[Albany, N.Y., Thursday, March 12, 2026] Senator Roxanne J. Persaud and colleagues in the NYS Senate Democratic Majority passed a One-House Budget Resolution in response to the Governor’s proposed Executive Budget for SFY 2026-2027. The Senate proposes a $269.8 billion spending plan that continues strong investments in Medicaid, public school Foundation Aid, childcare, programs addressing affordability as well as needed funding for the City of New York. This spending plan will be negotiated with the Assembly and the Governor ahead of the 2026-2027 state fiscal year beginning on April 1.

The Senate’s One-House Budget includes a host of proposals sponsored and championed by Senator Persaud, including, but not limited to:

● 4% Targeted Inflationary Increase (TII) for human services programs as specified in S. 3669-B (Persaud), with 1.3% going directly to human services workers’ wages.

● $50 million restored to fund biomarker testing in New York’s Medicaid program pursuant to S. 1196-A of 2023 (Persaud) and S. 8040 of 2024 (Persaud) enacting New York’s groundbreaking biomarker testing insurance coverage law.

● Nearly $25 million in State Operations funding for the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to implement chip-enabled EBT cards to combat public benefit skimming.

● $20 million for a year-round Youth Employment Immersion Program pilot based on S. 184 (Persaud).

● A total of $18.5 million to help under-resourced families afford diapers, of which:

○ $16 million will fund a defined $80 per quarter means-tested public assistance benefit to offset diaper costs in public assistance households with a child or children through the age of two, based on S. 179 (Persaud).

○ $2.5 million will help nearly 20 local and regional diaper banks.

● A $5 million increase over the proposed $53 million in state support for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to fund additional slots.

● $2.5 million for a K-12 laundry facilities capital grant pilot program for certain Title I public schools, based on S.1760 (Persaud).

Highlights of the Senate’s Broader One-House Budget Resolution:

Investing in Education and Youth Opportunity

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution provides:

● $285.3 million in additional K-12 public school Foundation Aid for a total of $27.4 billion.

● a $1.5 million restoration to 4201 Schools for the Blind and Deaf for a total of $22.7 million.

● an increase to per-pupil library aid funding and adds $10 million for library operating aid for a total of $114.7 million, $20 million for library construction aid for a total of $54 million and, further, adds $1 million total for a pilot program to expand social work services in libraries.

● an additional $105 million for Community Schools.

● language to implement the “Safe by Design Act” intended to protect minors on digital platforms, by closing a loophole exempting certain gaming platforms and requiring platforms to disable friend suggestions for minors.

● $10 million total for the Youth Sports Grant Program.

● $30 million in additional support for the Learning and Enrichment Afterschool Program

Supports (LEAPS), for a total of $146.1 million.

● $40 million total for the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming initiative (NYSWIMS).

● a $25 million funding restoration for the New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NYBRICKS), for a total of $100 million.

Expanding Access to Child Care

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution supports a pathway to provide universal childcare to all families in New York State.

● The Senate concurs with the Governor’s $2.2 billion Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) subsidies proposal for families below 85% of the state median income.

● The Senate provides $500 million total to support the childcare workforce through the Child Care Worker Retention Grant Program.

● NYC 2-Care Seats: $73 million total to begin implementation of contract-based childcare program for two-year-olds in New York City.

Funding Vital Services and Preserving Access to Public Benefits

The Senate has added the following critical measures to help uplift New Yorkers in need:

● $3 million total for stolen SNAP and cash assistance benefit reimbursement.

● $15 million additional for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), providing $41.3 million total.

● $22 million additional for Emergency Food Assistance Programs, including Nourish NY and the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), bringing total funding to $150 million.

● $3 million for Double Up Food Bucks.

● $50 million to expand access to civil legal services, increasing capacity for legal service providers and community-based organizations across the State to assist New Yorkers with enrollment in public benefits.

● Bill language to make New York State's existing 2-1-1 hotline permanent and in statute.

Strengthening Healthcare Access and Mental Health Services

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution:

● adds $405 million for a total of $560 million for hospital investments in rate increases and quality incentive programs, and adds $50 million for a total of $80 million for FQHCs and Non-FQHC Clinics.

● $500 million for financially distressed hospitals.

● rejects cuts to the Enhanced Quality of Adult Living (EQUAL) Program

● adds $25 million HSF Funding for Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs).

● Provides $500,000 for the CUNY midwifery program.

● Includes language directing NYS Department of Health to maximize state and

federal resources to maintain affordable health coverage and minimize potential coverage losses resulting from federal policy changes.

Expanding Access to Affordable Housing

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution includes:

● $500 million total capital funding for NYCHA.

● $200 million increase for the Housing Access Voucher Program, for a total of $250 million.

● $100 million total for Mitchell-Lama Preservation.

● $40 million for the Home Owner Protection Program (HOPP).

● $5 million for Senior Homeowner Foreclosure Arrears Assistance Fund.

● $30 million for Statewide supportive housing for formerly incarcerated individuals.

● $20 million for the Shelter Arrears Eviction Forestallment (SAEF) program.

Lowering Utility Costs & Increasing Energy Affordability

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution provides: $200 million for the Energy Affordability Program and a continued allocation of 10% of federal LIHEAP funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).

Investing in Safer Communities

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution includes:

● $1.5 million for the New York State SNUG Outreach Program (SNUG), providing $22.5

million total.

● $35 million for the VFIRE Volunteer Firefighter Grant.

● Expands the definition of criminal interference with healthcare or religious services to

protect access and safeguard individuals from intimidation or harassment (known as the “Buffer Zone” proposal).

● $10 million additional for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants for a total of $260 million.

Strengthening Human Rights Through Prevention, Support, and Justice

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution provides:

● $5 million total for Community Violence Intervention Act (CVIA) grants

● an added $110.8 million for Office of New Americans for legal services for a total of $175

million, with additional funds dedicated to new emergency legal defense services as well

as infrastructure and capacity building to meet the demand of the moment.

● a $50 million carve-out from the $250 million appropriation for Raise the Age

and a dedication of those funds to the Youth Justice Innovation Fund.

Strengthening Democracy and Civic Participation

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution provides:

● $5 million restored for the 250th American Revolution Commemoration Commission.

● Senate accepts $2.5 million for Dr. John L. Flateau New York Voting and Elections Database, and restores $250,000 total for related research and analysis at Medgar Evers College.

● $30 million total for the New York State Office of the Census.

● $10 million for civics education.

Supporting Our City

The Senate One-House Budget Resolution provides the City of New York with:

● $500 million for shelter reimbursements.

● $193 million for TANF reimbursements.

● $263 million for additional state aid for foster care.

● $431 million School Aid.

● $604 million to provide Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) funding for two years.

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