5th NYS budget extender approved as negotiations will extend into next week

ALBANY — Issues are starting to fall in place, but New York lawmakers will have to push into at least next week before approving a state budget.

The State Senate and Assembly on Thursday approved another round of short-term spending extensions to keep government operating and payrolls flowing through next week. After a short Easter break, they plan on returning to the state Capitol on Tuesday.

Key lawmakers have said both houses and Gov. Kathy Hochul are closer to settling a range of outstanding issues, nailing down final details.

For example, lawmakers earlier this week said they’ve reached an agreement on "discovery," the law governing the sharing of information between prosecutors and defense attorneys before commencement of a criminal trial. Giving prosecutors some mandate relief had been a key priority of Hochul and New York City district attorneys. Final agreement language is being drafted.

Republican legislators, debating the emergency spending bill Thursday, pressed Democrats on why a full budget can’t move forward if discovery is all set.

"It’s just one of many important issues in a giant budget," said Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan), the Senate Finance Committee chairwoman.

Hochul proposed an overall $252 billion state budget, including a 4.7% increase in school aid, a middle-class tax cut and tax rebate check of as much as $500 to families. The final agreement is expected to spend more overall and include a more generous hike in school aid.

Other non-budgetary issues the governors wants to get done include a ban on cellphone use in schools with few exceptions. Officials said Thursday a settlement is all but final on this issue, too.

The budget was supposed to be adopted by April 1, the start of New York’s fiscal year. Republicans on Thursday noted school districts must put their budget up for public referendum next month — but don’t know how much aid they are receiving from Albany because the state budget is still in limbo.

"With the state budget now 17 days overdue, New York’s schools are planning for next year with no clear sense of what resources they will have available," Assemb. Edward Ra (R-Garden City South) said in a statement. "They will be forced to construct and release to the public their budgets by next Tuesday, without this vital information. That’s wrong."

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy