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Governor Hochul has just announced a $260 billion budget deal for New York in 2027, and families are at the center of most of it.
At a Glance:
Big move toward universal child care, including Pre-K for all 4-year-olds
Child tax credit boosted up to $1,000 per child
Some families could see child care costs drop to about $15 a week
New online safety rules to better protect kids and teens
$1 billion energy rebate to help with rising utility bills
Tighter rules on car insurance to fight fraud and high pricing
Free school breakfast and lunch continue for all students
Housing changes aimed at speeding up building and easing rent pressure
After a five-week deadlock, the much-awaited New York State 2027 budget was finally unveiled today by Gov. Kathy Hochul, and it features a lot of protections for children and families.
“I promised a Budget that works for working people and expands opportunities for all New Yorkers, and I was not going to back down from that fight,” Governor Hochul said. “Alongside my partners in the Legislature, today we are delivering on that promise. This Budget includes sweeping changes to lower costs, enhance public safety, protect our communities from federal overreach, and invest in the future of New York families.”
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Big Expansion of Child Care
To the delight of many parents, child care is the centerpiece of the new budget. Here are the highlights:
Major investment to move New York toward more universal child care
Universal Pre-K push for all 4-year-olds by 2028–29
New early care programs for children under 3
Child tax credit increased up to $1,000 per young child
Some families could pay as little as $15 a week for care, depending on eligibility
New statewide Office of Child Care to oversee the rollout
Stronger Protections for Kids Online
New rules give parents more control in digital spaces while also attempting to limit risks. Online platforms will be safer for kids by setting stronger default protections. Strangers wouldn’t be able to message children, see their profiles, or tag them in posts unless they’re already connected.
Kids’ location info would also be hidden from people they don’t know, and children under 13 would need a parent’s approval before adding new friends on gaming platforms.
The rules would also turn off AI chatbots for younger kids and give parents more control over spending in games, including setting limits on how much money a child can spend online.
Help with Rising Bills
Families will still get free breakfast and lunch for every public school student.
The budget also goes after some of the biggest monthly bills, especially energy and insurance. There’s a $1 billion energy rebate to help with rising utility costs, plus new rules to slow down sudden rate hikes and hold utility companies more accountable.
Car insurance is also getting attention, with the state trying to crack down on fraud and unfair pricing that’s been pushing rates up for everyone.
The state is trying to speed up housing construction by cutting delays and unnecessary red tape on approved projects, so more homes can get built, and rent doesn’t keep rising as fast over time.
More Safety Measures
Finally, the budget includes a mix of public safety measures, like cracking down on ghost guns and making it harder to turn legal weapons into illegal machine guns. It also allocates more funding to gun violence prevention programs and supports subway safety, including increased NYPD coverage, mental health response teams, and platform barriers.
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