Rick Karlin reports in the Times Union that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill that partially bans neonicotinoids, a powerful and widely-used pesticide that environmentalists say is especially harmful for bees. The Birds and the Bees Protection Act includes so-called chapter amendments, meaning the state Legislature will tweak the bill in the coming session. For now, the law bans the sale of soy, wheat, and corn seeds treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, or neonics, starting in 2027. Adrienne Esposito, executive director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said, “We are overjoyed and buzzing with excitement." Farmers, though, say they will miss an effective pesticide. Jim Czub, who grows corn and soybeans in Rensselaer County, said “I’m really disappointed in that.... It will make it more expensive to grow.” Read more about this story in the Times Union.