Overview

• State budget negotiations remain deadlocked over Gov. Hochul's inclusion of non-budgetary policy measures, extending talks past the April 1 deadline.
• Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has proposed legislation to ensure lawmakers continue receiving paychecks during budget delays caused by policy disputes.
• Gov. Hochul defends her policy priorities, including changes to criminal discovery laws and involuntary commitments, claiming strong public support.
• Heastie's bill faces significant hurdles, including Senate approval and the likelihood of a gubernatorial veto requiring a two-thirds majority to override.
• Lawmakers have passed short-term budget extenders to maintain government operations, but tensions over the use of the budget for policy reforms persist.