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New Yorkers are legally protected against discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, or disability -- which means people who fall under any of those categories cannot lose access to homes, jobs, and other services because of their racial, sexual, or physical identities.

Currently, however, there are no protections for New Yorkers who are transgender or express their gender differently from societal expectations and stereotypes.

And according to the New York Civil Liberties Union, which is pushing to change the discrimination laws to include this group, New York state is falling behind.

This week, the NYCLU released a report documenting discrimination in the state for transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers.

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Andrew Cuomo really doesn't like unused office furniture -- or office furniture he thinks is unused, that is.

So, the Times Union reports, his administration instructed staffers to go into the Department of Environmental Conservation offices on the weekend and overnight to transfer furniture and set up offices for the Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation. The idea is that this department will share previously empty office space with the DEC.

One problem: Much of this furniture was still being used by DEC staffers for meetings or for visitors at their cubicles. And they were not told about the removal ahead of time.

The move has caused so much uproar that it prompted the publication of "a satirical memo, complete with official DEC letterhead."

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Amy Paulin

In response to longtime concerns over how shelters and rescues treat animals, Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) has sponsored the Shelter Access Bill.

The proposed legislation has been in the works for several years. After intense debate -- including outcry from some "no-kill" animal rights and welfare groups -- a revamped version recently got the OK from the Assembly's agriculture committee, and will soon go before the codes committee. If it succeeds there, the bill will go before the entire Assembly.

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The New York State Senate on Monday night passed a budget resolution that would bleed $770 million from the MTA's Capital Plan, part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget, if made into law.

The Republican-led Senate also voted down a plan to up the MTA's bond cap by $7 billion.

While this sounds totally confusing -- as if these public finance facts were being voiced by the teacher's in Charlie Brown, or something -- it's actually quite important to understand.

That's because cap plan cash basically pays for 33 percent of downstate construction gigs. Upstate, it boosted the economy to the tune of 79,869 jobs between 2005 and 2009, according to Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group.

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New Yorkers really don't like the idea of giving politicians more money, but they do like Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Barack Obama a lot, according to a new Siena College poll.

What specifically does our fine state fancy?

Well, pollsters from the college's research institute say that 75 percent of voters see Cuomo favorably, saying that "he's providing the leadership New York has lacked for too long." Still, they don't think he should have more money: 66-75 percent don't think that electeds or appointed officials should get raises.

Meanwhile, Obama is beating his top Republican competition Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich by a wide margin. He has a 32 to 42-point lead over them.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn't releasing his 2012-2013 budget proposal until Tuesday, but early reports suggest more cuts are on their way, The Associated Press reports (via Wall Street Journal).

Because Cuomo has to address a $2 billion shortfall -- and has promised no additional taxes -- this means that he will probably push for additional belt-tightening, Reuters notes.

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As the Daily Show pointed out last night, the New York State Senate has indeed succeeded in taking on one of the toughest issues of the day: finally settling what the Empire State vegetable ought to be. (Corn.) But though Governor Cuomo just tweeted about some real progress -- the long-awaited Omnibus bill has finally been delivered to the legislature -- the Senate has still failed to vote on same-sex marriage equality. As the stalemate on the issue continues well into its second week, advocates, legislators and reporters are getting restless.

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Yesterday we questioned just what the New York State Senate was doing addressing issues like horse racing, tightrope walking and the Miss Chinese New York pageant during their extended summer session, while leaving important issues like rent control and, oh, marriage equality for the very, very end. Jon Stewart wondered the same thing -- but with better jokes -- last night on The Daily Show. Sweet corn is now our official state vegetable, in case you were wondering what they've been doing up there.

​It was a late night yesterday for advocates both for and against same-sex marriage equality, as the New York State Senate failed to bring the issue up for debate. However, before the Senate convened shortly after midnight, they did manage to bring up numerous important issues of the day, including votes on horse racing, allowing tight-rope walkers to traverse Niagara Falls, and adopting a 9/11 memorial flag for the state (a controversial bill which only passed 59 to two!)

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