Gov. David Paterson signed legislation this morning that would require sexual offenders to register their online screen names with state authorities and ban them from joining Internet social networking sites.

Paterson was joined by legislative leaders and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who pushed for the legislation after reaching settlements with sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, [...]

From GNS reporter Dan Osburn:

The Senate Democrats urged the Republican majority today to bring legislation to the floor that would place a moratorium on foreclosures resulting from subprime mortgages.

“In the first quarter of 2008 the rate of foreclosures throughout the state has increased by 40 percent,” said Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith. “Let’s keep people [...]

Not really, but the press release yesterday from Sen. James Alesi, R-Perinton, Monroe County, said he “lashes out at Gov. Paterson: Upstate Czar must remain.”

Let’s just say Alesi, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business , mildly criticizes Paterson over planning to do away with the two-headed, upstate-downstate Empire State [...]

Gov. David Paterson today said he’s committed to improving the upstate economy, saying the recently approved state budget includes $700 million for upstate economic development projects.

He said he supports Upstate Empire State Development Chairman Dan Gundersen, but wants to change the agency’s structure so it has one chairperson for the entire state – instead of [...]

By a 60 – 33 percent margin, Democrats say Barack Obama should pick Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate, a national Quinnipiac Poll found today.

Also, Obama or Clinton leads Arizona Sen. John McCain. Obama leads McCain, the GOP nominee, 47 – 40 percent while Clinton is up 46 – 41 percent, the poll [...]

She wrote this to donors today:

Dear Friend,

There are some people out there who want to declare this race over now, before all the ballots have been counted or even cast. There are some who say they don’t know why I’m in this race. So let me tell you why I’m still running.

I’m in this race [...]

The state Assembly and Senate went in opposite directions today, with the Democratic-controlled Assembly announcing measures to help tenants mainly in the New York City area deal with rents and the Senate seeking tougher laws on Internet violence.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver supported a nine-bill package aimed at keeping rents affordable in the New York City [...]

That’s the message from Sen. Eric Adams, D-Brooklyn, this week as he demonstrated a new device called the PistolCam – a 5-ounce camera he said would provide “a clearer picture of what officers encounter after they remove their guns from their holster.”

Adams, a former NYPD officer, wants officers to start using the guns in the [...]

Remember when Spitzer 2010 sounded so imminent?

Well, according to the New York Observer, former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s campaign will be returning money to donors who request a refund.

The email to donors from campaign spokeswoman Allyson Giard reads:

“As you are likely aware, we are currently disbanding Spitzer 2010. We intend to re-distribute the campaign’s remaining funds [...]

State Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco has put online his petition to have Assembly Democrats pass a state gas-tax suspension from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Meamwhile, Senate Republicans, who passed a gas-tax suspension last week, said more than 20,000 New Yorkers have signed petitions set up by its members.

Tedisco’s petition can be found here.