State Budget Inches Forward

Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday evening that a tentative budget agreement has been reached with state lawmakers.

The 2026 budget, under state law, was supposed to be approved by April 1.

The budget deal, said to be around $254 billion, includes several non-spending policy matters including a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in school for most students and changes to requirements for criminal prosecutors to share evidence with defendants, known as discovery.

The budget is also said to include new payroll taxes for large employers to fund the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) as well as creates a new criminal charge for wearing a mask while committing a crime.

Hochul battled with her fellow Democrats during the budget process, many of whom did not support changes to discovery or the addition of new criminal sanctions.

The agreement is considered by many to be on shaky financial ground as the feds continue debating cuts to spending, including possible reductions to Medicaid.

The state receives approximately $95 million from the feds annually, with nearly $50 million earmarked for the Medicaid program.  If cuts happen, state lawmakers will likely reconvene to make budget adjustments.

The full budget that has been agreed upon, was not immediately available.