State Senate Passes 2026-27 Budget – The New York State Senate (.gov)

May 28, 2026 The New York State Senate today passed the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-27 budget, designed to prioritize working families, lower everyday costs, and protect the essential services New Yorkers rely on most. This budget advances meaningful utility reforms and ratepayer protections, expands access to childcare and universal pre-K, safeguards healthcare and immigrant communities from harmful federal threats, and continues critical investments in education, local governments, and communities across the state.Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “This year’s budget is centered on our shared commitment to addressing the everyday needs of New Yorkers. From lowering utility costs and advancing meaningful ratepayer protections, to expanding access to childcare and Universal Pre-K, we are taking real steps to ease the financial burden on New Yorkers and putting working families first. At the same time, we are standing up for our immigrant neighbors, defending our healthcare system from federal attacks, and continuing to invest in the essential services that New Yorkers rely on. Far too many families have been forced to simply get by while costs continue to rise, and affordability feels further out of reach. This budget is about changing that—lowering bills, expanding opportunity, and addressing New Yorkers’ desire to get ahead, not just get by.” Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris said, “While more work remains to be done, the state budget addresses New Yorkers’ burgeoning cost of living crisis, driven by reckless decisions from the federal government. We will continue to address this affordability crisis by ensuring New Yorkers have the resources they need to stay and thrive in our State, from keeping utility rates down to moving towards universal childcare to improving retirement options for our state workforce.”Senate Finance Chair, Senator Liz Krueger said, “I am pleased that the Legislature was able to negotiate many big wins for the priorities that matter most to New Yorkers, including affordability, access to education, protecting our immigrant neighbors, and improving our environment. The final budget contains numerous policies to address rising utility costs, expands universal childcare, provides record environmental and clean water funding, increases public safety, and invests in housing affordability, including raising the income eligibility cap for SCRIE and DRIE for the first time in over a decade. Unfortunately, this budget also contains significant movement in the wrong direction on critical issues, most notably rolling back progress on the clean energy transition, which will not only mean dirtier air and more greenhouse gas emissions, but will result in higher utility costs for New Yorkers. Although progress has been made in this budget, the Legislature still has a lot of work ahead of us to continue delivering what New Yorkers need.”Standing up to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal overreach, we have included measures to protect the rights, safety, and stability of all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status.This year’s budget includes critical reforms championed by the Senate to help reduce utility rates, hold utilities more accountable, and reform the rate case process. They include:$2 million for the Green Affordable Pre-Electrification Program (GAP) Fund, helping families make critical home upgrades so they can access energy affordability programs.Ensuring access to quality education from early childhood through college, including:Delays the Electric Vehicle Bus Mandate by 5 years to give schools time to make this important transition in a practical and fiscally responsible way.Record funding for our CUNY and SUNY schools, including:Adds $40 million for higher education capital matching grant program, providing access for state-matching capital for private colleges and universities.Advancing environmental protections and sustainability, including:ASAP Solar: Reforms the interconnection process to make it faster and cheaper to bring new solar projects online (portions of S.6570A). Supporting critical investments and advancing fair revenue raisers to strengthen local governments’ essential services, support their economic future, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share.Total for towns and villages: $81.8 million, an increase of 12 percent.Protecting communities, strengthening victims’ services, and investing in smart public safety solutions, including:Safe by Design: Establishes safety and design standards for social media and online platforms to protect minors.Expanding access to care and strengthening mental health services statewide, including:Extends the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Care Demonstration Program to ensure community-based services continue for individuals with disabilities. (S.4848).Revitalizing communities across the state and further investing in artistic, athletic, and cultural programs and initiatives, including:Modernizing transit, strengthening road safety, and building infrastructure for the future, including:Investing in affordable housing programs and strengthening housing access statewide, including:Expands the rent increase exemption for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (SCRIE/DRIE) by including the homeowner’s exemption for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (SCHE/DHE) and raising the income eligibility in all programs from $50,000 to $75,000, as well as requiring new notice provisions.Securing the future of New York’s farms, farmworkers, and food systems, including:Supporting workers, families, and communities across New York through critical investments, including:Provides $1.75 million total for National Diaper Banks, an increase of $250,000.Improving veteran and family support services for military families and first responders, including: STATE OPERATIONS BUDGET January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar LEGISLATURE AND JUDICIARY BUDGET January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar DEBT SERVICE FUND–GENERAL DEBT SERVICE FUND January 21, 2026 Signed by Governor AID TO LOCALITIES BUDGET January 21, 2026 Signed by Governor CAPITAL PROJECTS BUDGET January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state public protection and general government budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year January 21, 2026 Signed by Governor Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state education, labor, housing and family assistance budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state health and mental hygiene budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year January 21, 2026 Senate Floor Calendar Enacts into law major components of legislation which are necessary to implement the state fiscal plan for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year January 21, 2026 Signed by Governor 35th Senate District Senate District 28th Senate District Follow the New York State Senatesource