A small glimmer of hope for an actual New York state budget deal sparked in Albany on Wednesday, May 20, as the first of the remaining nine budget bills was introduced 50 days past the budget deadline.
The Education, Labor and Family Assistance, or ELFA, bill, which includes school aid-related policy changes in the state budget was passed one day after taxpayers went to the polls to vote on their local school districts’ budgets for the upcoming school year.
“Our school districts needed a budget before yesterday when all their budgets went to vote,” Sen. Tom O’Mara, a Southern Tier Republican said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.
A 14th extender was also passed and runs through Tuesday, May 26, to continue to keep the government open while lawmakers work through the remaining budget bills.
Here’s what to know.
What NY budget bill says about school aid, electric school bus mandate
Both local school districts and state and city colleges and universities will see some changes in this year’s state budget.
School districts are set to receive at least a 2% increase in Foundation Aid funding and districts with students experiencing homelessness or in foster care will also now receive a greater weight of this funding. And Gov. Kathy Hochul’s universal pre-K push has officially made it into the budget with a statewide mandate of 2028-2029.
On the climate goals front, the state’s electric school bus mandate, which has received heavy pushback from state Republicans in recent months, will be delayed five years, pushing the new purchase goal out to 2032 and the 100% use goal to 2040. And districts can now install renewable energy projects, such as solar and geothermal, using state building aid.
At the higher education level, the state’s Opportunity Promise Scholarship, which currently offers free community college for New Yorkers working toward associate degrees in high-demand fields, now includes all state-run colleges and universities. Additionally, both SUNY and CUNY schools can continue to raise their tuition costs for out-of-state students through the 2028-2029 academic year.
How lawmakers are responding to NY state budget movement
O’Mara expressed his frustration with Hochul’s message of necessity, or a call for the immediate vote on this bill, calling it “premature.”
“We should have a complete budget before us,” O’Mara said. “There’s no reason that we couldn’t and that we shouldn’t be waiting the constitutionally required three days … This continues to be bad government.”
What’s next?
There are eight budget bills left to be considered and voted on, which is expected to happen in the coming weeks. The Legislature has nine days left in the session to finish the passage of the state budget as well as pass any other non-budget bills they’ve been considering.
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers’ taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY state budget nears finish as education funding comes into focus
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York State Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
