NY Budget Finally Passes After Eight-Week Delay

After weeks of negotiations and late-night debate in Albany, New York lawmakers approved the state’s $268 billion budget just before midnight Wednesday. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the spending plan into law Thursday afternoon, making it the latest state budget passed in 16 years.

The massive budget package includes changes to the state’s climate law, revisions to auto insurance regulations, pension changes affecting more than 830,000 public employees, childcare and education funding increases, utility relief payments, and reforms to the state environmental review process known as SEQRA. Lawmakers also agreed to delay New York’s electric school bus mandate by five years.

The Legislature had been under pressure to wrap up budget negotiations quickly with the session scheduled to end June 4.

Democratic leaders praised the final agreement as a major investment in families, healthcare, schools and affordability programs. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said the budget delivers utility relief, expands childcare programs and continues investments in clean energy and public education.

Not everyone was celebrating.

Utica-Rome-area Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon raised concerns about several policy items tucked into the final package, particularly changes involving auto insurance payouts.

“I asked if changes to auto insurance payouts was going to mean lower premiums for the public, and nobody could give me an answer. So I’m very suspicious,” Buttenschon said.

She also said she remains frustrated over the amount of paperwork police officers are required to complete, something she has pushed Albany to reduce for years.

“I’ve been really focused on reducing the amount of paperwork police officers have to fill out. It takes them away from protecting the public,” she said.

Buttenschon added she does not believe the issue was properly addressed in the final budget agreement.

Another sticking point for the longtime assemblywoman is Albany’s practice of attaching major policy proposals directly into budget bills instead of allowing separate debate and votes on the issues themselves. She said that practice needs to end.

State Senator Joe Griffo also criticized the final spending plan, calling it bloated, late and disconnected from the concerns many New Yorkers are facing.

“This budget, passed eight weeks late, fails to address New York's critical issues of affordability, public safety, and economic concerns, doubles down on problematic sanctuary policies and restricts the rights of law-abiding New Yorkers,” Griffo said.

The Rome Republican said the budget does little to provide long-term relief for taxpayers struggling with high energy costs and inflation.

“People deserve a break all the time, not just one time,” Griffo said, referring to utility rebate checks included in the budget.

Griffo also pointed to the state’s growing spending levels, noting the budget has increased dramatically in recent years.

“This year’s massive state budget, totaling a record $268 billion, is 55% larger than it was in 2018 under divided government,” he said.

The senator did praise portions of the agreement, including pension reform, investments in schools and mental health services, infrastructure funding and the decision to push back the electric school bus mandate. Still, he argued lawmakers should have repealed the mandate entirely.

While the budget is now complete, lawmakers still have unfinished business before leaving Albany next week, including possible constitutional amendments tied to New York’s redistricting process.