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Austin C. Jefferson

Before becoming Albany Bureau Chief in late 2025, Austin C. Jefferson was a state politics reporter for City & State NY, covering state government, elections and major legislative debates. His reporting has also appeared in the Daily Freeman, Chronogram Magazine and The Legislative Gazette. Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, he’s always happy to argue about where Upstate New York truly begins.

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Nassau County Police Are Enforcing an E-Bike Ban That Doesn’t Actually Exist

With no clear legal rationale for the ban, Nassau County e-bike riders are left in a tough spot.

March 19, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines: Backed into a Corner Edition

Another day, another demand for auto insurance reform from Gov. Hochul. Plus other news.

Albany Pols Seek Transparency From Insurance Giants As Hochul Pushes Premium Cuts

Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey have stepped up their oversight of — and concern about — Gov. Hochul's auto insurance scheme.

Hochul’s Car Insurance Plan Blows Fraud Way Out Of Proportion: Stats

Gov. Hochul's proposal to lower car insurance premiums is built on suspected fraud. But a body of evidence reveals that there really is very little.

March 12, 2026

UPDATE: State Lawmakers Cut Hochul’s Car Insurance Scheme From Their Budget

The Uber-backed plan to lower car insurance rates has drawn criticism from legal professionals, crash victim advocates and state pols who say the legislative changes would strip crash victims of rights.

March 10, 2026

Senate Majority Leader Questions Hochul’s Insurance Premium Scheme

The growing chorus of state lawmakers who want clarity on how the governor's auto insurance helps real New Yorkers now includes Stewart-Cousins, the second-most-powerful woman in state government.

March 5, 2026

Lawmakers Raise Doubts About Hochul’s Insurance Proposal

The governor's Uber-backed insurance plan is leaving state lawmakers unsure of its effect on crash victims and high auto premiums.

February 27, 2026

Mamdani Pitches Free Buses (Cheap!) Plus Other Transportation Needs on ‘Tin Cup’ Day in Albany

The mayor gave his former colleagues in state government a glimpse of his thinking on transportation and city operations, and hopes they can send more cash his city's way.

February 12, 2026

AV Snub: School Bus Drivers Close The Doors On Autonomous Vehicles

School bus drivers are joining the chorus of opposition to a possible statewide expansion of Waymo, but it could be too late.

February 5, 2026

TRAIN IN VAIN: Amtrak Pulls Plug On Metro-North Expansion

All aboard? Not so fast. Amtrak is putting the brakes on an expansion of the Metro-North that would have extended service to Albany.

January 28, 2026