New York State Senate

The candidates for the 52nd District seat in the New York State Senate faced each other in a live debate broadcast Friday morning on WNBF Radio's Binghamton Now program. Republican incumbent Thomas Libous and Democratic challenger Anndrea Starzak discussed some of the issues and challenges facing the Southern Tier and the state...

State Senator Thomas Libous has won the Republican party nomination, defeating Tioga County businessman Denver Jones in a primary in the 52nd District. Libous prevailed over Jones in Tuesday's GOP contest. Unofficial figures showed Libous ahead of Jones by a 64 to 36 percent margin...

New York State Senator Thomas Libous says he believes a search of his Binghamton residence was "politically motivated." State and federal investigators were reported to have seized items belonging to Frances Libous, the senator's wife in early August...

Thomas Libous and Anndrea Starzak say they have submitted nominating petitions for the November ballot in the 52nd state senatorial district. A statement released by the Libous campaign says thousands of signatures were turned into the state Board of Elections office in Albany on Wednesday...

State Senator Thomas Libous is stepping down as chairman of the New York Senate Republican Campaign Committee. The post is going to Senator Catharine Young, an Olean Republican. Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos, who announced the change, thanked Libous for his "tireless work" in coordinating the party's Senate campaign strategy in recent years...

The New York State Senate has approved a measure that would make retired police officers exempt from ammunition restrictions contained in the gun control law enacted in January. The exemption was passed early Friday morning by a vote of 49 to 14...

State Senator Thomas Libous has confirmed that the prostate cancer he's been battling for the past four years has spread. Gannett's Albany bureau on Wednesday reported doctors discovered tumors in his lungs last year. Libous has been undergoing a range of cancer treatment since 2009 and another round of chemotherapy is planned...

State Senator Diane Savino says a measure to allow New Yorkers to use marijuana for medicinal purposes may be passed by the Senate this year. Savino, a Staten Island Democrat, says "we are certainly a lot closer now than ever" to approval of a medical marijuana bill by both houses of the legislature...

Legislative leaders in Albany have been having discussions with Governor Andrew Cuomo about possible actions that may be pursued in the aftermath of the Connecticut elementary school shooting. State Senate deputy majority leader Thomas Libous says while some lawmakers have been talking about tougher gun laws, he's particularly concerned about mental health issues...

A coalition leadership agreement in the New York State Senate sets up a system enabling Republicans to share control with a group of five Democrats starting next month. Senator Thomas Libous, a Binghamton Republican who has been serving as deputy majority leader, says the plan unveiled today will "formalize our existing partnership through a new Senate Majority Coalition...