Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

October 31, 2025

What’s Inside

  • Attorney General Sues Federal Government for Suspending SNAP Benefits During Shutdown
  • Governor Declares State of Emergency and Initiates Food Assistance Actions
  • NYSERDA Appoints Chief Operating Officer
  • FY 2026 Enacted Budget Financial Plan: Mid-Year Update  
  • In the News
  • Coming Up 

Attorney General Sues Federal Government for Suspending SNAP Benefits During Shutdown

New York Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other state leaders, as well as the District of Columbia, have sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for unlawfully suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The coalition of leaders has argued that the administration’s refusal to issue November SNAP payments to more than 40 million Americans – including nearly three million New Yorkers – violates federal law and could leave countless families hungry.

The coalition emphasizes that the administration’s pause is unlawful because USDA is legally required to continue providing benefits as long as it has funding, and the agency has access to billions of dollars in contingency funds that Congress specifically appropriated to keep benefits flowing during funding lapses. The coalition is asking the court to intervene immediately and ensure USDA uses its existing contingency funds to maintain life-saving food assistance benefits through the shutdown. 

On Friday, Attorney General James and 22 other attorneys general wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, seeking clarification on the administration’s plan to protect food assistance through the shutdown, and highlighting the agency’s contingency funds as a possible solution. The attorneys general have not received a response.

Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

Attorney General James said:

Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide. SNAP is one of our nation’s most effective tools to fight hunger, and the USDA has the money to keep it running. There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline. The federal government must do its job to protect families.

Governor Declares State of Emergency and Initiates Food Assistance Actions 

Yesterday, Governor Hochul declared a state of emergency and announced new actions in response to the lapse of food assistance programs on November 1, due to the federal government shutdown. An estimated three million New Yorkers will be impacted by the loss of food assistance on November 1. Governor Hochul has announced that an additional $65 million in state funds is being committed for emergency food assistance that will reinforce New York’s network of vital food bank and pantry partners and provide about 40 million meals to hungry New Yorkers. The Governor is also deploying Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps Members to support local food banks during this emergency period of increased need, and continuing to explore food hubs at schools.

The $65 million in new state funds will go toward the following:

  • $40M in new funding for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides emergency food relief and nutrition services to food-insecure populations. HPNAP works in partnership with a network of about 2,700 Emergency Food Providers (EFPs), including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.
  • $25M in new funding for Nourish NY, which supplies surplus agricultural products (e.g., milk, apples, cheese, yogurt, cabbage, squash) to populations who need them through the State’s network of food relief organizations (i.e., regional food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and community-based organizations that provide food for free to persons experiencing food insecurity).

Governor Hochul said:

The Trump Administration is cutting food assistance off for three million New Yorkers, leaving our state to face an unprecedented public health crisis and hurting our grocers, bodegas and farmers along the way. Unlike Washington Republicans, I won’t sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table. Today, I’m declaring a state of emergency and am committing additional state funds for emergency food assistance to ensure New Yorkers don’t go hungry. Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have the power to stop this crisis — millions of families depend on it.

More information can be found here.

NYSERDA Appoints Chief Operating Officer 

This week, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that Peter Costello was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) during its October Board meeting. Costello has served as the Authority’s General Counsel since 2019 and Secretary to the Authority since 2020.

As COO, Costello will oversee all Authority-wide operational functions, including human resources, contract management, facilities, and information technology services. Under Costello’s leadership, the office of the COO will balance day-to-day operations alongside longer-term change initiatives to help position the Authority for continued success.

Peter Costello said:

It is truly an honor and a privilege to step into the role of Chief Operating Officer. Over the last 16 years, the various roles I have served in at NYSERDA and NY Green Bank inspire me to continue working alongside our exceptional, dedicated staff in this new capacity. I look forward to collaborating across every level of the organization, creating solutions that align our people, processes and strategic goals.

More information can be found here. 

FY 2026 Enacted Budget Financial Plan: Mid-Year Update 

The Mid-Year Financial Plan Update indicates that New York’s fiscal outlook has improved significantly since the Enacted Budget was released in June 2025. Earlier this year, the state’s projections assumed a potential recession, lower employment growth, and reduced personal income tax collections, resulting in conservative revenue estimates.

However, strong wage growth, a robust stock market—particularly in the technology sector—and steady withholding collections have led to upward revisions in expected General Fund tax receipts of $2.6 billion for the current year and $5.3 billion in FY 2027, with similar gains projected beyond that period. These increases more than offset the earlier forecasted declines, reflecting renewed economic confidence and improved financial performance across key revenue sources.

Despite these positive trends, the state still faces significant fiscal pressures and uncertainties. The recently enacted Federal H.R. 1 legislation has substantially changed the landscape for federal funding and tax liabilities, adding roughly $800 million in costs this fiscal year and escalating to over $4 billion by FY 2029.

The full update can be read here. 

In The News

City & State NY’s weekly Winners and Losers of this week here.

New York ordered to produce long-delayed Climate Act regulations by state judge.

Ex-GOP NYC Council chief plugs Cuomo over Sliwa to stop Mamdani.

6 ways the shutdown is about to get worse.

Shifting politics, energy needs raise questions about NYS’ ambitious climate goals.

Hochul paints ‘trainwreck’ scenario of food stamp cuts, increased health care premiums Nov. 1.

State lawmakers to take an additional mobile sports betting regulations this session.

Local sales tax collections in New York up 4.3% so far this year, report says.

The argument for implementing New York’s All-Electric Buildings Act.

Bloomberg endorses Cuomo, Mamdani gets bodega workers backing.

Stefanik set to launch bid for N.Y. governor in ’26.

NY AG James challenges appointment of US attorney investigating her case against Trump.

Governor Kathy Hochul featured in TIME100 Climate 2025.

Somos 2025: Putting work first at the Puerto Rico conference.

GOP lawmakers says backing Cuomo over ‘communist’ Mamdani a ‘no-brainer’.

Hochul bailed out by nearly $3B in extra NY tax revenue — but massive deficits loom.

Pix11 Poll: Mamdani holds commanding lead in NYC mayor’s race with voting underway.

Cuomo earned almost $5 million consulting. He won’t name his clients.

Hochul to consider bill expanding mental health court access.

Lawler’s campaign paid his former firm over $500K.

Inside Government with PoliticsNY: A Q&A with State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

United Bodegas of America’s co-founder to resign as group’s president endorses Mamdani.

Coming Up

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to examine barriers to accessing residential placements for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and explore ways to ensure adequate residential supports are available to those with varying support needs on November 3.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to examine efforts to improve transparency, fairness, and efficiency around current local government commodity procurement laws and the role of emerging technology in achieving such goals on November 12.

The Public Health and Health Planning Council’s Health Planning Committee will hold a meeting on November 12.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to examine ways to increase veterans’ access to mental health services on November 12.  

The Senate will hold a public hearing on the cost and availability of insurance for residential property on November 18.

The Senate will hold a public hearing to discuss risks, solutions, and best practices with respect to the use of artificial intelligence in consequential or high-risk contexts, and related issues, such as classification of the types and risk levels of AI uses, frameworks for auditing AI tools for bias, and transparency improvements on January 15.