Governor Kathy Hochul and New York’s legislative leaders reached “conceptual agreement” yesterday on the week-late state budget. The agreement resolved a dispute over partly rolling back the bail reform law that stalled the budget talks for several weeks.
The $220 billion budget draft will allow judges to have a say in assigning bail to suspects, particularly those involved in gun crimes. It also allows them leeway to impose bail on multiple and repeat offenders. The sight of multiple criminal offenders being released on appearance tickets with no bail raised the ire of bail reform oppnents.
The budget suspends the state gas tax from June 1 to Decembert 31, saving New Yorkers 16 cents per gallon for half the year. Hochul called on counties to suspend their own gas taxes for the same period.
The budget includes the $600 million state contribution to the new Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park. It also makes more investment into child and health care.