ALBANY- State legislators have returned home for the weekend as budget negotiations continue between legislative leadership and Governor Kathy Hochul. The state budget, which was due by Saturday, April 1st is projected to be several days late.
Rank-and-file legislators are scheduled to return to Albany on Monday when they hope to begin taking up budget bills. Late in the budget process, it is only legislative leaders and their staff that participate in budget negotiations which allow other members the opportunity to return to their districts and address constituent matters back at home.
The state budget is comprised of 10 individual bills, and to date, only a single bill that funds the state’s debt service has passed. Even when a compromise is reached, it can take several days for the bills to be printed and their provisions to be debated on the floor of the Senate and Assembly in legislative session and approved. For this reason, a final enacted budget is not expected until well into next week at the earliest.
As an interim measure, it is anticipated that on Monday, lawmakers will pass a budget extender that will authorize Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to make the next state payroll, which is scheduled for April 6th. This will avoid a government shutdown.
The state’s spending plan is anticipated to be around $230 billion, and sources indicate that issues such as modifications to the controversial bail reform law and housing policy changes are among the top sticking points.
