in city planning, digital innovation, and sustainability, and NYCEDC looks forward each year to seeing the visionary concepts from our city’s young minds.”
BOTB — which was developed in partnership with Minecraft Education and builds on Mayor Adams’ Digital Gaming Initiative, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done (GSD) — is a scholastic digital gaming competition in which elementary, middle, and high school students compete to design future-ready city spaces. Through the competition, students explore the five boroughs, learn more about New York City’s sustainability plans, and develop valuable computer science and critical thinking skills.
Mayor Adams today also announced the prompt for the first round of this year’s competition: to reimagine Pier 6 at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. In August 2025, the Adams administration broke ground on a transformation of the actual Pier 6, which will create an engaging new open space for community residents and tenants of the MADE Bush Terminal Campus. The campus offers modern facilities and gathering space to promote manufacturing and business activity along the Sunset Park waterfront. In the first round of the competition, students are encouraged to create alternative designs for the project. Top submissions will compete at an in-person qualifying round in each borough. The BOTB Mayor’s Cup Final will take place during the 2nd Annual New York City Video Game Festival in the spring of 2026, presented by MOME.
As part of today’s announcement, Mayor Adams also celebrated last year’s winning student teams:
The city’s digital gaming industry has continued to grow under the Adams administration. Since 2019, the number of game development studios in New York City has increased by 90 percent, to 380 studios today; the number of industry jobs has increased by four percent, to 7,900 jobs; and the economic impact of the industry has increased by 30 percent, to $2.6 billion.
“Battle of the Boroughs has proven that, when you give students a platform like Minecraft to show their creativity and critical thinking skills, they come together in amazing ways to solve complex challenges,” said Allison Matthews, head, Minecraft Education at Mojang Studios. “In this new AI era, these skills have never been more important. We are thrilled to be part of this year’s kickoff with Microsoft and can’t wait to see what’s crafted during the competition.”
