Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Feb. 23 several new actions to combat hate crimes and anti-Semitism across New York State. Since the November election there have been several instances of swastikas drawn on public buildings in the Hudson Valley. A Jewish community center in Albany is one of many nationwide receiving repeated bomb threats. Cuomo responded to these and other recent hate crimes with a $25 million grant program to boost safety and security at New York’s schools and day-care centers at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. New York is also expanding its toll-free hotline to include text message capability to report incidents of bias and discrimination. Anyone experiencing or witnessing bias or discrimination is encouraged to text “HATE” to 81336 with details of the incident, which the State Police will see. A $5,000 reward is also being made available for any information leading to an arrest and conviction for a hate crime. Cuomo would not link “an explosion in the number of hate crimes” to the recent presidential election. “But whatever caused it, our focus is on ending it,” he said.