State lawmakers want answers about how Gov. Hochul's proposal to lower rates — which could be a disaster for crash victims — actually works.
The governor has touted fraud and excessive payouts as the culprits for the high costs and pointed at other states, like Michigan, as a proof of concept. But that direct correlation between reducing the opportunity for payouts, if true, hasn't been explained well.
If the logic is that because insurance companies, big and small, will pay out settlements less often, and therefore charge less, then the governor's proposal isn't necessarily flawed, but needs buy-in from the industry.
Whether that "buy-in" will happen remains unclear, as we reported today in our coverage of yesterday's hearing.
In the meantime, the lobbyists for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and insurance industry will be working to influence state lawmakers with auto insurance reform shaping up to be one of the year's prickliest policy items.
In other news:
- Patrick Martinez, nephew of former Rep. Joe Crowley, is running for Assembly Member Steven Raga's Queens seat now that the lawmaker launched a state senate run. (City & State)
- According to the rumor mill, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy is attempting to head off a primary challenge by announcing his campaign early. (The Times Union)
- State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark Schroeder will retire at the end of April. (The Buffalo News)
- The Waymo debate isn't over — it's alive and well in upstate New York. (The Rochester Beacon)
- Binghamton is opening the door to a new passenger rail line providing service, building on federal initiatives between Scranton, Pennsylvania and New York City. (The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin)
- A repeat drunk driver who previously hit a Centro bus left a man injured after crashing into his car in Syracuse. (The Syracuse Post-Standard)
- An allegedly impaired driver hit a 70-year-old driver in Merrick leaving him in critical condition. (Newsday)
