Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced July 28, that all state workers will be required to be vaccinated by Labor Day, or be tested weekly for COVID-19. Cuomo also encouraged local governments to take similar steps as well as school districts in areas where there are high COVID-19 positivity rates. Patient-facing healthcare workers at public-run hospitals will also be required to be vaccinated, Cuomo said. The federal government is expected to set a similar mandate for federal workers and contractors. "New York state is ... working with our unions to implicate this fairly," Cuomo said. "I encourage all local governments the same. It's smart, it's fair, it's in everyone's interest." The Civil Service Employees Association Wednesday announced its support for the policy; the union that represents State Troopers said it had been caught off guard by Cuomo's announcement and was reviewing its legal options. The Public Employees Federation, a union that represents mostly white-collar workers, said the mandate would have to be part of a collective bargaining agreement with the state. The New York State United Teachers in a statement said it wanted to encourage more shots on the local level. Reisman is also reporting the state bar association on Wednesday announced the formation of a task force to review vaccination mandates. That task force will look at whether broad mandates for vaccinations are needed and examine vaccine hesitancy among vulnerable groups such as people of color and Indigenous people. Roughly 75 percent of New York adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Read both stories at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.