S3006C

The New York State Senate passed its $237 billion budget bill (S3006C) on a 44-18 vote, ending a contentious 38-day negotiation that included disputes over discovery law reforms and mask penalties. The budget includes significant education investments: universal free school meals for all students, a long-sought increase in BOCES teacher salary reimbursement from $30,000 to $60,000 over three years, and $37.1 billion in total school aid. However, the bill drew criticism from both sides. Republicans opposed discovery law changes they said do nothing to prevent crime and a new mask penalty that only applies to felonies and merges with sentences. Democrats including Sens. Krueger and Mayer expressed grave concerns about substantial equivalency provisions that weaken educational standards for nonpublic schools, particularly affecting students in Haredi and Hasidic yeshivas and Black and brown students in districts like East Ramapo. The electric school bus mandate also drew fire, with critics noting the state allocated only $600 million in funding against an estimated $20 billion cost, insufficient grid capacity in 15% of districts, and unproven technology for rural areas. The budget also extends fiscal monitors in five school districts for two years and includes the Housing Access Voucher Program providing rental assistance to 2,500 New Yorkers.