CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org 

SHAME ON GOV. HOCHUL: FINAL STATE BUDGET FAILS MARGINALIZED NEW YORKERS ACROSS THE BOARD; ALL EYES ON LEGISLATURE TO TAKE LEAD

Governor Hochul Stripped the Rights And Safety of Marginalized Communities — No Different Than GOP-Held States Across the Country

NEW YORK — Last night, lawmakers voted to pass a final New York State budget, largely dictated by Governor Hochul, that fails to include funding for low-income and marginalized New Yorkers. The final budget, which was more than a month late because of Governor Hochul’s refusal to negotiate, failed to include funding for the following policies:

• Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) and Good Cause legislation.
• Changes to existing budgetary language that will implement Rest of State AIDS Housing, which would provide people living with HIV outside the five boroughs with housing support and benefits.
• Daniel’s Law Pilot Program, proposed legislation that would create a response team of mental health professionals and directly impacted peers to help people in crisis. 
• Earmarked opioid settlement dollars dedicated to the Department of Health and to support life-saving Overdose Prevention Centers — both recommendations from the Opioid Settlement Board.

“Disappointment doesn’t even begin to describe our feelings on the final budget,” said Jawanza Williams, Director of Organizing at VOCAL-NY. “Governor Hochul held the budget session hostage to deliver nothing for low-income and marginalized New Yorkers. The crises we started the year with remain unchanged, and will continue to take lives, destroy families, and weaken communities. We have lost faith in our Governor to fight for anyone besides her donors, and we now look to the legislature to actually lead our state with policies that will support everyday New Yorkers.”

In the wake of a final budget that fails to meet the needs of New Yorkers, VOCAL-NY will continue campaigns to pass the following legislation in the remainder of the session:

• Challenging Wrongful Convictions S215/A2878
• Safer Consumption Services Act (S399/A338)
• End Qualified Immunity (S182A/A710)
• Daniel’s Law (S2398/A2210)
• Housing Access Voucher Program (S2804B/A3701B)
• Rest of State AIDS Housing (S183/A2418)
• Fair and Timely Parole (S307/A162) & Elder Parole (S2423/A2035)

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