New York lawmakers have approved a seventh emergency budget extender, authorizing an additional $2.5 billion in spending to fund state payrolls and services through April 30. The stopgap measure keeps the government running while leaders negotiate policy disagreements in the final spending plan. The legislation allocates money to various departments, including the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the Departments of Health, Labor, and Veterans’ Services, and state court operations. The legislature is likely to vote on an eighth extender on Wednesday to cover payroll obligations due by April 30.
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — New York lawmakers approved a seventh emergency budget extender on Monday, avoiding a government shutdown as closed-door negotiations stretch 27 days past the deadline. The legislation authorizes spending another $2.5 billion to fund state payrolls and services through April 30 while elected officials debate unrelated policy items.
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The stopgap measure keeps the government running while leaders negotiate policy disagreements in the final spending plan. In the video above, Republican Assemblymember Phil Palmesano complained that the state government is offering its constituents silence instead of transparency. He argued that secretive delays shut citizens out of the government process.
Assemblymembers passed the bill unanimously. But as in previous extender votes, Republican State Senator Alexis Weik was the sole dissenter.
Democratic State Senator Jose Serrano and Democratic Assemblymember Gary Pretlow sponsored the budget extender bill, S10060/A11150, in their respective chambers. The measure pushes total temporary spending to $15.2 billion since April 1, Serrano said on the floor of the Senate on Monday afternoon.
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Like Palmesano, Republican State Senator Thomas O’Mara demanded more information for the public, pushing Serrano for details on taxes and auto insurance. Serrano offered that leaders continue to move in the right direction to resolve those issues.
“It does provide for the operation of government until Thursday, April 30,” he said, repeatedly declining to speculate on progress between Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
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Pretlow offered optimism on ongoing policy debates. He said that agreements feel closer on auto insurance changes, immigration policies, and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
The legislation allocates money to the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Departments of Health, Labor, and Veterans’ Services. That includes about $1.96 billion for Medicaid, $262 million for state payrolls, $180 million for unemployment insurance, $143 million for the OPWDD, and $272 million for state court operations and judiciary staff payroll through the end of the month.
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Pretlow said the legislature is likely to vote on an eighth extender on Wednesday to cover payroll obligations due by April 30.