[ THEME MUSIC ] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTONIO DELGADO HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW.

WE CATCH UP ON WHAT HE'S BEEN UP TO AND MORE.

THEN THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS A NEW LEGAL UPDATE ON TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-EXPANSIVE STUDENTS.

WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT.

THAT AND MORE IS COMING UP.

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAN CLARK.

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE, IT WAS EITHER A QUIET WEEK IN NEW YORK OR POLITICAL CHAOS AS PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL RACES WERE DECIDED TUESDAY.

FOR RESULTS, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK YOUR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME NEWS IN NEW YORK CITY.

GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL SAID THIS WEEK THAT THE STATE'S CONGESTION PRICING PROGRAM IN MANHATTAN IS FINALLY MOVING FORWARD.

THAT PROGRAM WILL CREATE A NEW CHARGE FOR DRIVERS WHO ENTER THE BUSIEST PARTS OF MANHATTAN.

THERE ARE FEW REASONS FOR THAT FOR ONE, THE STATE SAYS IT WILL RAISE $1 BILLION IN REVENUE EACH YEAR.

THAT FUNDING WOULD THEN BE DIRECTED TO THE MTA BUT FOR TWO, THE STATE SAYS IT WILL REDUCE TRAFFIC IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY SWITCH TO PUBLIC TRANSIT RATHER THAN PAYING THE CHARGE.

GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL ON TUESDAY.

MORE VEHICLES HAVE COME BACK THAN WE HAD EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

NOW THAT'S A SIGN OF LIFE BUT THESE VEHICLES HAVE ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE, AN INCREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE CALLED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND WITH OUR TRAFFIC RETURNING TO SUCH HIGH LEVELS THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOREVER REALLY HAS A SENSE OF URGENCY AROUND IT.

THAT PROGRAM COULD TAKE EFFECT AS EARLY AS NEXT APRIL AND STAYING IN STATE GOVERNMENT NOW, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTONIO DELGADO HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW.

HE WAS PICKED FOR THAT JOB BY GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL LAST MAY AND WAS HER RUNNING MATE IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTION.

BEFORE THAT, DELGADO SPENT TWO TERMS IN CONGRESS REPRESENTING PARTS OF HUDSON VALLEY, MOHAWK VALLEY AND SOUTHERN TIER, BUT IN THE PAST YEAR, HE'S BEEN BUSY TRAVELING ACROSS THE STATE FOR EVENTS LEADING NEW YORK'S REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS AND HEADING THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT HATE AND BIAS.

SO TO CHAT MORE ABOUT HIS WORK AND WHAT HE'S BEEN UP TO, THE LG JOINED US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO.

[ THEME MUSIC ] LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

SO YOU'VE BEEN IN OFFICE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR NOW.

YOU'VE BEEN CRISSCROSSING THE STATE DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT'S BEEN GOING?

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

IT'S BEEN GREAT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG STATE.

MY OLD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HAD 11 COUNTIES AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS BIG.

YEAH.

[LAUGHTER] HUDSON VALLEY, THE MOHAWK VALLEY, SOUTHERN TIER AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FINGER LAKES, WESTERN NEW YORK, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NORTH COUNTRY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOWNSTATE AND FOR ME, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AROUND AND JUST MEET FOLKS IN EVERY PART OF THE STATE, EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY, LEARNING THE DIFFERENT MAIN STREETS, LEARNING THE DIFFERENT WAYS COMMUNITIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MANY POWER THEMSELVES, BE IT IN THE HEALTH CARE SPACE, EDUCATIONAL SPACE, BE IT IN THE ECONOMIC SPACE BUT JUST LEARNING THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE STATE AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE ACROSS COMMUNITIES.

WHAT DO PEOPLE TELL YOU ABOUT THAT?

IT'S GOT TO BE A VERY DIFFERENT JOB THAN BEING A MEMBER OF CONGRESS WHICH YOU FORMERLY WERE BEFORE THIS.

WHEN YOU'RE A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, YOU'RE REALLY DEALING WITH YOUR DISTRICT DIRECTLY.

AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE TO GO ALL OVER THE STATE AND TALK TO PEOPLE.

WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU?

YES.

FIRST, I WANT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE IN CONGRESS, TOO YOU'RE FOCUSING ON LEGISLATION.

YEAH.

RIGHT?

YOU'RE FOCUSING ON HOW TO MAKE POLICY INTO LAW THAT YOU KNOW WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE CONSTITUENTS YOU REPRESENT.

INTELLECTUALLY, IT'S A DIFFERENT ENDEAVOR IN THE EXECUTIVE SIDE.

YOU'RE MINDFUL OBVIOUSLY OF LEGISLATION, BUT YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR USHERING ANY LEGISLATION THROUGH.

RIGHT.

REALLY, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS A LOT OF IT IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE VISION IS, ULTIMATELY WHERE ARE WE GOING, HOW DO WE KNIT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT IS A NARRATIVE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE INSPIRED BY AND CAN FEEL ENCOURAGED BY, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVELY, WHETHER IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EMPOWERING ALL COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRESSED OR THAT ARE DISTRESSED OR THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED OR MARGINALIZED SO WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC GROWTH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN A WAY THAT'S MORE HOLISTIC.

HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A MORE INTENTIONAL WAY?

I THINK PEOPLE ARE THIRSTY FOR THAT TYPE OF PRIORITIZATION WHERE THEY TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY IS SEEN, EVERY COMMUNITY IS HEARD AND EVERY COMMUNITY IS EMPOWERED.

NOT THROUGH A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH BUT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE.

SURE.

THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE GROUND.

YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE WORK AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT EVERY COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, FOR ME, SOME ISSUES GET MORE ATTENTION ON THIS SHOW AND IN MY LIFE BECAUSE I FIND THEM MORE PERSONAL TO ME, TO THE MENTAL HEALTH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, I LIKE TO FOCUS ON THOSE QUITE A BIT.

AS YOU'RE TRAVELING THE STATE, ASSUME CERTAIN ISSUES ARE ON YOUR MIND AS WELL.

WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU?

WELL, THE BIGGEST THING THAT STANDS OUT TO ME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I'M DOING IS THROUGH THE LENS OF HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION UNIT.

SURE.

IF I HAD TO CUT OUT TWO NARRATIVES THAT I'VE BEEN REALLY USING AS PLATFORMS TO GET AROUND THE STATE, ONE WOULD BE THROUGH MY WORK AS CHAIR OF THE HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION UNIT.

AND THE OTHER IS I'VE BEEN TRAVELING WITH THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AS THEY DO THEIR 15-CITY TOUR WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND WELL BEING AND CRIME AND WHAT ARE THOSE ASPECTS THAT WE NEED TO BE WRESTLING WITH TO PREVENT THOSE DYNAMICS.

THOSE ARE THE TWO SPACES ALONG WITH BEING THE CHAIR OF THE RNDCS, RIGHT?

WHETHER IT'S AN ECONOMIC LENS OR WHETHER IT'S AN ENRICHMENT LENS WHERE WE'RE EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES FROM THE GROUND UP, THAT HAS BEEN THE ENTRY POINT.

YOU MIGHT IMAGINE THAT MY CONVERSATIONS ARE REALLY BEING INFORMED BY ADVOCATES ON THE GROUND WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THIS WORK, WHO ARE WORKING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S IN THE HOUSING SPACE, WHETHER IT'S IN THE HEALTH CARE SPACE AND EDUCATIONAL SPACE, IN THE ECONOMIC SPACE, THESE ARE ALL LANES THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND HOW ARE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW FOLK ON THE GROUND ARE DOING THE WORK AND ARE THEY BEING SUPPORTED IN A WAY THAT CAN TRULY MAXIMIZE THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING TO BEAR.

YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION UNIT.

THIS IS A UNIT WITHIN THE DIVISION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

YES.

YOU'RE LEADING IT.

THERE ARE ALSO REGIONAL-- YES REGIONAL GROUPS, I GUESS.

COUNCILS, YES.

COUNCILS.

IT MIGHT SEEM OBVIOUS, BUT WHAT'S THE WORK INTENDED TO DO OF THOSE COUNCILS?

SO A LOT OF THE WORK AROUND HATE AND BIAS, UP TO THIS POINT, HAS TYPICALLY BEEN ABOUT REACTING.

YEAH.

THERE'S A HORRIBLE INCIDENT OR TRAGEDY THAT OCCURS AND THE COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND IT AND FIGURES OUT A WAY TO SORT OF REACT TO THAT WHETHER IT'S IN THE CRIMINAL SIDE OR WHETHER IT'S JUST IN THE HEALING SIDE FROM THE VICTIM'S STANDPOINT, AND WE WANT TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL, MORE FORWARD-LEANING, MORE PROACTIVE IN HOW DO WE CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE THAT IS MORE COLLECTIVE AND ROOTED IN COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANCE, AND THAT MEANS IDENTIFYING PARTNERS ON THE GROUND ACROSS THE STATE ON A REGIONAL BASIS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO COMING TOGETHER CONSISTENTLY TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE THEIR COMMUNITY IN ANY NUMBER OF ENDEAVORS.

IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS CREATING SPACES FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE.

IT COULD ALSO BE MORE CONCRETE, FORMAL EVENTS THAT BRING TOGETHER OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK THROUGH CHALLENGING ISSUES, OR JUST TO COME TOGETHER IN FELLOWSHIP AND BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE LIVING IN VERY DIVISIVE TIMES WHERE HATE IS BEING NORMALIZED.

YES.

I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO NORMALIZE LOVE AGAIN, TO UPLIFT LOVE AGAIN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW POWERFUL LOVE ACTUALLY IS.

NO ONE'S BORN TO HATE.

THAT IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

IT IS TAUGHT AS NELSON MANDELA ONCE SAID.

LOVE IS NATURAL.

WE'RE BORN LOVING.

I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO DO THE WORK ON THE GROUND TO BRING THAT TOGETHER.

SO THIS IS A STATEWIDE EFFORT.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HUMBLED I AM TO BE THE CHAIR OF THESE COUNCILS.

THERE ARE TEN COUNCILS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

WE'VE MET NOW WITH EIGHT OF THE TEN.

I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO DO THE NORTH COUNTRY AND WESTERN NEW YORK.

THOSE ARE OUR TWO LAST REGIONS BUT BY THE END OF, HOPEFULLY, THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTH OR SO, WE'LL HAVE INTRODUCED AND MET WITH ALL TEN COUNCILS AND IN EACH OF THOSE COUNCILS WILL, IN THEIR OWN WAY, BEGIN TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THIS SOMETHING THAT IS SO DIFFICULT FOR ME TO EVEN THINK ABOUT.

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T NEED.

YOU KNOW, AS YOU WERE SAYING, WE SHOULDN'T NEED PEOPLE TO COME UP WITH PLANS TO PREVENT BIAS AND HATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE'RE LIVING IN SUCH DIVISIVE TIMES.

YOU'RE GOING AROUND TO ALL OF THESE COUNCILS AND TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I'M WONDERING, DO YOU SEE ANY COMMON TRENDS AMONG EITHER THE MATE AND BIAS IN THEIR AREAS OR HOW THEY'RE RESPONDING?

WELL, I WANT TO SAY TO THE POINT ABOUT SOMETHING WE SHOULDN'T NEED.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY INTUITIVELY YOU MIGHT THINK THAT, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY WE ARE SHARING INFORMATION OR NOT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ECHO CHAMBERS OF MISINFORMATION AND MANIPULATION AND THE RABBIT HOLES THAT THE PEOPLE CAN FALL DOWN NOW SO EASILY IN THE WAYS THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN DECADES AGO.

YES.

YOU THINK ABOUT HOW CONSPIRACY THEORIES NOW THAT WERE ONCE REALLY ON THE MARGINS, WAY, WAY OUT NOW CAN CATCH FIRE ON THE INTERNET AND BECOME NORMALIZED IN A HEARTBEAT, AND WE HAVE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO WRITE THE DEMAGOGUE AND WHO WOULD RATHER BE DIVISIVE IN THEIR RHETORIC IN ORDER TO ASSUME POWER FOR THEMSELVES AS IT RESULTS.

THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE THREAD IS THAT I THINK PEOPLE, DESPITE ALL THOSE CHALLENGES, RIGHT, DESPITE THOSE STRUCTURAL REALITIES, I THINK PEOPLE ARE THIRSTY FOR AUTHENTICITY AND GENUINENESS AND BEING ABLE TO DISAGREE BUT AGREEABLY.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL OKAY, SAY WHAT THEY MEAN AND KNOWING THAT THEY WON'T BE JUDGED BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COME FROM THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT WE HAVE TO CREATE THOSE ENVIRONMENTS.

WE HAVE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO MAKE MISTAKES TO MAYBE SAY THE WRONG THING, BUT IN THE NAME OF GETTING TO A BETTER OUTCOME.

YES.

RIGHT.

I THINK THE MORE WE CAN CREATE THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT, THE LESS PEOPLE WILL RUN TO THEIR CORNERS OR CLAM UP OR DIG THEIR HEELS IN OR BE RIGID IN THEIR POINTS OF VIEW.

IT'S INCUMBENT FOR ALL OF US NO MATTER WHAT SPIED THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM YOU COME FROM, YOU COME INTO THE CONVERSATION WITH AN OPEN MIND AND INSTEAD OF ARMS CLOSED, ARMS EXTENDED.

THAT HAS TO BE THE WORK WE DO MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE OTHERWISE, ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE VERY, VERY COMPLICATED, THEY'RE CHALLENGING TO SOLVE.

I USED TO THINK-- HONESTLY, I USED TO THINK THAT JOURNALISM WAS THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.

THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME COULD DISSECT THE MISINFORMATION AND PROVE IT WRONG AND TAKE IT APART.

BUT YOUR POINT ABOUT ECHO CHAMBERS IS SO TRUE.

I MEAN, SOMEBODY CAN CREATE A FACEBOOK GROUP AND INVITE A HUNDRED PEOPLE AND JUST SHARE IN THAT AND CONVINCE THESE 100 PEOPLE ABOUT A CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT HAS NO WEIGHT TO IT.

IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO THINK ABOUT AS A JOURNALIST AND SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

AS YOU'RE GOING AROUND TO THESE COUNCILS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TIME LINE LOOKS LIKE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T AN EASY ANSWER, BUT WHEN DO YOU THINK WE SEE SOMETHING FROM THESE COUNCILS THAT CAN BE SOME KIND OF TANGIBLE CHANGE?

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE POSE TO EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN MEASURE SUCCESS, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES IT'S COUNTER-INTUITIVE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE END UP GETTING MORE OUTREACH IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HATE AND THEY ARE SHARING THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED SOMETHING, YOU COULD ARGUE, WELL, THAT'S NOT A GOOD INDICATION THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING SUCCESS, BUT ON THE CONTRARY, IT COULD MEAN THAT THE ENVIRONMENT NOW IS SUCH THAT MORE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING.

RIGHT.

WHAT THEY FEEL.

WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE STATS THAT ON THE SURFACE MIGHT LOOK COUNTER-INTUITIVE OR COUNTER TO THE OBJECTIVES BUT ACTUALLY WHEN YOU REALLY ANALYZE THEM, IT JUST MEANS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING THE CONVERSATIONS GOING AND THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND MAKE THEMSELVES VULNERABLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO I GIVE IT AS AN EXAM TOLL SAY IT'S HARD.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT AN EASY WAY INITIALLY TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

I CHARGE THE COUNCILS TO DO THE WORK WITH, OF COURSE, OUR ASSISTANTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CONCRETE THINGS THEY CAN DO, TANGIBLE THINGS THEY CAN MEASURE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR?

I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS YOU MIGHT APPRECIATE, RIGHT NOW, JUST GETTING THESE COUNCILS TOGETHER AND HAVING THEM COMMUNICATE AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO ENGAGE EACH OTHER WAS THE INITIAL START, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WE'LL BE FIGURING OUT WITHIN EACH COUNCIL WHAT ARE THOSE TANGIBLE, CONCRETE THINGS THAT WE CAN MEASURE SIX MONTHS OUT FROM NOW.

I DON'T KNOW HOW INVOLVED YOU ARE IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS, BUT DO YOU THINK THIS KIND OF WORK WOULD INFORM THE KIND OF BUDGETING THAT THE STATE DOES IN THE FUTURE FOR NONPROFIT GROUPS THAT TRY TO COMBAT HATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT?

EVERYTHING THAT I TRY TO DO WHETHER IT'S IN THE HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION UNIT OR WHETHER IT'S VISITING DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS ON THOSE GROUNDS IS WITH AN EYE TOWARD HOW WE AT THE STATE LEVEL CAN BETTER ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES IN A MORE THOUGHTFUL AND MORE EQUITABLE WAY.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO DO ALL WE CAN AT THE STATE LEVEL TO BE AS INFORMED AS WE CAN.

AND THAT MEANS BE INFORMED NOT BY JUST THE FOLKS WHO ARE VERY EQUIPPED TO INFORM.

RIGHT.

BUT TO BE INFORMED BY EVERYBODY.

YEAH.

ACROSS THE STATE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SHARE OR NOT.

IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO GO THERE, TO BE PRESENT, TO BE SEEN, TO BE HEARD AND TO LISTEN TO EVERY COMMUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND.

AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE BETTER SENSE WE HAVE OF THAT ACROSS THE STATE AND THE MORE WE INTENTIONALLY INVEST IN THESE COMMUNITIES IN MEANINGFUL WAYS, EVERYBODY BENEFITS.

THE ECONOMY GROWS ALL AROUND IN A HOLISTIC WAY.

RIGHT.

SO IT'S A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL SHIPS, AS ONE MIGHT SAY.

EXACTLY.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTONIO DELGADO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON DELGADO'S WORK WITH THE HATE AND BIAS PREVENTION UNIT, AND STAYING AT THE CAPITOL NOW, GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL SIGNED A PACKAGE OF BILLS THIS WEEK TO CLOSE OUT PRIDE MONTH AND THE BIGGEST BILL IN THAT PACKAGE, NOW LAW, WOULD ADD NEW LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-EXPANSIVE PEOPLE.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE, THERE'S A LOT TO IT.

PEOPLE THINK IT'S OFTEN JUST SURGERY, BUT GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE CAN INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM A NEW HAIRSTYLE TO MATCH SOMEONE'S GENDER TO HORMONES TO HELP WITH THEIR TRANSITION AND A LOT MORE AND IN SOME STATES THAT KIND OF CARE COULD BE HARD TO FIND OR EVEN ILLEGAL.

SO THE BILL HOCHUL SIGNED WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME TO NEW YORK TO RECEIVE THAT CARE WHILE AVOIDING ANY LEGAL TROUBLE.

IF ANOTHER STATE TRIES TO INTERVENE OR INVESTIGATE THOSE PEOPLE, THE NEW LAW BLOCKS ANY COOPERATION FROM PEOPLE IN NEW YORK, INCLUDING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE POLICE.

THE LAW WILL ALSO PROTECT DOCTORS IN NEW YORK FROM EXTRADITION AND PROFESSIONAL SCRUTINY FOR PROVIDING THAT CARE.

GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL LAST SUNDAY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND THIS YEAR AS IF THESE OTHER STATE GOVERNMENTS HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO DO, THEY'VE INTRODUCED OVER 500 ANTI-LGBTQ PIECES OF LEGISLATION THIS YEAR.

[ AUDIENCE BOOS ] THEY WANT TO SOLVE THE OTHER PROBLEMS OF SOCIETY TODAY.

THIS IS WRONG!

THAT LAW TAKES EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AND IN RELATED NEWS, THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A NEW LEGAL UPDATE FOR SCHOOLS ON TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-EXPANSIVE STUDENTS.

IT'S A DOCUMENT THAT ESSENTIALLY TELLS SCHOOLS WHAT THE LAW IS AND HOW TO BEST FOLLOW IT.

THAT MEANS THAT FOR STUDENTS WHO COME OUT AT SCHOOL, TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.

IF A STUDENT STARTS USING DIFFERENT PRONOUNS OR DIFFERENT NAME, THE SCHOOL IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THOSE CHANGES.

BUT IT'S ALSO MORE THAN THAT.

THE UPDATE EXPLAINS WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KIDS AND WHAT WILL BE A REALLY VULNERABLE TIME IN THEIR LIVES.

SO FOR MORE ON THAT, WE SPOKE THIS WEEK WITH KATHLEEN DECATALDO, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AT THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

[ THEME MUSIC ] KATHLEEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU, DAN.

THANK YOU.

SO THIS GUIDANCE, I WANT TO GO OVER WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT'S REALLY IN IT.

SO IF A STUDENT STARTS USING A DIFFERENT NAME AND DIFFERENT PRONOUNS AT SCHOOL DOES THE FRAMEWORK SAY THAT TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL STAFF SHOULD DO FOR THAT STUDENT?

SO I WANT TO START BY SAYING IT'S REALLY NOT GUIDANCE.

IT'S A LEGAL UPDATE.

OKAY.

AND BEST PRACTICES FRAMEWORK AND WE'RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW LAWS THAT DO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

SO AS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD A SCHOOL DO, SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO HONOR A STUDENT'S REQUEST TO BE CALLED BY THEIR AFFIRMED NAME AND BY THEIR PRONOUNS OF CHOICE.

AND SO THIS IS JUST FOR AT SCHOOL, RIGHT?

I CAN SEE SOME PEOPLE BEING CONCERNED THAT MAYBE SCHOOL STAFF OR TEACHERS MIGHT TRY TO GIVE STUDENTS GUIDANCE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS LEGAL UPDATE, CORRECT?

NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

NO, THIS IS JUST ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL AND WE TRY TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT THE REST OF THAT STUDENT'S TRANSITION IS BETWEEN THAT STUDENT, THEIR FAMILY, THAT'S NONE OF THE SCHOOL'S BUSINESS.

SO TELL ME HOW THIS KIND OF HAPPENS AT A SCHOOL.

IF A STUDENT GOES TO A TRUSTED TEACHER OR A STAFF MEMBER, GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, WHOEVER THEY REALLY FEEL SAFE WITH, THEY SIT DOWN AND SAY, I WANT TO GO BY THIS NAME NOW.

I WANT TO USE THESE PRONOUNS WHAT KIND OF PROCESS SHOULD A SCHOOL TAKE IN THAT REGARD IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY ELSE USES THAT STUDENT'S NAME AND PRONOUNS?

WELL, FIRST, THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO ALL SCHOOL STAFF SO THAT WHEN THAT STUDENT DOES REACH OUT, THEY KNOW WHAT TO SAY BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

MAYBE THEY WOULD BE CAUGHT OFFGUARD NOT REALIZING THAT STUDENT TRUSTS THEM ENOUGH TO COME OUT TO THEM.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT IS REALLY CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT AND THEN THIS IS A PROCESS, RIGHT?

STUDENTS-- AND IT HAS TO BE STUDENT-DRIVEN.

SO STUDENTS MIGHT JUST WANT TO TRANSITION IN THAT TRUSTED TEACHER'S CLASS SO IN THAT CLASSROOM, THE STUDENT WOULD BE CALLED-- IS ASKING THE TEACHER TO CALL THEM BY THEIR NAME AND ENCOURAGE THE OTHER STUDENTS TO CALL THEM BY THEIR AFFIRMED NAME AND USE THEIR PRONOUNS OF CHOICE.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS THAT TEACHER HAND OFF THAT STUDENT TO A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, A SCHOOL COUNSELOR WHO'S PREPARED TO REALLY WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO TRANSITION AT SCHOOL WITH THAT YOUNG PERSON, SO THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY STRESS IS THAT IT IS BECAUSE IT'S STUDENT-DRIVEN THE STUDENT IS IN THE BEST PLACE TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN SAFETY AND WHO THEY WANT TO KNOW AND WHO THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH KNOWING THAT THEY ARE TRANSITIONING.

AND JUST FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE WATCHING OR PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING, DO THEY NEED TO HAVE ANY KIND OF DOCUMENTATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO BE TREATED WITH THE CORRECT PRONOUNS AND GENDER AT SCHOOL?

DO THEY NEED SOME SORT OF DOCUMENTATION?

OR, CAN THEY JUST COME OUT AT SCHOOL?

THEY CAN JUST COME OUT AT SCHOOL.

THEY DON'T NEED ANY DOCUMENTATION.

AND FOR PARENTS, I THINK MAYBE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PART OF THIS FOR SOME PEOPLE IS THERE'S A PART OF THIS THAT SAYS IF THE STUDENT COMES OUT, USE DIFFERENT PRONOUNS AND A NAME AT SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL IS NOT TO TELL THE PARENTS.

TELL ME WHY THAT IS.

SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS, RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.

WHAT IT SAYS IS, REMEMBER BEFORE I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNG PERSON GETS HANDED OFF TO A SCHOOL COUNSELOR OR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AND THEY TALK ABOUT WHAT THE TRANSITION PLAN IS FOR THAT STUDENT AT SCHOOL, AND THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHO DOES THAT STUDENT FEEL SAFE WITH SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH.

IN MOST INSTANCES, PARENTS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR STUDENTS AND IF THE STUDENT SAYS I'M COMFORTABLE WITH MY PARENTS BEING INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION, THEN THE PARENT SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE BROUGHT IN AND BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.

ON THE OTHER HAND IN THE SMALL NUMBER OF CASES, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO BECOME UNHOUSED AS A RESULT OF COMING OUT WITH THEIR FAMILY.

THERE'S YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME OTHER ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES AS A RESULT OF COMING OUT TO THEIR FAMILY.

AGAIN, ULTIMATELY THIS IS A CASE-BY-CASE DETERMINATION, STUDENT-BY-STUDENT DETERMINATION AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REVISITED OFTEN AND ULTIMATELY, WE HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A TRANSITION LAND CREATED WITH THE SCHOOL AND THAT YOUNG PERSON SO THAT YOUNG PERSON KNOWS WHAT THE SCHOOL'S GONNA DO AND THE SCHOOL UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE STUDENT IS ASKING FOR AND THEN THAT, AGAIN, THAT SHOULD BE UPDATED FREQUENTLY SO THAT AS THAT YOUNG PERSON GROWS MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR TRANSITION, HOPEFULLY, THE FAMILY'S INVOLVED AND THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIFE.

ALL RIGHT.

KATHLEEN DECALTDO, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WE'LL LINK TO THAT LEGAL UPDATE ON OUR WEBSITE.

REPUBLICANS HAVE COME OUT AGAINST IT SAYING SCHOOLS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON BRINGING GRADES UP.

STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR ED COX SAID IN A STATEMENT, QUOTE, THE FAILURE TO TEACH BASIC SKILLS WILL ONLY HASTEN THE DECLINE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND EXODUS OF FAMILIES TO JURISDICTIONS THAT PLACE EDUCATION OVER IDEOLOGY, END QUOTE.

JUST FOR YOUR CONTEXT, THE LEGAL UPDATE DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY NEW CURRICULUM TO BE TAUGHT.

BEFORE WE LET YOU GO THIS WEEK, SOME SAD NEWS OUT OF NEW YORK.

FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RICHARD RAVITCH HAS DIED.

HE WAS 89 YEARS OLD.

DESPITE HOLDING THE NUMBER TWO JOB IN STATE GOVERNMENT, RAVITCH WAS KNOWN FOR A LOT MORE.

IN 1979, HE WAS PICKED TO HEAD THE MTA IN NEW YORK CITY AND IS WIDELY KNOWN AS THE PERSON WHO SAVED IT FROM FINANCIAL RUIN AT A DIFFICULT TIME.

A DECADE LATER, HE RAN FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR AND LOST BUT HIS WORK CONTINUED.

THEN IN 2009, HE BECAME LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

THAT WAS AFTER FORMER GOVERNOR ELIOT SPITZER RESIGNED AND DAVID PATERSON, THEN THE LG, BECAME GOVERNOR AND TO REMEMBER THAT MOMENT, WHICH RAVITCH IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR, WE DUG UP PART OF THE LAST TIME HE WAS IN OUR STUDIO.

THIS CLIP IS FROM 2014 WHEN FORMER "NEW YORK NOW" HOST MATT RYAN SAT DOWN WITH RAVITCH.

WE HAD ELIOT SPITZER IN MARCH OF 2008 RESIGN IN DISGRACE.

HIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BECAME THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, DAVID PATERSON, AND THEN WE SAW THE STATE SENATE IN TURMOIL AND IN 2009, A FEW OF THE DEMOCRATS JOINED FORCES WITH THE REPUBLICANS AND CONTROLLED.

THE CHAMBER WAS KIND OF UP IN THE AIR AND THAT'S WHEN DAVID PATERSON GAVE YOU A CALL A LITTLE BEFORE JULY 4TH IN 2009.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

WELL, ACTUALLY, HIS-- HE HAD HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATE CHARLES O'BURTON FEEL ME OUT BEFORE HE CALLED ME BECAUSE HE WANTED TO KNOW I WOULDN'T SAY NO.

I WAS ASKED WHETHER I'D CONSIDER IF HE AIN30ED ME AND IF THE APPOINTMENT WITHSTOOD LEGAL CHALLENGE WHICH THEY KNEW WAS INEVITABLE, WOULD I AGREE TO SERVE AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND I CARE A LOT ABOUT THE STATE, CARE A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE, THOUGHT ABOUT IT, SPENT 24 HOURS CHECKING AS TO WHETHER THERE WERE ANY CONFLICTS THAT MIGHT MAKE IT AWKWARD FOR HIM OR FOR ME OR THE STATE OBVIOUSLY.

[ APPLAUSE ] AGREED TO DO IT.

THEN GOVERNOR PATERSON LATER IN TERM AS YOU GUYS WERE IN OFFICE TOGETHER ASKED FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON REFORMING THE STATE'S BUDGET PROCESS AND YOU, OF COURSE, WERE A NATURAL FIT.

YOU HELPED NEW YORK CITY OUT IN THE MID-'70S DURING ITS FINANCIAL CRISIS.

THE STATE WAS HAVING SOME SERIOUS BUDGET GAPS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

SO WE ASKED YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

HOW DO WE REFORM THIS?

YOU GAVE HIM YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND HE REJECTED THEM.

HOW FRUSTRATING WAS THAT FOR YOU?

IT WAS FRUSTRATING BUT HE WAS NOT ALONE.

THERE WAS VERY LITTLE INTEREST BECAUSE-- EXCEPT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, FOR SHELLY SILVER AND HIS STAFF.

YOU MENTIONED THAT.

THAT WAS IRONIC.

THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TALKING IT THROUGH.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

IT'S NOT A SUSTAINABLE SITUATION.

YOU ARE BORROWING MONEY TO BALANCE YOUR OPERATING BUDGET.

YOU ARE SELLING ASSETS TO BALANCE YOUR OPERATING BUDGET.

THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

AND WHAT I RECOMMENDED WAS, INDEED, VERY PAINFUL MEDICINE FOR PEOPLE IN POLITICS WITHOUT REGARD TO WHERE THEY WERE ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

[ THEME MUSIC ] MAY HIS MEMORY BE A BLESSING.

WE'LL LINK TO THAT FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND THAT AND MORE AT NYNOW.ORG.

WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR THIS WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S "NEW YORK NOW."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >>ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.

[ THEME MUSIC ]