New York State Legislature in 2025: A focus on affordability, education, protecting rights against Donald Trump
The New York State Capitol in Albany is seen on June 30, 2022. Credit: AP/Hans Pennink
ALBANY — The state Legislature returns to session Jan. 8 with priorities of making New York more affordable, revamping the school aid formula and banning cellphones in schools.
Democrats also say they are preparing to protect the rights of immigrants, the poor and women from potential actions by the incoming Trump administration.
"Our commitment remains steadfast: We will focus on fueling a thriving economy, protecting our democracy, and delivering essential resources to our communities," said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Tuesday said he didn't want to get ahead of Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State speech, but: "I think people are going to be pleased in how much of a concentration we have in trying to put money back in peoples’ pockets."
Heastie also has pledged to oppose promised actions by incoming President Donald Trump, including his plan for a mass deportation of immigrants without proper documents.
"New York has a long history of immigration, and it is our duty to continue the tradition of supporting new residents with open arms and hearts," Heastie said.
The legislative leaders aren’t detailing their specific agenda yet. That will begin when they return to session, but it also will change in reaction to Hochul’s State of the State address on Jan. 14, when she will present her legislative agenda.
The Legislature’s agenda is traditionally refined further weeks later when Hochul presents her budget proposal to the Legislature on how to pay for it all.
But some key issues have emerged:
Going into 2025, "affordability" has become a watchword for Hochul and the Legislature.
Politically, Democrats, who control all state levers of power, are stinging from rebukes in national and state elections from Republicans who ran on platforms that blamed Democrats for inflation and the cost of living.
"We’re focused on affordability," Stewart-Cousins said in November at an event held by the Association for A Better New York, a coalition of corporate, nonprofit, labor, and education leaders.
That focus meshes with what voters want, according to recent polls. More than two-thirds of voters say the rising cost of living is their top concern, according to the Dec. 20 poll of voters by Siena College.
On that topic, the Legislature will address Hochul’s proposal to send rebate checks to most taxpayers. The checks would provide $300 to a taxpayer who makes up to $150,000 and files as a single earner. For a joint return, $500 checks would go to families making up to $300,000.
Hochul said 8.6 million New Yorkers would receive the checks, including 1.3 million Long Islanders.
While independent financial analysts often say that any help for residents in one of the highest- taxed states in the country is welcome, the checks fall far short of the impact of sustained reductions in spending, which are rare in Albany.
"Tackling affordability means reducing costs, either by reducing taxes or making it easier for people to provide goods and services," said Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center think tank. "Mailing checks won’t help in either respect."
In Albany, affordability can be expensive. Progressive Democrats in the Legislature are using the pressure of inflation to argue for increasing the income tax rate for millionaires and billionaires. The funds would be used to enhance programs including child care and for public services including schools.
"There are people who are really struggling that have to pay too much for food and rent," said Michael Kink, executive director of the Strong Economy for All Coalition. "But there is a small class of people making tons of money, more money than they ever made before. Taxing the rich would allow for more focused tax cuts."
A January 2024 Siena College poll found 67% of voters support "raising taxes including those on large, profitable corporations and the highest 5% of earners in order to fund public programs like universal child care, affordable housing and public transportation."
But opponents — including Republican legislative challengers — say it will drive top taxpayers and the jobs out of state.
Another 2025 issue will be discussion of a better way to allocate school funding.
The Legislature and Hochul say they will try to revamp how school aid is distributed, following a December study by the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
The report calls for districts with population increases, those in high-poverty areas and those with students with higher needs to get more funds. The report also calls for a different way to more accurately account for inflation to reflect the costs of public schools.
The politically dicey issue of the state's "hold-harmless" practice also will be on the agenda. The practice has guaranteed that school districts would not receive less aid than they did the year before, even if their enrollment and costs declined. The report calls for a three- to five-year period to reduce the impact of hold harmless on state aid.
"The Rockefeller Institute report on foundation aid is going to take center stage for the first few months of the session up to the budget," said David Albert of the state School Boards Association. He said the hold-harmless issue will also draw extensive debate.
Hochul has said she plans to keep hold-harmless in place for the upcoming budget cycle.
The Legislature will also take up a ban on cellphones by students during class, a measure pushed by Hochul. Albert said school boards want any full or partial ban to require decisions made by local school boards to account for local concerns.
"We can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach," Albert said.
Hochul said Tuesday that she will press the Legislature to make subways safer after violent incidents in recent weeks, including the death of a rider who was set on fire by another passenger.
Hochul is calling to expand state laws to give law enforcement and the courts greater authority to order people to mental health facilities if they pose a danger.
Such public safety measures are often a contentious issue in the Legislature where progressive Democrats fear they would give too much power to police and erode civil rights.
Republicans in the minority of the Senate and Assembly have unsuccessfully called for bills similar to Hochul's proposal in recent years.
"The continued attacks on our subways and mass transit are a constant reminder that Governor Hochul and the Albany Democrat establishment policies have failed at keeping us safe," said Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-Riverhead).
Another must-do item for the Legislature will include taking a bigger role in shaping the state congestion pricing plan that begins Jan. 5.
The plan will charge a $9 basic fee to enter the most congested parts of Manhattan to reduce traffic and combat emissions that contributed to global warming and respiratory illnesses. The fees will cover spending to renovate stations, repair tracks and purchase new trains and buses for the mass transit system in New York City, on Long Island and in the northern suburbs.
In December, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins surprised the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by rejecting a capital plan for those repairs and renovations. That opens much of the MTA capital plan and the congestion pricing on which it depends to the closed-door negotiations between Heastie, Stewart-Cousins and Hochul over the state budget.
Heastie and Stewart cousins aren’t faulting any specific spending in the MTA capital plan, but note that there is a $33 billion hole in the $68.5 billion capital program and insist that it be filled through the state budget process.
Legislative Democrats expect to confront actions by Trump to restrict voting and abortion rights, erode environmental protections to help businesses, and to carry out mass deportation of immigrants, including those who have lived in New York productively for years.
Legislators are also concerned that Trump will carry out his pledges to reduce access to abortion even in states like New York and reduce federal funding to public schools in rethinking the U.S. Education Department.
In this opposition to Trump, the Democrats are united.
"Democrats in New York and elsewhere will not disregard our responsibility to fight for an aspirational nation guarding individual rights," said Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove).
The Dec. 9 death of an inmate in an upstate prison following a beating by corrections officers which was caught on body camera video also may become an issue for lawmakers.
Hochul has responded to the death of Robert Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County and has called for a review of all prisons and their treatment of prisoners.
In the Legislature. Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) is pushing a bill to make corrections offices accountable for misconduct, but also require them to report misconduct of others. He also is pushing his bill to examine effective prison policies around the world.
"We must take a serious look at our correctional system, recognize its failures, and compare it to countries that have gotten it right," Sanders said. "Taking notes from these global examples will help us adopt solutions that ensure both safety and accountability, while respecting the human rights of everyone involved."
ALBANY — The state Legislature returns to session Jan. 8 with priorities of making New York more affordable, revamping the school aid formula and banning cellphones in schools.
Democrats also say they are preparing to protect the rights of immigrants, the poor and women from potential actions by the incoming Trump administration.
"Our commitment remains steadfast: We will focus on fueling a thriving economy, protecting our democracy, and delivering essential resources to our communities," said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Tuesday said he didn't want to get ahead of Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State speech, but: "I think people are going to be pleased in how much of a concentration we have in trying to put money back in peoples’ pockets."
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- The state Legislature returns to session Jan. 8 with priorities of making New York more affordable, revamping the school aid formula and banning cellphones in schools.
- Democrats also say they preparing to protect the rights of immigrants, the poor and women from potential actions by the incoming Trump administration.
- Legislative leaders aren’t detailing their agenda yet. That will begin when they return to session, but it also will change in reaction to Hochul’s State of the State address on Jan. 14.
Heastie also has pledged to oppose promised actions by incoming President Donald Trump, including his plan for a mass deportation of immigrants without proper documents.
"New York has a long history of immigration, and it is our duty to continue the tradition of supporting new residents with open arms and hearts," Heastie said.
The legislative leaders aren’t detailing their specific agenda yet. That will begin when they return to session, but it also will change in reaction to Hochul’s State of the State address on Jan. 14, when she will present her legislative agenda.
The Legislature’s agenda is traditionally refined further weeks later when Hochul presents her budget proposal to the Legislature on how to pay for it all.
But some key issues have emerged:
Affordability
Going into 2025, "affordability" has become a watchword for Hochul and the Legislature.
Politically, Democrats, who control all state levers of power, are stinging from rebukes in national and state elections from Republicans who ran on platforms that blamed Democrats for inflation and the cost of living.
"We’re focused on affordability," Stewart-Cousins said in November at an event held by the Association for A Better New York, a coalition of corporate, nonprofit, labor, and education leaders.
That focus meshes with what voters want, according to recent polls. More than two-thirds of voters say the rising cost of living is their top concern, according to the Dec. 20 poll of voters by Siena College.
On that topic, the Legislature will address Hochul’s proposal to send rebate checks to most taxpayers. The checks would provide $300 to a taxpayer who makes up to $150,000 and files as a single earner. For a joint return, $500 checks would go to families making up to $300,000.
Hochul said 8.6 million New Yorkers would receive the checks, including 1.3 million Long Islanders.
While independent financial analysts often say that any help for residents in one of the highest- taxed states in the country is welcome, the checks fall far short of the impact of sustained reductions in spending, which are rare in Albany.
"Tackling affordability means reducing costs, either by reducing taxes or making it easier for people to provide goods and services," said Ken Girardin, research director for the Empire Center think tank. "Mailing checks won’t help in either respect."
Taxing the rich
In Albany, affordability can be expensive. Progressive Democrats in the Legislature are using the pressure of inflation to argue for increasing the income tax rate for millionaires and billionaires. The funds would be used to enhance programs including child care and for public services including schools.
"There are people who are really struggling that have to pay too much for food and rent," said Michael Kink, executive director of the Strong Economy for All Coalition. "But there is a small class of people making tons of money, more money than they ever made before. Taxing the rich would allow for more focused tax cuts."
A January 2024 Siena College poll found 67% of voters support "raising taxes including those on large, profitable corporations and the highest 5% of earners in order to fund public programs like universal child care, affordable housing and public transportation."
But opponents — including Republican legislative challengers — say it will drive top taxpayers and the jobs out of state.
Education
Another 2025 issue will be discussion of a better way to allocate school funding.
The Legislature and Hochul say they will try to revamp how school aid is distributed, following a December study by the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
The report calls for districts with population increases, those in high-poverty areas and those with students with higher needs to get more funds. The report also calls for a different way to more accurately account for inflation to reflect the costs of public schools.
The politically dicey issue of the state's "hold-harmless" practice also will be on the agenda. The practice has guaranteed that school districts would not receive less aid than they did the year before, even if their enrollment and costs declined. The report calls for a three- to five-year period to reduce the impact of hold harmless on state aid.
"The Rockefeller Institute report on foundation aid is going to take center stage for the first few months of the session up to the budget," said David Albert of the state School Boards Association. He said the hold-harmless issue will also draw extensive debate.
Hochul has said she plans to keep hold-harmless in place for the upcoming budget cycle.
The Legislature will also take up a ban on cellphones by students during class, a measure pushed by Hochul. Albert said school boards want any full or partial ban to require decisions made by local school boards to account for local concerns.
"We can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach," Albert said.
Subway safety
Hochul said Tuesday that she will press the Legislature to make subways safer after violent incidents in recent weeks, including the death of a rider who was set on fire by another passenger.
Hochul is calling to expand state laws to give law enforcement and the courts greater authority to order people to mental health facilities if they pose a danger.
Such public safety measures are often a contentious issue in the Legislature where progressive Democrats fear they would give too much power to police and erode civil rights.
Republicans in the minority of the Senate and Assembly have unsuccessfully called for bills similar to Hochul's proposal in recent years.
"The continued attacks on our subways and mass transit are a constant reminder that Governor Hochul and the Albany Democrat establishment policies have failed at keeping us safe," said Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-Riverhead).
Congestion pricing
Another must-do item for the Legislature will include taking a bigger role in shaping the state congestion pricing plan that begins Jan. 5.
The plan will charge a $9 basic fee to enter the most congested parts of Manhattan to reduce traffic and combat emissions that contributed to global warming and respiratory illnesses. The fees will cover spending to renovate stations, repair tracks and purchase new trains and buses for the mass transit system in New York City, on Long Island and in the northern suburbs.
In December, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins surprised the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by rejecting a capital plan for those repairs and renovations. That opens much of the MTA capital plan and the congestion pricing on which it depends to the closed-door negotiations between Heastie, Stewart-Cousins and Hochul over the state budget.
Heastie and Stewart cousins aren’t faulting any specific spending in the MTA capital plan, but note that there is a $33 billion hole in the $68.5 billion capital program and insist that it be filled through the state budget process.
President Trump
Legislative Democrats expect to confront actions by Trump to restrict voting and abortion rights, erode environmental protections to help businesses, and to carry out mass deportation of immigrants, including those who have lived in New York productively for years.
Legislators are also concerned that Trump will carry out his pledges to reduce access to abortion even in states like New York and reduce federal funding to public schools in rethinking the U.S. Education Department.
In this opposition to Trump, the Democrats are united.
"Democrats in New York and elsewhere will not disregard our responsibility to fight for an aspirational nation guarding individual rights," said Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove).
Prison reform
The Dec. 9 death of an inmate in an upstate prison following a beating by corrections officers which was caught on body camera video also may become an issue for lawmakers.
Hochul has responded to the death of Robert Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County and has called for a review of all prisons and their treatment of prisoners.
In the Legislature. Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) is pushing a bill to make corrections offices accountable for misconduct, but also require them to report misconduct of others. He also is pushing his bill to examine effective prison policies around the world.
"We must take a serious look at our correctional system, recognize its failures, and compare it to countries that have gotten it right," Sanders said. "Taking notes from these global examples will help us adopt solutions that ensure both safety and accountability, while respecting the human rights of everyone involved."
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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