Lawmakers are returning to the state Capitol Tuesday, hoping to get closer to passing a $252 billion state budget. It is already two weeks late.
Most of the stumbling blocks involve Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recommended policy items rather than financial differences.
Syracuse-area Sen. Rachel May said legislators need more time to consider what are sometimes controversial measures.
“It's her one chance to put legislation on the table,” May said. “As the Legislature, it's our job to really think through legislation. That's what we're there for. This is always where the impasses happen.”
Some of the governor’s proposals include changes to discovery laws, which cover how evidence is shared before a criminal trial.
Another matter is the so-called mask ban, which May said has generated hundreds of angry emails from people worried about the health and cultural implications. She said it seems the governor is less willing to compromise this year than in the past.
“It's been frustrating for us because we've really talked through all of the ins and outs and what we can give on and what we can't give on,” May said. “You hope to have a two-way willingness to do that, and I haven't seen it yet.”
For now, Governor Hochul appears to have the upper hand. Lawmakers do not get paid until they agree on a budget. May said when she and her colleagues return to Albany, she expects they’ll pass another budget extender until Thursday.
