This week, New York Attorney General Letitia James released proposed rules for New York's SAFE for Kids Act, which Gov. Kathy Hochul previously signed into law to curb addictive features on social media for minors.

The law requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under the age of 18 unless a parent opts out on behalf of their kid.

Lawmakers argued the feeds are tied to youth anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

The laws outlined by James' office explain which companies must comply with the law and the standards to determine a user's age and parental consent.

State Sen. Shelley Mayer, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, was a co-sponsor of the bill.

"There's a whole community of people that are spending hours and hours on social media, and this was intended to get at kids under 18 using all their time, all their social interaction skills with social media," she said.

A public comment period on the proposed rules is open for 60 days.

A pair of Hudson Valley counties are calling on the federal government to provide additional assistance to their local emergency medical service departments.

This week, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino urged federal action to address EMS issues locally and nationally.

Year-to-date, the primary EMS agencies in Dutchess County had a 69% arrive-on-scene response time of nine minutes or less for Priority 1 calls, 8% of those calls took 15 minutes or more and 10% were never responded to, requiring mutual aid.

“When you call 911, you’re not thinking about budgets, you're thinking about your loved one,” Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said. “Our EMTs and paramedics are extraordinary, but the system supporting them is stretched thin. Dutchess County is doing its part to invest in coverage, but we need federal leadership again to ensure every community has access to timely, life-saving care.”

Ulster County, which invested nearly $5 million earlier this year to prop up its local EMS, is reporting similar issues.

The county's EMS Stabilization & Enhancement Plan should help local governments streamline EMS contract administration, reducing the burden on municipal staff and ensuring more efficient emergency services for residents.

Ulster County Emergency Services Director Everett Erichsen is helping to lead the initiative.

"Holistically, EMS is a challenge nationwide," he said. "When you start to break it down - what's happening in New York, what's happening in your county and what's happening in the specific municipality within your county - Ulster County is very geographically diverse."