April 16, 2024

The Governor just ended a press conference in which she stated that lawmakers have a “conceptual framework for a budget deal.” This list from media source StateWatch is not exhaustive!  Do not be alarmed by the absence of information on a topic like the Human Services COLA that may not be on the list.  To this issue, while Governor Hochul hosted a press conference yesterday announcing a conceptual budget framework, other lawmakers noted (in the press) that they are still negotiating and ironing out issues yet to be put to bed.

Highlights from Governor Hochul’s Press Conference on FY 2025 Budget:  (Source:  NY StateWatch)

Topline Numbers:
– $237 Billion
– Financial Reserves 15% of Budget in FY 2025

Housing: (NYC)
– 485-x incentive & 421-a extension (6 years)
– Office conversion into housing
– Eliminating density restrictions in Manhattan
– Getting vacant apartments back on the market
– Pilot program for basement apartments

Housing (Statewide):
– Incentives for multifamily housing and accessory dwelling
– Safeguarding homeowners against deed theft
– $650 Million for Pro-Housing communities
– $500 Million for up to 15K units on state owned sites
– Protecting tenants from price gouging

Crime:
– $347 Million to Continue to drive down gun violence
– Stronger penalties for retail worker assault
– Addressing sales of stolen goods
– $40 Million for coordinating law enforcement
– 100 new State Police Troopers
– State and local power to padlock doors of illegal cannabis vendors
for up to one year during due process
– $36 Million to prosecute Domestic Abuse
– $35 Million to thwart Hate Crimes
– Increased penalties for license plate tampering

Migrant Crisis:
– $2.4 Million to assist NYC

Education:
– $5 Billion Increase over last 2 years
– Increase school aid $1.3 billion over last year to $36 billion

School Funding Formula:
– Adjustment to built-in rate of growth this year
– Rockefeller Institute to examine funding formula

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
– Increasing Minimum award
– Raising income limits

Mental Health:
– Improving Care at Hospitals
– $19 Million mental health supports for school-aged children
– Standards for reimbursement and out-of-network coverage

Health Care:
– Pre-Natal Leave
– Addressing proliferation of surgical procedures
– Require employers to provide time for nursing mothers to express
– NY Swims: Investment in public swimming
– $3 Billion to support distressed hospitals
– $20 Billion for health care infrastructure
– Paid Medical Leave: First increase in 35 years
– Banning Co-Pays for Insulin
– Medical Debt Protections for low-income New Yorkers

Medicaid Spending Review:
– Increasing oversight of CDPAP
– Streamlining fiscal intermediaries to save $500 Million per year
– Commission on the Future of Health Care

Environment:
– Planting 25 million trees
– $500 Million for clean water
– $50 Million temporary assistance for municipalities

Innovation & Economy :
– $275 Million + $125 Million in private funding for Empire AI Consortium
– $200 Million for four workforce development centers along I-90 (On-Ramp)