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ALBANY State lawmakers passed long called-for reforms by progressives on criminal justice and gun reform. They legalized marijuana. They agreed to protections for those afflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The laws passed in this years legislative session that came to a close late Thursday night came under unique circumstances: the power of a progressive caucus in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement; the response to the coronavirus pandemic; and scandalous allegations swirling around Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, limiting his political swagger and ability to force deals.

The solutions some advocates proposed to deal with issues they view as priorities in the criminal justice system at times fell short, despite overwhelming Democratic majorities in both chambers.

And while Democratic leadership checked just how progressive the policies they would pass would be, Republicans seized on the leftward shift and staked out their platform moving into next year's elections.

In the waning days of the session, with gun violence surging both in the state and nationwide, conservatives called for a tough-on-crime approach and attributed the increase in shootings, in part, to police forces that are being hobbled by progressive policies and calls to "defund" their agencies.

For Cuomo, a last-minute controversy erupted as he sought to push through a long list of appointees to key positions ranging from the Board of Elections to the Public Service Commission. With his stature arguably weakened by ongoing state and federal investigations, as well as an impeachment probe in the Assembly, some lawmakers pushed back and complained they should have more time to vet the appointees who often normally sail through that process.

The session was defined as much by its bills passed as the moment in time. The coronavirus pandemic restricted the access to lawmakers from the public, including lobbyists and the advocacy groups who normally flood the Capitol's hallways. Debates were conducted virtually for the most part and the usually pulsing Capitol was largely lifeless throughout the session.

It remains unclear whether there will be a special session this year, including to pursue any potential impeachment proceeding of Cuomo, who faced calls for his resignation, including from key Democratic leaders.

"As our scheduled session concludes tonight, we are proud of the historic progress we made this year," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement late Thursday. "If ongoing discussions on any outstanding issues require action, we stand ready to come back when and if necessary."

The state is continuing to operate under a state of emergency, although the Senate recently reined in some of the executive powers they approved for Cuomo as the pandemic began last year a setup that had particularly unsettledRepublicans.

In spite of what they will talk about after this session, thats the story, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said Thursday. A governor with multiple investigations, a governor who lied to the people of New York, a governor who's being investigated by the (state) attorney general, the U.S. attorney and the Assembly and yet he continues to retain all of his pandemic power and continues to horse trade to get things that he needs.

On Thursday, the Legislature also approved parole reforms, but not all of what criminal justice advocates called for had broad Democratic support.

The "Less is More" legislation would avoid sending someone back to jail for a non-criminal parole violation. It was part of a package of reforms that were partly taken up by the Legislature, but more far-reaching plans like an opportunity for mandatory parole eligibility for elderly people failed to get to the floor.

I want to thank my colleagues who, like me, came to Albany to resist the ongoing criminalization of our people, AssemblywomanJessica Gonzalez-Rojas said on the floor Thursday. It is time to punish less and heal more.

Gonzalez-Rojas, a Queens Democrat, was elected last year, a few months after Black Lives Matter protests and calls for criminal justice reform swept the country.

This eliminates all parole, Andy Goodell, R-Chautauqua, said. And for this reason Im opposed.

Throughout the session, Republicans pushed back on the way Democrats wanted to reform criminal justice systems that many progressives call broken. Instead, conservatives said the state needed to support its law enforcement and avoid tying their hands.

The partisan issue flared similarly during a debate on major gun reforms passed earlier this month.

Democrats, with a legislative supermajority, passed legislation that can allow the attorney general's office to sue gun manufacturers. There was also legislation passed to outlaw so-called ghost guns, that are largely untraceable and come disassembled. And a new center is to study that issues of gun violence in New Yorks communities.

Republicans called the legislation an affront on the Second Amendment and looking to the wrong people to solve the widely agreed upon problem of gun violence.

But one of the most notable measures approved this year was the legalization of recreational marijuana use for adults, something Cuomo pushed for while his public image plummeted. Lawmakers have projected the move will result in fewer incarcerations while eventually raising hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenues and creating up to 60,000 jobs.

I'm proud these comprehensive reforms address and balance the social equity, safety and economic impacts of legal adult-use cannabis, Cuomo said in a statement on March 31. I thank both the (Senate majority) leader and the (Assembly) speaker, and the tireless advocacy of so many for helping make today's historic day possible."

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How much progress? Session ends with progressive victories, Cuomo in scandal - Times Union