All Roll Calls
Yes: 210 • No: 0
New YorkS 101032025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
Provides for emergency appropriation for the period April 1, 2026 through May 4, 2026
Sponsored By: José M. Serrano (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
RULESWAYS AND MEANS
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
28 provisions identified: 22 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.
State workers keep paychecks and benefits
For paychecks scheduled April 1–May 4, 2026, New York provides about $1.491 billion for executive and legislative workers. That is $25,000 above the prior amount and includes certain state work-program participants and earlier payroll costs. Judiciary payroll gets $186 million for the same period. State employee benefit funding rises from $691.631 million to $713.806 million, including higher state Social Security and commuter-tax contributions. Another $62.25 million covers judiciary employee benefit costs incurred during that period; these funds do not increase individual benefit amounts.
Essential Plan health coverage gets funding
Beginning April 1, 2026, New York provides $1.15 billion for Essential Plan services and expenses. Services must follow the program's federal State Innovation Waiver. Funds can move among Department of Health appropriations or to Health Research Incorporated. This appropriation does not specify changes to eligibility, premiums, or household benefit amounts.
Medicaid long-term care gets funding
For the portion covering the 2026–27 state budget year, Medicaid nursing home services get $450.96 million. Other Medicaid long-term care services get $1.286436 billion. These appropriations replace duplicate funding for the same purposes. They support services and providers without setting new individual eligibility rules or payment amounts.
Medicaid funding includes behavior therapy limits
New York provides $1.569872 billion for Medicaid managed care for the portion covering the 2026–27 state budget year. This replaces duplicate funding for the same purpose. These funds can pay for applied behavior analysis only when an authorized practitioner under Education Law Title VIII recommends it. The health commissioner must also designate that practitioner as an applied behavior analysis center of excellence provider. The restriction does not create a separate patient payment duty.
Personal-needs and respite help for residents
The law allows payment for general services, including up to 14 days of respite, in certified family care homes. It also allows personal-needs payments there; the Commissioner sets rates and amounts with Budget Director approval. Residents of qualifying nonprofit-run community residences or residential alternatives can receive up to $250 yearly for personal needs. This includes qualifying individualized residential alternatives under the home- and community-based services waiver. The disability services commissioner decides those payments' timing and manner based on financial need; payment is not guaranteed.
Housing development help for disabled residents
New York's developmental disability agency can provide state aid, loans, or grants to develop supportive housing. The units must be set aside for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, on terms set by the commissioner. The state places a lien on the property equal to its aid, loan, or grant. The lien lasts up to 30 years, or longer when another regulator requires it. This funds housing development, not a payment to individual households.
More funding for unemployment benefit checks
For the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2026, New York raises unemployment benefit funding from $990 million to $1.02 billion. Benefits go to people who qualify under state unemployment law or an applicable federal unemployment program. This adds $30 million in funding but does not raise any person's benefit amount.
Replacement care after behavioral health cuts
New York can use appropriated money for services addressing needs caused by reductions in Medicaid inpatient behavioral health care. The mental health or addiction services commissioner develops the funding adjustment with the health commissioner. The Budget Director must approve it, and services must fit funding appropriated for that purpose. The law sets no dollar amount or guaranteed service for an individual.
Temporary funding keeps state offices running
New York provides $44 million for routine state operating costs incurred April 1–May 4, 2026. Spending must follow existing law and purposes authorized for the 2025–26 state budget year. Court operating funding rises from $13 million to $25 million for costs incurred during the same period. Another $11 million covers judiciary aid-to-localities costs incurred during that period. These funds pay government costs, not new household benefits.
Disability care funding and staff support
New York provides $560.016 million for state or local medical assistance costs for people with developmental disabilities. Community services funds can cover up to 100% of day training and family support programs' net deficit costs. The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities can specify care tasks for direct support staff, including in home- and community-based waiver programs. A registered nurse must supervise, train, and periodically check staff, and tasks must follow an authorized practitioner's care orders. These measures support services rather than setting household payment amounts.
Funding supports health coverage for children
Beginning April 1, 2026, New York provides $212.95 million for the Children's Health Insurance Program. Funds can go through the state's temporary assistance agency to repay local Medicaid enrollment costs. That repayment covers newly enrolled children whose household income is between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level. This is an administrative funding rule, not a new coverage eligibility rule or household payment.
Medicaid dental and transportation services funded
For the portion covering the 2026–27 state budget year, Medicaid transportation gets $63.528 million and dental services get $7.344 million. Medicaid care outside institutions and other spending gets $719.22 million for the 2026–27 state budget year. These appropriations replace duplicate funding for the same purposes. They support services without setting individual household payment amounts.
Medicaid hospital and clinic care funded
For the portion covering the 2026–27 state budget year, New York provides $303.54 million for Medicaid inpatient hospital care. Hospital outpatient and emergency care gets $54.096 million, while clinic services get $87.588 million. These appropriations replace duplicate funding for the same purposes. They support care and providers without setting new enrollee eligibility rules or individual payment amounts.
Medicaid money can support affordable housing
New York can transfer up to $384.616 million in specified Medicaid funding, plus available federal matching money, for affordable-housing services. The money can go to designated state agencies and housing entities. The Health Commissioner must submit a funding adjustment, and the Budget Director must approve the transfer. Spending must consider where grants are located. This authority does not guarantee housing aid to any household.
Disability providers face inflation increase limits
For April 1, 2025–March 31, 2026, the law bars most additional inflation-based increases to state developmental disability service payments. This includes cost-of-living and trend-factor increases. The previously authorized 2.6% targeted inflation increase remains allowed. Prior adjustments from updating base-year costs also remain allowed. The restriction limits provider reimbursement, not direct household payments.
Adult residential school funding has limits
New York can reimburse private residential schools, in or outside the state, for services to people over age 21. The authority covers residential and day programs. Residential or maintenance payments are reduced by any Supplemental Security Income benefit the person is eligible to receive. Day-service payments generally cannot exceed the maximum for appropriate services from other certified or approved providers. The Budget Director can approve higher day-service payments.
Medicaid drug funding has spending limits
New York provides $472.876 million for Medicaid pharmacy services for the portion covering the 2026–27 state budget year. Funds cannot pay for drugs not explicitly authorized by an earlier law, rule, or regulation. The Budget Director can approve an exception. This limits agency spending rather than imposing a new payment duty on patients.
Annuity funding for blind veterans' families
Beginning April 1, 2026, New York provides $385,000 for annuities to blind veterans and eligible surviving spouses. Up to $15,000 can transfer to state operations for program administration. Spending generally needs Budget Director approval; legislative and judicial spending is excepted. The temporary appropriation ends when the Comptroller transfers its expenditures and disbursements under the law. No individual annuity amount is specified.
More funding for disability family services
Residential service funding for people with developmental disabilities rises from $28.333 million to $32.241 million. Day programs rise from $6.96 million to $7.92 million, and family support rises from $7.83 million to $8.91 million. Funding for additional disability services rises from $1.16 million to $1.32 million. These include hepatitis B care, the care-at-home waiver, epilepsy services, Special Olympics New York, and voluntary fingerprinting. The increases do not set individual payments or guarantee a specific household service.
More funding for food assistance services
Beginning April 1, 2026, federal funding for New York food and nutrition services rises from $31.03 million to $35.31 million. The money is available to pay financial assistance owed before enactment. This provision does not name a specific benefit program. It does not change individual eligibility or payment amounts.
More funding for Indian health services
Beginning April 1, 2026, New York's Indian health program funding rises from $7 million to $10.062 million. Services must follow a plan prepared by the health commissioner and approved by the Budget Director. The increase supports program services and providers. It does not specify individual benefit amounts or change eligibility.
More housing funding for homeless veterans
Beginning April 1, 2026, funding for homeless veterans' housing services rises from $174,000 to $198,000. Most spending requires Budget Director approval; spending by the legislature or judiciary is exempt. This appropriation ends when the Comptroller transfers its spending under the law's budget-transfer process. The law does not set an individual payment amount.
More employment support for disabled workers
Funding for workshops, day training, and employment services for people with developmental disabilities rises from $4.524 million to $5.148 million. The transfer available through the State Education Department's vocational rehabilitation program rises from $66,700 to $75,900. That transfer supports FEDCAP Rehabilitation Services' LongTerm Sheltered Employment program. The money funds services, not a new individual wage or direct payment.
Temporary payments support state construction projects
New York provides up to $10 million for capital-project costs under contracts or grants approved before April 1, 2026. Another $20 million is available for contracts or grants approved after April 1, 2026. Both funds cover costs incurred April 1–May 4, 2026. Project purposes must have been authorized for spending during the 2025–26 state budget year.
Payments can resolve Medicaid provider disputes
New York can use appropriated funds to pay amounts from resolved provider rate appeals or lawsuits. The Department of Health must be a party to the dispute. Payment requires a settlement agreement or judgment. The law specifies no payment amount and does not change household Medicaid eligibility or benefits.
More state funding for public schools
Beginning April 1, 2026, New York adds $7 million for public-school support in the 2026–2027 state fiscal year. Payments follow a 2026 school-support law. The stated program total is $2.29 billion, including $2.283 billion for remaining 2025–2026 and earlier school-year obligations. Moving funds between public-school support appropriations requires Budget Director approval. The law does not set a payment for individual students or families.
Resident money can pay care costs
A director of a facility licensed, but not operated, by the state disability services office can use resident funds for care. The director must manage those funds as the resident's federally appointed representative payee. Spending must pay for that resident's care and treatment and follow federal law and regulations. This supports care payments but uses the resident's own money.
Medicaid payment tools and spending controls
Medicaid needs the Budget Director's approval for expenses not clearly authorized by law. The State Comptroller can hold certified local Medicaid shares in an interest-bearing account to help pay providers promptly. The health or temporary assistance commissioner must certify the amounts owed, and the health commissioner must estimate each district's share. These agency rules do not create a new fee for Medicaid recipients.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
José M. Serrano
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/29/2026
Assembly floor vote
Yes: 134 • No: 0
committee vote • 4/29/2026
Rules Committee Vote
Yes: 18 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/29/2026
FLOOR Vote
Yes: 58 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
SIGNED CHAP.108
4/29/2026SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
4/29/2026SenateRETURNED TO SENATE
4/29/2026HousePASSED ASSEMBLY
4/29/2026HouseMESSAGE OF NECESSITY - 3 DAY MESSAGE
4/29/2026HouseMESSAGE OF NECESSITY - APPROPRIATION
4/29/2026HouseORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.104
4/29/2026HouseSUBSTITUTED FOR A11165
4/29/2026HouseREFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
4/29/2026HouseDELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
4/29/2026SenatePASSED SENATE
4/29/2026SenateMESSAGE OF NECESSITY - 3 DAY MESSAGE
4/29/2026SenateMESSAGE OF NECESSITY - APPROPRIATION
4/29/2026SenateORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.878
4/29/2026SenateREFERRED TO RULES
4/29/2026Senate
Bill Text
Original
4/29/2026
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