Rockefeller Institute of Government

Initial Considerations for Adopting the New 1915c Waiver Design as Enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR1) | Rockefeller Institute of Government A new 1915c waiver becomes effective for states in January 2028. In preparing, New York State should keep these considerations in mind.

Less discussed health policy changes from OBBBA include adjustments to the 1915c waiver. As NYS policymakers await further guidance from CMS, our latest outlines 6 considerations that can ensure sustainable, quality care for NY's growing aging population. rockinst.org/blog/initial...

RGVRC Member Highlight: Eric Fleegler | Rockefeller Institute of Government Meet Eric Fleegler, RGVRC scholar and pediatric emergency physician, whose research examines firearm violence, inequities, and policy solutions to protect children, families, and communities.

Learn about RGVRC member Eric Fleegler, whose "goal is to figure out the interventions that can be implemented one-on-one with families and at the community level to reduce gun violence," in our latest Consortium member highlight.
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Ep. 125. A Look at Labor: NYSDOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon | Rockefeller Institute of Government  In this installment of our series, “A Look at Labor,” Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy Maria Figueroa interviews Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor...

New episode of Policy Outsider!

@nyslabor.bsky.social Commissioner Roberta Reardon joins the show to discuss expanding capacity in the childcare industry, promoting green jobs, improving apprenticeship programs, advancing workplace safety protections, & more.

Listen 👇 rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Also excited to share that the Consortium welcomed 20 new members in 2025, expanding its network to 157 scholars and practitioners across 30 states and DC, as well as Australia, Belgium, Canada, and England!

The full cast is here: rockinst.org/gun-violence...

Our Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium released its 2025 Annual Report today! The report highlights Consortium members' academic publications, policymaker briefings, media appearances, grant funding, & more.

Read it: rockinst.org/issue-area/r...

Ep. 123. Healthcare Trends to Watch in 2026 | Rockefeller Institute of Government Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke discusses the healthcare trends for policymakers to watch in 2026.

New Policy Outsider episode!
Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke discusses the healthcare trends for policymakers to watch in 2026.
rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke lays out the healthcare trends to track in 2026. The analysis reflects and updates trends outlined in 2025 and points to areas where policymakers may be able to pull some policy levers to shape the industry. 👇
rockinst.org/blog/six-tre...

The Path to Universally Affordable Childcare: Where is New York Now? | Rockefeller Institute of Government A look at how a lack of childcare availability and affordability impacts family income and the economy, the existing early care and childcare landscape in New York, and federally funded childcare and ...

New analysis on childcare: we take a look at how a lack of childcare availability and affordability impacts family income and the economy, the existing early care and childcare landscape in New York, and federally funded childcare and preschool programs.
rockinst.org/blog/the-pat...

Ep. 122. A Look at Labor: NYS Assemblymember Harry Bronson | Rockefeller Institute of Government  New York State Assemblymember Harry Bronson is chair of the Assembly Labor Committee. On this episode of our Policy Outsider series, “A Look at Labor,” Rockefeller Institute Director of Labor Policy...

Our Policy Outsider series, "A Look at Labor," continues with an interview with NYS Assemblymember and chair of the Assembly Labor Committee @HarryBBronson. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Changes to Federal PFAS Drinking Water Standards | Rockefeller Institute of Government As federal PFAS drinking water regulations finalized in 2024 face legal challenges and potential rollback, this piece examines the rule, state standards, and implications for public health.

Our latest brief on PFAS drinking water regulations examines legal challenges to the federal drinking water regulations finalized in 2024 and potential changes to those regulations by the Trump administration. rockinst.org/issue-area/t...

Call for Proposals | Forum on State and Local AI Policy Gaps and Opportunities: Health, Education, Governance, and Ethics | Rockefeller Institute of Government The Rockefeller Institute and the AI & Society Research Center are seeking proposals for an afternoon gathering of policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working in the field of artificial intel...

The @rockefellerinst.bsky.social & @albany.edu #AI & Society Research Center hosting policymakers, practitioners & researchers working in the field of #artificialintelligence on April 23 at the Rockefeller Institute of Gov't in Albany, NY. Submit a proposal by Feb 3! rockinst.org/news/article...

RGVRC Member Highlight: Allison Bond | Rockefeller Institute of Government Allison Bond sees her studies into gun violence as essential to suicide prevention, using research and clear communication to turn evidence into life-saving impact.

"I moved into studying gun violence because firearms account for ~50% of suicide deaths, & suicide accounts for ~60% of gun deaths, & we really can’t talk about preventing suicide w/o talking about preventing GV."

Our latest RGVRC Member Highlight: Allison E. Bond
rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...

Ep. 121. Let's Reschedule — What's in Trump's Cannabis EO | Rockefeller Institute of Government On this episode of Policy Outsider, we do a lightning round with Heather Trela, Rockefeller Institute's resident cannabis policy expert, on what President Trump's recently signed Executive Order does ...

On a new episode of Policy Outsider, we break down what's in President Trump's Executive Order to expedite the rescheduling of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug with Rockefeller Institute resident cannabis policy expert Heather Trela.
rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

How Can I Help? Supporting Victims and Survivors of the Recent Mass Shootings | Rockefeller Institute of Government One of the most effective methods for supporting survivors of mass shootings is recognizing and acknowledging their lived experiences, writes Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Direct...

One of the most effective methods for supporting survivors of mass shootings is recognizing and acknowledging their lived experiences, writes RGVRC Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut in a blog that poses the question, "How can I help?"
rockinst.org/blog/how-can...

Call for Proposals | Forum on State and Local AI Policy Gaps and Opportunities: Health, Education, Governance, and Ethics | Rockefeller Institute of Government The Rockefeller Institute and the AI & Society Research Center are seeking proposals for an afternoon gathering of policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working in the field of artificial intel...

CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Forum on State and Local AI Policy Gaps and Opportunities

In collaboration w/ @albany.edu's AI & Society Research Center, we're seeking presentation proposals for a forum to be held on April 23.

More details & to submit 👇

rockinst.org/news/article...

RGVRC Member Highlight: Jennifer Necci Dineen | Rockefeller Institute of Government Meet RGVRC expert Jennifer Necci Dineen, whose user-informed, real-world approach advances practical, evidence-based solutions to prevent firearm injury and death.

"I study firearm policy to help ensure that interventions and laws are not only evidence-based but also feasible, implementable, and aligned with the lived realities of those they aim to protect..."

Our latest RGVRC member highlight: @jennneccidineen.bsky.social

rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...

Ep. 120. Community-Rooted Agriculture | Rockefeller Institute of Government On this episode of Policy Outsider, the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy spotlights the remarkable work of the Providence Farm Collective, a bold, community-rooted initiative in ...

On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, IIIRP's Guillermo Martinez leads a conversation with the Providence Farm Collective, a bold, community-rooted initiative in Western New York that's connecting new Americans and new entry farmers to land, culture, and opportunity. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Reforming Funding for English Language Learners in New York State | Rockefeller Institute of Government New York State's K-12 Foundation Aid formula could employ a tiered-weighting structure to vary supplemental per-pupil aid available to school districts for each enrolled ELL student based on the level...

NEW BRIEF
New York State's K-12 education funding formula could replace the current "one-size-fits-all" funding weight for English Language Learners (ELLs) with a tiered structure that accounts for varied levels of English language proficiency. rockinst.org/issue-area/r...

The Shape of Water Regulations: The Disputed Waters of the United States | Rockefeller Institute of Government This policy brief examines the Trump Administration’s new definition of “waters of the United States” under the federal Clean Water Act, how the definition delineates which waters are and aren’t prote...

WOTUS is in the news again. Our brief on "waters of the United States" provides legal and judicial background for understanding how wetlands, ephemeral streams, etc., are protected under the Clean Water Act. rockinst.org/issue-area/t...

Ep. 119. Closing the Hemp Loophole | Rockefeller Institute of Government Rockefeller Institute resident cannabis policy expert Heather Trela details how the "hemp loophole" for intoxicating products came to be and explains what closing the loophole means for this industry.

New Policy Outsider episode!
Included in one of the bills to fund the federal gov't & end the shutdown was a provision closing what is known as the "hemp loophole." We break down what this loophole was and what closing it means with cannabis policy expert Heather Trela. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Wrote about some of my recent work for @rockefellerinst.bsky.social!

RGVRC Member Highlight: Charles Branas | Rockefeller Institute of Government Learn more about the research of Dr. Charles Branas, a scholar with the RGVRC & the Gelman Professor of Epidemiology & chair of the Dept of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Publ...

The latest RGVRC member highlight is Charles Branas, a prof at @columbiauniversity.bsky.social and chair of the Dept of Epidemiology. His work spans medical response to gun violence, community interventions, alcohol as a risk factor, gun laws, mass shootings, and more. rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...

Ep. 118. Diving Into the Elder Economic Security Index | Rockefeller Institute of Government On this episode of Policy Outsider, we unpack how the Elder Economic Security Index works, what the latest findings tell us about economic security in later life, and how policymakers, advocates, and ...

A new episode of Policy Outsider dives into the Elder Index, a tool for quantifying how much income older Americans need to meet their basic needs and age in place with dignity, and explores how it can be used to improve policy and programs for older adults. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Expanding the Focus on Mass Shootings: Why the Home Deserves More Attention | Rockefeller Institute of Government When the term “mass shooting” appears in headlines, most people picture high-profile tragedies in schools, workplaces, or other public locations. These events dominate news coverage, shape public deba...

By some criteria, >50% of mass shootings happen in the home, and these incidents are especially fatal for children. In a new analysis, RGVRC Affiliate Scholar Wilson Hammett details the hidden toll of these incidents and highlights targeted policy interventions. rockinst.org/blog/expandi...

An Option for the State to Maximize Federal Funding for Safety Net Hospitals with Inpatient Psychiatric Units | Rockefeller Institute of Government A directed payment template could facilitate the targeting of resources to the state’s safety net providers that provide inpatient psychiatric care in lieu of state-only payments, backfilling lost fed...

Our latest health policy analysis explores how New York State could mitigate the impact of lost federal funding from federal health policy changes while improving outcomes for those in need of inpatient psychiatric care. rockinst.org/blog/an-opti...

The European AI Act and Its Implications for New York State Higher Education Institutions | Rockefeller Institute of Government This policy brief analyzes the EU AI Act’s key provisions and evaluates their impact on New York higher education institutions, with attention to compliance obligations, cross-border data sharing, acc...

Like other regulatory efforts before it, the EUs AI Act will impact industries & education collaborations, including in higher ed. In our latest brief, Nathan Fellow Jasmin Cowin analyzes the Act's key provisions & impacts on NY higher education institutions.
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Fascinating discussion with distinguished NYS Assemblyman Lavine:

Ep. 117. Gun Laws & Originalism | Rockefeller Institute of Government Decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States in Heller and Bruen have recast the "right to bear arms" in a new legal framework that makes it more challenging to create effective firearm regulat...

New episode of Policy Outsider features NYS Assemblymember Charles D. Levine and political science scholar @spitzerb.bsky.social discussing constitutional originalism & legislating firearms in the complex legal environment created by SCOTUS's interpretation of 2A.
rockinst.org/issue-area/e...

Call for Applications | New York State Science Policy Fellowship 2026-28 | Rockefeller Institute of Government The Rockefeller Institute of Government, with support from the Simons Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, seeks applications for a third cohort of New York State Science Policy Fello...

The application period for our NYS Science Policy Fellowship is now open! PhDs in science, technology, or engineering should apply. Fellows will work closely with senior policymakers in the NYS governor's office, the legislature, and state agencies. rockinst.org/news/article...

Leveraging Social Networks to Prevent Mass Public Shootings | Rockefeller Institute of Government Rising numbers of mass public shootings have renewed urgency among policymakers and the public to identify effective prevention strategies, as 2025 is on pace to reach a post-pandemic high in such inc...

With so many individuals observing warning signs of impending violence, how can we better leverage existing reporting systems to strengthen mass shooting prevention efforts? The latest Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium blog shares some perspective.
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