Albany not expected to reach state budget deal by today's deadline

Among the major sticking points in the battle over New York state's $200 billion budget is bail reform.

News 12 Staff

Apr 1, 2023, 12:19 PM

Updated 616 days ago

Share:

Lawmakers in Albany are facing a deadline today to agree on this year's state budget, but they're saying it's unlikely they'll reach a deal in time due to some roadblocks. 
Among the major sticking points in the battle over New York state's $200 billion budget is bail reform. 
Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to change the state's contentious bail law as part of the budget process.
Hochul is pushing to remove the "least restrictive standard" for those serious, bail-eligible cases. 
If adopted, the change would for the first time allow New York state judges to assess the threat they believe a defendant poses to the community and set higher bail on those grounds.
Hochul says her proposed change is a clarification of bail guidelines, but liberal lawmakers have resisted further changes to the state's bail law.
Another stumbling block in budget negotiations is Hochul's proposal to spur the creation of 800,000 houses within the next 10 years to combat the housing crisis in the state, but some legislators say it could override local zoning rules to build new homes in their districts.
Hochul told WXXI Radio News that the budget will most likely be late. She said, "it's not about a race to a deadline, it's about a race to getting the right results."