New York State lawmakers have approved a temporary spending measure that will fund the government for the next week while discussions on a broader spending plan continue without a deal.
The stopgap budget was approved after Democratic lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul failed to reach an agreement on key issues such as a housing plan and changes to the state’s 2019 bail law. The temporary budget will expire on April 10, and without a final budget in place, state lawmakers themselves will not be paid.
Governor Hochul is seeking a change to the 2019 bail law to make it easier for judges to set cash bail requirements for serious criminal charges, but lawmakers have yet to agree.
The main sticking point continues to be Hochul’s proposal to change the bail law, which has been a topic of heated debate between the Democratic lawmakers and the governor. Discussions over housing, taxes, mass transit funding, and the state’s minimum wage also continue as part of the budget talks.
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