Following is some information regarding yesterday’s State of the State (SOS) address and specifically, regarding some SOS proposals that are summarized in the SOS document we sent you yesterday at approximately 11:00 am – a few hours before the Governor took the stage to deliver her (verbal) SOS address in downtown Albany. 

SOS mentions and/or summaries indicate we may see executive budget proposals next week on the following topics of interest to NYS Council members including (but not limited to): 

• MCO compliance with parity and other laws, regulations and guidance with a mention of additional surveillance activity (something the NYS Council has complained about or years)
• Network Adequacy requirements (access to substance use disorder services in particular) in the NYS of Health Marketplace and specifically for the Essential Plan sold on the Marketplace (see the slide attached that reflects the disparity in penetration of SUD services in the Essential Plan – I raised this issue during a recent meeting of the NYS of Health Equity Workgroup looking at how to address disparities in Marketplace plans)
• Access to MAT

Specifically, here’s what the Briefing Book says about an upcoming proposal to address the needs of justice-involved youth departing carceral settings, and their healthcare needs:

Advance Health Equity for Justice-Involved Youth

Here’s what the Briefing Book says about an upcoming proposal to address MCO compliance:

Hold Health Insurance Companies Accountable

Notably missing from her speech and the briefing book are several high priority issues for our field and specifically for the individuals and families we serve.  Please note:  The absence of discussion of these topics in the Governor’s SOS presentation or in the Briefing Book does not necessarily mean there won’t be proposals on these topics in the executive budget proposal coming out next Tuesday:

1) Workforce Solutions (to include rate increases and scope of practice regulatory relief) to address the public mental hygiene workforce crisis that results in our inability to recruit/retain the staff we need to meet current and future demands for care;

2) Major investments in the OASAS system of care to address the ongoing overdose crisis that continues to disproportionately impact communities of color and those who are underserved/undervalued;

3) A proposal to waive co-pays, deductibles and more generally, cost share responsibilities for New Yorkers with commercial insurance who are struggling to pay for OASAS and OMH outpatient services;

4) A proposal to address the ongoing access to care barriers faced by children, youth and families with commercial insurance who do not have access to the full range of programs and services as those with Medicaid benefits.  

And finally, here’s more from a Executive Press Release re: a range of SOS proposals discussed yesterday:

Putting Money Back in New Yorkers’ Pockets

Under pressure of rapidly rising inflation, Governor Hochul knows that too many families across the state are struggling to make ends meet. To help more families get ahead and make life in New York more affordable, Governor Hochul is committed to driving down costs and putting money directly back into people’s pockets. To do that, Governor Hochul proposes:

• Cutting middle class taxes for more than 8.3 million New York taxpayers – lowest level in nearly 70 years
• Sending inflation refund checks of up to $500 to over 8.6 million New York households
• Expanding New York’s child tax credit to provide up to $1,000 per child to 1.6 million families
• Fighting for the full restoration of the SALT deduction to provide much needed relief for New Yorkers

Supporting the Youngest New Yorkers and their Families

Governor Hochul today called for New York to set a path towards universal child care, and introduced policies aimed at enhancing resources for families in New York, helping them build a strong foundation for their children:

• Providing universal free school meals for every single one of New York State’s over 2.7 million kids
• Putting New York on the path to universal child care and investing $110 million in child care capital funding
• Advancing another nation-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit

• Expanding access to infertility treatments, increasing support for New Yorkers hoping to start a family

• Distributing free diapers and other supplies for 100,000 Babies

Fighting Crime And Strengthening The Criminal Justice System

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, gun violence is down across the state, and investments in law enforcement and innovative initiatives are delivering real results for New Yorkers. To continue those efforts, Governor Hochul proposes streamlining the discovery process by amending reforms passed in 2019, adding additional resources to fight transnational criminal networks and fighting sexual assault and domestic violence:

• Streamlining the discovery process to ensure fair trials, end procedural delays and hold criminals accountable

• Strengthening the state’s response capabilities to fight transnational criminal networks operating along the northern border
• Combating sexual assault and domestic violence with new protections to help survivors
• Proposing first-in-the-nation Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters
• Proposing additional funding to expand investments in crime prevention technology and equipment for local law enforcement agencies
• Closing loopholes to crack down on drugged driving, protect new yorkers on the road
• Expanding technological and coordinating capacities of law enforcement agencies to enhance crime prevention

Protecting First Responders, Expanding Resources for Training and Recruitment and Supporting Victims Of Crime

First responders are the first line of defense in times of crisis, and throughout her tenure, Governor Hochul has committed funding and resources to support them. Governor Hochul’s proposals continue that work with an eye towards innovative supporting the mental health of frontline professionals and securing support for veterans and crime victims:

• Proposing new initiatives to recruit, train and protect first responders, supporting those who step into harm’s way to keep New Yorkers safe
• Supporting veterans with critical mental health investments and proposing legislation to expand support for gold star families
• Expanding resources for crime victims by increasing compensation thresholds and dedicating more funding to Child Advocacy Centers
• Establishing a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team to coordinate across agencies, levels of government and community stakeholders to guarantee each crisis is met with the full resources available

Safer Subways

Governor Hochul has worked proactively to respond to safety concerns on New York City subways. This included the deployment of more than 1,250 state personnel to assist the NYPD with bag checks and an initiative to install security cameras in every subway car — a goal that was achieved within 8 months of being announced. Governor Hochul knows that more must be done to meet this challenge, and is building on the foundation of earlier initiatives with new investments and program expansions.

 These initiatives to improve subway safety include:

• Partnering with New York City to increase NYPD presence on platforms and trains by temporarily surging patrol levels and working with New York City to add police patrols on every train between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM for the next six months
• Expanding the NYC Department of Homeless Services 24/7 ‘Welcome Center’ model near end-of-line stations in an effort to reduce homelessness in the subways
• Working with NYC Department of Homeless Services to create spaces within stations that have a large presence of unhoused people for mobile outreach teams to better connect and coordinate services
• Providing funding to install LED lighting in all subway stations and platform edge barriers at over 100 additional stations by the end of 2025
• Helping crack down on fare evasion with delayed egress on exit gates in at least 150 more stations and modern fare gates in 20 more stations this year and 20 additional in 2026

Transforming and Improving New York’s Mental Health Care System

Building on Governor Hochul’s landmark mental health plan, today’s announcement will reduce barriers to care and ensure the facilitation of earlier intervention for individuals at risk of harm by revising the criteria for involuntary commitment and addressing the current shortcomings in New York’s Mental Hygiene Law:

• Amending New York’s Mental Hygiene Law to address gaps in the standards for involuntary commitment
• Strengthening Kendra’s Law, which governs Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for individuals with serious mental illness, to ensure New Yorkers with severe mental illness are connected with the care they need
• Continuing record-setting investments in youth mental health, and build on $1 billion plan to transform the mental health continuum of care

Promoting Kids’ Mental And Physical Health

Governor Hochul is doubling down on her commitment to supporting New York kids by launching ‘Unplug and Play’ to help New Yorkers get off of their phones and stay active, building on New York’s new law to restrict addictive algorithms that target children:

• Unplug and Play establishes NY BRICKS and NY PLAYS while expanding NY SWIMS – three grant programs to help communities offer kids active alternatives to scrolling
• Launching Get Offline, Get Outside 2.0 to increase youth sports and programing opportunities by hundreds of thousands of slots
• Establishing digital protections to safeguard children from predatory and harmful online influences

Creating More Homes and Protecting Housing Affordability

Governor Hochul will build upon her commitment to address the housing shortage and increase affordability by creating more homeownership opportunities, strengthening State support to unlock local housing development and taking actions to protect housing affordability:

• Bolstering Pro-Housing Community Program by investing $100 million to support critical housing infrastructure
• Creating the State’s first revolving loan fund to spur mixed-income rental development outside of New York City
• Strengthening tools to unlock housing development, including vacant or historic property redevelopment
• Proposing legislation to crack down on landlords using price-fixing algorithms to drive up housing costs and restricting private equity purchases of single and two-family homes

Cutting Commutes and Investing in Transformative Transportation

New York’s transportation network is the backbone of our economic resilience. Since taking office Governor Hochul has led a comprehensive campaign to connect communities across the state by promoting safe, equitable, sustainable and efficient transportation for all New Yorkers. To build on her legacy of advancing transformative transportation projects and policies, Governor Hochul proposes:

• Advancing the Second Avenue Subway and critical capital projects
• Modernizing rail service across New York with major investments planned for the Hudson Valley
• Working with the Legislature to support a transformative MTA Capital Plan
• Moving the Albany Waterfront reimagining project into environmental review and conceptual design
• Advancing studies for capping portions of the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the next phase
• Enhancing safety for Work Zone and Transportation Workers
• Improving safety at New York City’s Elementary School Intersections
• Reclassifying Ultra-Heavy Class 3 E-Bikes as Mopeds
• Allowing New York City to lower speed limits in bike lanes

Strengthening and Promoting New York’s Agricultural Industry

Recognizing agriculture as a cornerstone of New York’s economy, Governor Hochul has made record investments to support the state’s farmers. Governor Hochul will continue to build on this progress with innovative solutions to strengthen key industries, support small businesses and create economic opportunities across the state:

• Supporting New York’s dairy industry, building on last year’s record investment
• Securing local food supply chains and strengthening New York’s local food systems
• Expanding affordable farmworker housing to help farms provide safer, healthier housing for their workforce
• Positioning New York as a regional leader in fiber and maple production
• Supporting New York agriculture for future generations by protecting farmland and increasing agriculture education in New York schools

Growing The Economy, Supporting Small Business and Preparing New Yorkers With In-Demand Skills Businesses Need

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York has become a national leader in economic development, driving job creation, community revitalization and support for key industries. The State of the State proposals build on Governor Hochul’s ongoing strategy to build a modern 21st century economy fueled by innovative, next-generation businesses and high-skilled workers ready to meet their needs:

• Free SUNY and CUNY community college for New Yorkers aged 25-55 pursuing careers in high-demand fields
• Growing the semiconductor industry and bolstering its supply chain and doubling down on shovel-ready sites for modern manufacturing
• Turbocharging hiring by startups and supporting small businesses with Low Interest Capital (LINC)
• Transforming Regional Economic Development with high-impact projects and renewing our commitment to Albany, our State’s Capital City
• Expanding the State Department of Labor’s enforcement power following an unpaid wage theft judgment

Committing to Over $1 Billion Investment in Climate To Achieve a More Sustainable and Affordable Future

Governor Hochul announced plans for an over $1 billion climate investment to achieve a more sustainable and affordable future in New York State. This ambitious proposal would be the single largest climate investment in state history, generating thousands of jobs, slashing energy bills for households and cutting harmful pollution.

• $1 billion climate investment will generate thousands of jobs, slash energy bills and cut harmful pollution
• Announce process for master plan development for advanced nuclear energy in New York State
• Make investments to decarbonize SUNY and CUNY campuses
• Directs State agencies to enter into contracts with NYPA to achieve 100 percent renewable energy for State agencies by 2030

Safeguarding Clean Water, Promoting Climate Resiliency and Protecting New York’s Natural Resources

Governor Hochul’s agenda includes a $500 million funding commitment for clean water, a commitment to increase climate resilience in the face of extreme weather and an expansion of access to green spaces, particularly in underserved urban areas. These efforts not only promise to create jobs and enhance environmental quality but also lay the foundation for a healthier, more sustainable future for all New Yorkers.

• Proposing $500 million for clean water to bring the State’s investment to a record $6 Billion
• Advancing policies to protect homes, businesses and infrastructure from extreme weather
• Reauthorizing State Superfund Program to accelerate cleanups and repurpose contaminated sites for productive use
• Funding land conservation and modernizes processes to expand access to parks and green spaces, particularly in underserved communities

Making Government Work Better To Deliver Streamlined, Efficient and More Customer Focused Services

Governor Hochul unveiled an array of initiatives designed to get the government working faster and more efficiently for all New Yorkers as a part of her 2025 State of the State. In particular, the Governor proposes to advance a series of reforms designed to make sure that the New York State government delivers on the infrastructure projects that change and improve lives.

• Creating a capital projects dashboard and public-facing property inventory map to enhance transparency and efficiency
• Increasing access to government services in high need communities
• Creating a State Office of Innovation and Efficiency
• Bolstering cybersecurity of networks, increasing to training for government employees
• Modernizing the process for digital working papers for teens to streamline the process and reduce burdens for employers

Strengthening Our Health Care System and Expanding Care for New Yorkers

Governor Hochul announced initiatives aimed at broadening health care access for New Yorkers and fortifying the State’s health care system:

• Improving outcomes for individuals struggling with obesity through access to life-changing GLP-1 medications
• Helping hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers navigate varying dental care benefits and costs

• Ensuring access to emergency medical services
• Strengthening the health care safety net by extending the Safety Net Transformation Program

• Expanding access to air conditioning units for New Yorkers with Chronic Conditions

Proposing New and Expanded Support for New Yorkers With Disabilities

Governor Hochul announced new initiatives focused on enhancing support for New Yorkers with disabilities:

• Establishing Regional Disability Clinics to increase access to primary and specialty care
• Modernizing research in developmental disabilities and honoring the significance of Willowbrook
• Supporting businesses hiring New Yorkers with disabilities through expanded State tax credit
• Improving availability of Medicaid services for wheelchair users
• Creating an American Sign Language interpreter fellowship pilot
• Facilitating innovative therapies for spinal cord Injuries

Protecting New York’s Consumers

Building on her work advocating for consumers, Governor Hochul proposes policies that will ensure that New York State can lead in establishing common-sense, workable consumer protections that will safeguard pocketbooks and help families get ahead:

• Requiring a 30-day window for returns, giving consumers a uniform standard
• Guarding against websites using personal data to set prices without consumers awareness
• Cracking down on exploitative overdraft fees that target low-income customers
• Strengthening subscription cancellation and renewal protections, making processes more simple and transparent
• Regulating “Buy Now, Pay Later” loans and establishing licensing and supervision frameworks
• Forcing Energy Service Companies to return unclaimed funds to customers
• Combatting elder financial exploitation and protecting against fraudulent activity

Strengthening Commitment to Inclusivity, Representation and Through Targeted Initiatives

Governor Hochul unveiled a series of transformative proposals aimed at fostering inclusivity, strengthening education and driving sustainable economic growth across New York State:

• Proposing designating Harriet Tubman as one of New York’s representatives in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall
• Strengthening reproductive freedoms through investing in providers and protect them from out-of-state prosecution
• Building stronger relationships with indigenous nations through collaboration and representation

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Article:  Politico Pro, 1/14/25 at 4:14 pm

ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to cut state income taxes by $1 billion over the next two years — part of an agenda aimed at combating voters’ economic concerns that helped deliver President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.

And, as Trump and Republicans hammer Democrats over crime, Hochul has backed a significant expansion of police on subway platforms and on “every single train” during overnight hours.

“Worries about crime and struggles to make ends meet are too common,” Hochul said in the speech. “Our state has to be livable and people have to be able to afford to live in it.”

Hochul unveiled the tax plan in her fourth State of the State address Tuesday delivered at a performing arts venue near the state Capitol. The agenda, laid out in a 140-page briefing book, focuses on practical pocketbook issues — a sign the governor is taking seriously the results of the presidential election.

She proposed tackling child care costs, bolstering public safety on mass transit and facilitating buying a house in the relatively high-cost state. The tax cut — her biggest-ticket item, and one that requires legislative approval — would affect an estimated 8.3 million taxpayers for joint filers who earn up to $323,200. Rates would be cut across five of the state’s nine tax brackets.

Her proposal to flood city subways with police would last for six months and the state would pick up the undisclosed cost. That would require legislative consent, but top lawmakers signaled qualified support: “Certainly, there are safety concerns in the subway, and if people will feel safer seeing someone in uniform, I certainly would not be opposed to it,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said.

The plan follows high-profile crimes on mass transit in recent weeks, including the murder of a homeless woman who was set on fire while on a train.

Hochul had previously expanded the presence of the National Guard at subway stations — a deployment meant to provide peace of mind. Voters in New York have consistently ranked public safety a key concern, and Hochul has tried to encourage New Yorkers to use mass transit after a controversial toll plan for Manhattan was put in effect this month.

The proposal also dovetails with Hochul’s previously announced push to expand the state’s ability to involuntarily hospitalize people with severe mental illnesses.

“People should be able to get to work in the morning, attend a play, enjoy our incredible restaurants without the fear of random violence or dodging someone in the midst of a mental health crisis,” Hochul said.

“Let me say this — a state of the state address can be full of flowery rhetoric and still fail to address the needs of the people,” the governor said in her prepared remarks. “I believe it needs to be much more than just lofty words. It should be a concrete blueprint that will deliver actual results that the people will feel.”

Hochul is in a precarious position: Consistently low favorability ratings have inspired potential challenges next year from New York Reps. Mike Lawler, a Republican, and Ritchie Torres, a Democrat.

So the governor, who first took office in 2021 following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, is trying to persuade voters she understands the basic concerns like public safety and the cost of living in a plan she’s dubbed the “affordability agenda.”

“The governor can read a poll just like anybody else,” Republican Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said. “She’s seen where New Yorkers are. Affordable is right on the top of the list. Number two is crime.”

Hochul’s office has been announcing her proposals in recent weeks, including an expansion of free school lunches for students and a $3 billion tax rebate plan to counter inflation and prevent private equity firms from buying single family homes.

Her agenda also includes provisions to crack down on drugged driving to contend with recently legalized cannabis sales, lessen the economic impact of artificial intelligence on workers and prevent child drowning. Her policy book includes variations of the word “streamline” two dozen times and “unlock” nine times.

Tax cuts have been popular ideas for New York Democrats who are struggling to find their footing following Trump’s election.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat from the Bronx, told reporters the party failed to promote their successes like minimum wage hikes and spending for schools with working-class voters last year. Hochul’s speech offered “clarity” for the party on those pocketbook issues, he said.

“In this last election it was all just abortion and Trump stinks,” said Heastie, a Hochul ally. “Democrats just have to do a better job of messaging all of the great things we have done.”

Yet challenges to Hochul’s agenda are already apparent with the Democrats who dominate the state Capitol: Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, a Brooklyn lawmaker who draws support from democratic socialists, called the proposal to aggressively increase the police presence on subways “ludicrous.” Left-leaning lawmakers are also expected to push for an increase in taxes on the richest New Yorkers — often defined as people who earn more than $5 million a year. Hochul has in the past resisted efforts to increase the personal income tax, the primary source of revenue for the state’s coffers.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams — facing an even tougher reelection this year — wants to end the city’s income tax for people who earn less than $46,000. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has also signaled he would support such an elimination.

Details of Hochul’s plan — and the price tags for many of the programs — will not become clear until she releases her budget proposal next week. The budget is due to pass by April 1, the start of New York’s fiscal year.

Adams, a Hochul ally who is fighting a five-count federal corruption indictment, was among the 862 people who attended the 56-minute address. The mayor quietly watched the speech with his hands clasped in front of him and applauded when Hochul called for an expanded police presence.

Her political rivals were less impressed.

Torres, a South Bronx lawmaker weighing a primary challenge to Hochul, noted in a statement the woman who was burned alive on the train, Debrina Kawam, was killed during daytime.

“Governor Hochul might have been too busy taking self-congratulatory subway selfies to notice,” he said.

And before Hochul spoke, Lawler sharply criticized her over her embrace of a $9 toll program for cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street, which started this month. (Hochul last year announced she would reduce the toll from $15 to $9.) During a news conference with state Republicans in Albany, the Hudson Valley lawmaker knocked the governor “as a feckless and failed governor who needs to be replaced in 2026.”

Lawler said he expects to decide this year whether he will run for governor of a state that has not elected a Republican in a generation.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she is not governor in 2026,” Lawler said.

Some highlights:

— Hochul is dedicating a big chunk of her agenda to cutting red tape. She wants to create self-service kiosks for programs and SNAP and digitize the process of obtaining youth working papers. The governor is also proposing smoothing the process of moving utility lines during MTA construction projects and letting local governments work with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

— Her agenda includes a host of proposals to boost new parents, like a plan to give under-resourced households $100 a month during pregnancy and $1,200 checks at birth. She wants a “Child Care Substitute Pool” to help daycares avoid closures due to staff illnesses. And Hochul is proposing $100 million to fund the construction of new daycare facilities.

— The governor wants to make tuition free at SUNY and CUNY community colleges for students who are 25 or older and pursuing associates degrees in “high-demand occupations, including nursing, teaching, technology, engineering, and more.”

— Hochul wants to regulate algorithmic pricing on websites and new regulations on overdraft fees. She’s also framing parts of her housing plan with affordability messaging — including proposals to build more starter homes and provide state money for down payments. The governor also wants to impose a 75-day waiting period for institutional investors can bid on single family houses put up for sale.

— As previously announced, Hochul wants to “address critical gaps in the standards for involuntary commitment” of individuals dealing with mental health crises. Other parts of her public safety agenda include plans to change the state’s discovery law, provide more support for child victims of crime, and crack down on driving while under the influence of marijuana.

— The governor is proposing $200 million “to make real investments into tangible strategies” to improve downtown Albany, including an overhaul of the New York State Museum.

— Hochul is also continuing her attempts to reduce the amount of time kids spend on phones. She will put her plan to ban internet-enabled devices from classrooms into her budget and wants to provide grants of up to $15 million to community centers as part of a “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign.