Power & Politics: A re-audit on New York's maternal health progress, food chemical reform bill passes and Westchester looks to bolster union jobs
This week's guest is New York State Deputy Comptroller Tina Kim.
Top Stories
Maternal health in New York
A recently released re-audit of the New York Department of Health found the state has made significant progress in improving maternal health.
The audit was done by the New York Comptroller's office, two years after the state found the department could do more to protect the lives of women before, during and after giving birth.
The latest report found the state took concrete steps to improve outreach and come up with ways to actually evaluate the data it collected.
"If you can prevent a mother from dying in childbirth or in the year after childbirth, you want to do everything that you can to do that," New York State Deputy Comptroller Tina Kim said.
A spokesperson for the state Health Department told News 12, "The New York State Department of Health is committed to working with our partners to reduce maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity across New York State. The Department has taken concrete steps to strengthen how maternal health initiatives are tracked and evaluated, including enhancing data collection, establishing clearer performance metrics, and improving program oversight."
Chemicals in food bill
The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act, recently passed in the New York state Assembly and Senate, would require the disclosure of chemical ingredients in food and would ban potassium bromate, which is found in many flours.
News 12 spoke with local business owners about how this would impact them moving forward.
News 12 reached out to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, asking if she plans on signing the bill into law and has not yet heard back.
Westchester apprenticeship bill
The Westchester County Board of Legislators unanimously passed a measure that expands access to quality training in the skilled trades, creating a new pathway to well-paying careers.
The new legislation requires contractors bidding on large County construction projects to provide hands-on, industry-aligned training and skill development to workers. Companies seeking contracts over $250,000 must offer New York State-registered apprenticeship programs in the building trades. Contractors with 14 or fewer employees are exempt.
"As both a union member myself and a county legislator, I know how critical it is to create real pathways for good-paying union jobs," Westchester Legislator Jenn Puja said.
Mandated apprenticeships will build a stronger local talent pipeline and ensure County infrastructure projects are completed by highly skilled tradespeople.
