Kathy Hochul
Signed the first U.S. statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers, countersued DOJ over federal immigration-agent rules, and launched an $800M NYC bus plan with Mayor Mamdani while fending off attacks from Trump and GOP challenger Blakeman.
Kathy Hochul is mid-summer 2026's most aggressive state-level regulator, signing the first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers in the nation on July 14 and daring the Trump administration and industry lobby to stop her. The executive order freezes discretionary permits for facilities drawing 50 megawatts or more for up to a year while agencies build environmental and energy standards and a Community Investment Framework that could require developers to pay $1 million per megawatt. She is pursuing repeal of data center sales tax exemptions and backs a legislative version with mandatory on-site renewable energy starting at 33% by 2030. Trump called the decision "terrible" and labeled data centers "liquid gold"; Hochul fired back that taxpayers should not subsidize big corporations' use of state resources and that she will not let corporations "call the shots." GOP challenger Bruce Blakeman piled on, accusing her of failing to work with local governments and business leaders.
Her immigration standoff with Washington continues on two fronts. DOJ sued to block her laws banning federal agents from wearing masks and barring 287(g) local-federal cooperation deals; Hochul countersued alongside AG Letitia James, vowing not to be "bullied into abandoning" the statutes. Border Czar Tom Homan announced a record ICE agent surge into New York City, which Hochul rejected, citing a personal promise from Trump not to send agents without her request. She offered cooperation on criminal removals but refused civil enforcement, warning the surge would turn neighborhoods into "a campaign of fear."
On July 8, she co-launched an $800 million NYC bus improvement plan with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, putting up $628 million in state capital across 50 corridors. MTA Chair Janno Lieber contrasted the partnership favorably with the "uncertain" Adams-era dynamic. She praised Airbnb's $81.5 million NYC office acquisition and Anthropic's expansion as proof New York is business-friendly, pushing back against investor warnings from Bill Ackman and Ken Griffin that Mamdani's policies are hostile to business.
She also claimed victory after the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to New York's gun manufacturer liability law, announced over $2 billion in STAR property tax relief for nearly 3 million homeowners, endorsed Micah Lasher in the high-spending NY-12 primary, and signed a first-in-nation law requiring conspicuous labeling of AI-generated "synthetic performers" in ads. She is still weighing whether to sign or veto a bill replacing "mother" and "father" with gender-neutral terms across state law, a measure Blakeman is already weaponizing against her.
On their plate
Signed a July 14 executive order imposing up to a one-year freeze on new hyperscale data centers (50MW+), the first statewide moratorium in the U.S. Agencies are directed to build environmental and energy standards and a Community Investment Framework that could require $1M/MW developer investment; she is also pursuing repeal of data center sales tax exemptions. The move drew direct attacks from Trump and GOP challenger Blakeman, while industry warns energy mandates excluding nuclear and gas will push business to Texas, Virginia, and Georgia.
Countersued the DOJ to defend NY laws banning federal agents from wearing masks and barring 287(g) local-federal cooperation deals, framing the laws as protecting accountability and community trust. She also rejected Tom Homan's announced record ICE surge into NYC, citing a personal promise from Trump that agents would not be sent without her request, offering cooperation on criminal removals while refusing civil enforcement.
Co-launched the $800M Next Stop bus improvement plan on July 8 with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, providing $628M in state capital over five years to speed buses up to 20% across 50 corridors. MTA Chair Janno Lieber called the partnership strong, contrasting it with the uncertain dynamic under former Mayor Adams.
Must decide whether to sign or veto SB 9316, which replaces mother/father with gestating parent/non-gestating parent across NY custody, family court, and education law. She initially deflected, saying she was not familiar with the bill and would review it; Blakeman is already attacking it as a declaration of war on families.
Claimed victory after SCOTUS declined to hear a challenge to NY's first-in-the-nation gun manufacturer liability law, declaring New York will not allow manufacturers to profit from tragedy. AG Letitia James defended the law in court alongside her.
Key relationships
Trump directly attacked her data center moratorium as terrible and called data centers liquid gold; she fired back that taxpayer dollars should not subsidize big corporations and that she won't let corporations call the shots.
Co-announced the $800M NYC bus improvement plan on July 8, with Mamdani praising the partnership and MTA Chair Lieber calling Hochul's support a shift from the uncertain Adams-era dynamic.
GOP gubernatorial challenger attacking her on both the data center moratorium and the parental-terms bill, accusing her of failing to work with local governments and business leaders and calling the terms bill a declaration of war on families.
Allied on two legal fronts: defending NY's gun manufacturer liability law at SCOTUS and jointly countersuing DOJ over the federal agent mask and 287(g) bans.
Acting AG Blanche filed suit against NY's federal agent mask ban and ordered a review of similar state laws; Hochul countersued, vowing not to be bullied into abandoning the laws.
Homan announced a record ICE agent surge into NYC in response to her legislation; she rejected the surge, citing Trump's personal promise not to send agents without her request, and offered cooperation only on criminal removals.
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