Lawmakers begin review of major policy changes included in New York's budget

May 3—ALBANY — Lawmakers enacted the state budget for fiscal year 2024, after a marathon day of voting Tuesday that stretched until just before midnight.

Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul signed the bills into law at a news conference in New York City on Wednesday morning, wrapping up months of negotiations over the $229 billion spending package that for the past few weeks has largely occurred in private rooms out of public view.

The mammoth legislative package, which includes 10 bills that address state spending and policy at the same time, is the largest in terms of spending that has ever been passed by the state legislature.

The package was still under review by legislators in Albany Wednesday, as many headed home for the week. Much more information is expected to come out about the budget and the policy it included in the coming days and weeks.

Early review of the bills shows this year's budget package achieves a number of Democratic and progressive goals that Albany legislators have worked for years to implement, but notably includes one main issue progressives were loathe to cede ground on — bail reform.

The state's bail laws have seen their third adjustment since they were overhauled in 2020, making it nearly impossible for judges to put criminal defendants in jail pretrial in cases of nonviolent offenses.

Now, the latest change enacted by the 2024 budget removes the requirement that judges use the least restrictive means of ensuring a defendant returns to court, something Gov. Hochul has argued will free up judicial decision-making in a way that wasn't possible before.

Additionally, $40 million has been set aside for public defender offices to assist in the discovery process, and outside counsel retained to represent indigent criminal defendants will see a higher rate of pay.

A proposal that had hard opposition from the counties, where the state will intercept millions in enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage money, will go forward as well, with a three-year ramp up that will only take 25% of expected revenues in the first year, and 50% in the second year.

Jefferson County was expected to lose $2.5 million in annual Medicaid funding the first year of the interception with that change, but now will lose about $625,000 in the first year. Lewis County was expected to see a cut of about $700,000, but now will see a cut of about $175,000. St. Lawrence County will now see a $770,000 cut, down from about $3.08 million anticipated.

Assemblyman Scott A. Gray, R-Watertown, said that is just one of many changes included in the dense legislative language of this year's budget that will have huge impacts on county operations and finances.

"There are some significant impacts to the counties here," he said.

Volunteer fire departments, whose advocacy organization in Albany has been lobbying legislators for more funding, got some of their wishes. Bills introduced by Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, D-Chateauqay Lake, to establish a $25 million capital fund and a $6.25 million training fund were included in the final package, establishing the largest-ever statewide funding package for the volunteer departments.

"I introduced these bills last year because of the many heartbreaking conversations I had with volunteer firefighters across the north country about their deteriorating facilities, outdated equipment and dwindling membership," the assemblyman said. "Including $31.5 million in the budget for capital projects and training will help these fire departments tremendously."

A change to the state's recently amended gun control laws was included, reversing part of the Concealed Carry Improvement Act passed last year that barred historic event reenactors from using re-created historic weapons in their events. The CCIA barred people from carrying any kind of weapon on park land, and although battle reenactors do not shoot actual bullets with their weaponry, they were included in the ban. The state budget specifies that firearms used in service of historic battle reenactments are allowed on park land, provided they are never loaded with operable bullets.

"I am happy that reenactors and the history community can finally rest easy knowing they are officially allowed to carry firearms during historic battle reenactments," Assemblyman Jones said.

On environmental issues, Sen. Mark C. Walczyk, R-Watertown, said there are many policies included in this year's budget that will hurt his north country and Adirondack district.

A ban on the installation of fossil-fuel burning appliances in small new buildings by 2026, and taller new buildings by 2029 has been implemented. New construction in New York will be barred from including natural gas or propane infrastructure or connecting to existing pipelines, although the appliances themselves like gas stoves and furnaces will remain on the market past those dates for homes already built with a fuel source.

A valuation guide implemented by the budget also appears to dramatically reduce the value of renewable energy facilities like solar plants and wind farms, and Sen. Walczyk said this could lower the value of payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements made by these facilities to the local governments around them by up to 78%.

Sen. Walczyk lauded the budget for including the full allotment of foundation aid to schools, which is a primary method of state funding for public school districts that has for years been left below recommended levels.

It also included a $3.5 million matching grant program for municipalities to promote tourism, something Sen. Walczyk said will be a key help to the tourism-heavy regions he represents along the St. Lawrence River, on the Tug Hill Plateau and in the Adirondacks.

"There's funding for a lot of great things, of course, but this $229 billion Democratic wishlist fails to address some of our biggest concerns over public safety, energy, affordability and the skyrocketing cost of living," he said Wednesday. "I couldn't support it."