ALBANY, NY – Yesterday, August 24, Kathy Hochul was sworn in as New York’s 57th governor, the first woman to do so.
Yesterday morning she briefly addressed the state following her ceremonial swearing in.
“So this is an emotional moment for me, but it is one that I prepared for and I’m so looking forward to continuing the work we have to do,” Hochul said during her speech. “To that end, I spoke with President Biden last night to talk about a number of issues. He pledged his full support to my administration and anything we need. Particularly I thanked him for the support we’ve received from FEMA and others in terms of cleaning up after Henri and how we were prepared and I want to continue assessing the situation.
But I do want to thank the people whose lives were disrupted as well as those who responded, not just to that crisis, but those who continue to fight on the front lines as we fight this deadly pandemic.
I also want to thank the hundreds of thousands of state workers who I have such respect for and I look forward to letting them know that I will represent them with my heart and soul as well. They are the face of government in many, many communities, and I have my utmost respect for all of them.”
Later in the day she shared her priorities to focus on during the first days of her administration concerning the state, which include combatting Delta, getting direct aid to New Yorkers more quickly, and beginning to change the culture in Albany.
Specifically, Hochul listed the following priorities in regards to the pandemic.
- Get children back to school and protect the environment so they can learn, and everyone is safe.
- Increase vaccination rates for New Yorkers.
- Prepare for booster shots and make sure they are available and are distributed quickly and reliably.
“The final priorities I will outline today are simple,” Hochul said in the video. “Get this state working again, focused and without distractions.”
- Directing an overhaul of state government’s policies on sexual harassment and ethics, starting with requiring all training be done live instead of online.
- Direct state entities to review their compliance with state transparency laws, and provide a public report on their findings.
- Instructed her counsel to come up with an expedited process to fulfill all Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests as fast as possible, and post completed requests publicly online.
- Sign an Executive Order requiring ethics training for every employee of the New York State government.
“This is our time to look forward with a powerful sense of optimism and determination,” Hochul said. “It will not be easy. And we have a lot of work to do… Today, for the first time in New York history, a woman will enter that arena as Governor. As I undertake the weighty responsibilities before me, know that I have the confidence, courage and the ability to lead New Yorkers forward. And to make New York’s women proud.”
Hochul’s full address can be viewed in the video provided above.
Monday night, former Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered a farewell speech. That video can be found here.
missing or outdated ad config
