New York Note: Mamdani’s 100 Days, Peoples-Stokes to Retire, NYS Non-Compete Bill, Cozen Currents

April 13, 2026

Mayor Mamdani’s 100 Days in Office

On Sunday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked his first 100 days in office with two rallies, including an event in Queens alongside Senator Bernie Sanders. In a speech reviewing his administration’s early actions, Mamdani highlighted policy areas where the mayor’s office has taken direct action, including a $1.2 billion agreement with the state to expand universal child care, enforcement actions against landlords and employers, pothole repairs and street repaving, and the restart of stalled bus and street projects. Mamdani also announced plans to open five city-owned grocery stores, complete citywide residential trash containerization by 2031, and improve bus speeds across multiple corridors. He noted that broader elements of his agenda face fiscal constraints and intergovernmental challenges amid a significant budget gap.

Subscribe

Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes Announces Retirement

New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced last Wednesday that she will not seek re-election after representing the 141st District for 23 years and serving as Assembly Majority Leader since 2019. The Majority Leader has said she is retiring to focus on her health and family, but plans to serve out the remainder of her term. Republican State Senator Jack Martins (SD 7) and Republican Assemblymember Jeff Gallahan (AD 131) have also respectively announced they will not seek reelection in 2026.

NYS Non-Compete Bill Update

On April 6th, the Senate introduced S.9759  (Gianaris), the counterpart to Assembly bill A.10023 (Bronson), which prohibits non-compete agreements for most employees and certain restrictive covenants. The Senate bill was formally sponsored by Senator Sean Ryan (S.4641), who retired from the Senate at the start of this legislative session. During the 2023/2024 legislative session, the bill passed both the Senate and Assembly, but was vetoed by Governor Hochul who cited concerns about New York’s highly competitive economic climate and its one-size-fits-all approach.

Cozen Currents: Navigating K-Street for the C-Suite

Each week, Cozen Currents breaks down three key forces shaping the federal political and policy landscape. Authored by Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, last week’s edition explored the battle for control of artificial intelligence, Senate Democratic leadership succession, and the growing role of state and local regulators in antitrust and competition. Subscribe today.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

Explore Articles and News

See All News