ALBANY - May 29, 2026. On Wednesday night, May 27th, Senator Roxanne J. Persaud and legislative colleagues completed voting upon the $268.5 billion SFY 2026-2027 New York State budget. With Medicaid and public school aid comprising a majority of the budget, significant spending is also directed to transportation, housing, economic development and many programs assisting those facing economic constraints.

“No budget is perfect, but this year’s plan delivers significant resources that my constituents will benefit from,” said Senator Roxanne J. Persaud.  “I was proud to secure a number of victories that bring resources to students and schools, human service workers and families facing difficult economic times – there’s something in this budget for everyone.”

Senator Persaud achieved many victories across the various budget bills including, but not limited to:

• 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase for certain human services contracts. The sector needs continued investments to ensure continuity and quality of services to vulnerable New Yorkers. Senator Persaud will continue to lead the fight for a fully inclusive investment (as proposed in S. 3669-A) that does not leave large swaths of provider contracts in the lurch as they currently are.

• Chip-enabled SNAP EBT card technology. Since the pandemic, Senator Persaud has been fighting for a more secure SNAP EBT system built on chip-enabled benefit card technology. The enacted State Operations bill adds the $16.8 million in critical funding to make this happen. Senator Persaud is thankful to Governor Hochul and OTDA Commissioner Guinn for their partnership on this important measure.

• Pushing back against biomarker testing proposed rollback. Senator Persaud, the American Cancer Society and many other organizations fought hard to oppose the proposed rollback of biomarker testing coverage within the Medicaid program. Senator Persaud’s negotiations resulted in a balanced solution; removing a peer reviewed evidence requirement while also clarifying that the law does not require any deviation from standard coverage review processes or existing determinations of medical necessity. This outcome helps protect access to critical testing for patients while maintaining established safeguards. 

• Statewide diaper bank funding. Senator Persaud worked closely with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to deliver a $1 million Senate appropriation which, when added to funds from the Assembly, will provide a total of $1.75 million for 18 local and regional diaper banks across New York State. This will bolster operations and distributions at existing diaper banks and help build capacity at newer sites in previously unserved areas.

• Senator Persaud also led the charge in securing $5 million in additional funding for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP), for a total of $8.7 million as well as $1.5 million in additional funding for Disability Assistance Program (DAP), for a total of $6.8 million.

Additional details of the enacted 2026-2027 New York State budget:

K-12 Education. Continued strong investments with an increase in Foundation Aid, enhanced support for English Language Learners, and new funding weights for students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care. This brings total statewide school aid funding to $39 billion, of which $15.26 billion is for New York City, and $27.4 billion total for Foundation Aid, of which $11 billion is for New York City.

Child Care

• $2.4 billion total for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), a nearly 40 percent increase over last year. Additionally, to expand childcare in New York City:
  • $73 million total to launch the first 2-Care program.
  • $205 million to expand 3-K to all five boroughs.
• $1.6 billion for UPK, which will bring the per pupil reimbursement rate for 4-year-olds to a minimum of $10,000 per child.

SUNY and CUNY

• $52 million for the SUNY Educational Opportunity Program.
• $50.5 million for Higher Education Opportunity Program awards (HEOP).
• Expansion of the New York Opportunity Promise Scholarship to include all campuses offering associates degrees in high-demand fields at CUNY and SUNY.
• Expansion of the Masters-in-Education teacher incentive scholarship to include those pursuing a master’s in early childhood education.

Investing in Young People

• $20 million total for the NY Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NYSWIMS) program.
• $20 million total for the NY Places for Learning, Activity, and Youth Socialization (NY-PLAYS) program.
• $6 million total for NY KICKS to build youth soccer infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.
• Legislation implementing new safety and design standards for social media and online platforms to protect minors.
• $200,000 for the NYPD Youth Explorer program in Senate District 19.

Housing

Investing in affordable housing programs and strengthening housing access:

• $140 million total for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
• $85 million total for the Mitchell Lama Preservation and Homeownership Program.
•  $5 million for the Access to Home Program.
• $4 million for the Housing Opportunities Program for the Elderly (RESTORE).
• $10 million total for the First Time Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance Fund.
• Replacement of the expiring J-51 tax abatement program to preserve and improve rent-regulated and affordable housing in New York City by helping property owners make critical repairs and environmental upgrades to keep homes safe and affordable.
• Enhanced penalties to protect rent-regulated tenants from pervasive harassment by creating new criminal charges for aggravated harassment of a rent-regulated tenant.
• Expansion of 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.
• $150 million for Emissions Reduction Programs in HCR, including $40 million for Weatherization and $50 million for NYCHA and Mitchell Lamas.

Public Protection

• $22.5 million for the New York State SNUG Outreach Program.
• $77 million for the continued presence of the NYPD on subways across NYC.
• $3 million for the Department of Law and district attorneys to combat deed theft through prevention and enforcement efforts.
• Legislation to ensure that any 3D printing technology does not allow for guns to be 3D printed.
• Legislation to curb the spread of pistols that can be easily converted from semiautomatic to fully automatic machine guns by preventing new convertible pistols from being sold in New York.
• Commercial Security Tax Credit. Extension of the commercial security tax credit for an additional 3 years.
• Cracking Down on Super Speeders. Authorization for New York City to require drivers who receive more than 16 speed camera tickets within a year to install speed restrictor devices on their vehicles, while also expanding work zone speed camera programs statewide to better protect highway workers.

Supporting Workers

• Public Employee Pension Tier 6 Reforms consisting of a (1) lowered retirement age for teachers with 30 years of service from 63 to 58 and (2) a cap on contribution rates.
• No Tax on Tips: Eliminating New York State income tax on up to $25,000 in tipped income beginning in 2026, allowing workers to deduct eligible cash tips from taxable income.

Direct Assistance for Utility Ratepayers

• $150 million for EmPower Plus which helps low- and moderate-income households lower energy bills and make critical energy-efficient upgrades to their homes.
• $40 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program which helps homeowners get needed upgrades to lower utility bills.
• $1 billion in POWER Rebates which will provide rebate checks of up to $200 for married filers earning up to $150,000, $150 for married filers earning between $150,000 and $300,000, and $100 for single filers and heads of household earning up to $150,000.

Food Assistance includes $138 million total for Emergency Hunger Response organizations which includes $72.8 million for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) and $55 million for Nourish New York (NNY). 

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