Plugged In @ Hinman Straub
March 7, 2023
What’s Inside
- Revenue Consensus Reached
- Governor Appoints Budget Director
- Governor Announces $200 Million to Expand Emergency Departments
- Governor Announces Second Round of Office of Strategic Workforce Development Grant Awards
- State Senate Passes Agriculture Package
- Attorney General Announces Proposed Price Gouging Regulations
- Political Updates
- Coming Up
Revenue Consensus Reached
The Assembly, Senate, and Executive came to a three-way agreement on adjusted revenue forecasts for this year’s budget. The consensus forecast was based on expert testimony provided during the Consensus Forecasting Conference held on February 28. According to the statement issued, the revenue estimates from all parties varied significantly, however, all participants reached consensus on a two-year revenue total that is $800 million above the Executive Budget estimate. The increase in available funds will benefit the Assembly and Senate as they look to fund their priorities in this budget.
Governor Appoints Budget Director
The Governor announced the appointment of Bob Megna as Budget Director. He previously served in this capacity under Governors Patterson and Cuomo. The appointment will be short term, as he will return to his current role as president of the Rockefeller Institute of Government and senior advisor to the chancellor of SUNY upon the conclusion of this legislative session. Megna will also assist in finding a long-term replacement.
The Governor said:
Governor Announces $200 Million to Expand Emergency Departments
The Governor announced $200 million in state funding to expand emergency departments. Administered by the state Department of Health and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, these two grants from the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program will support expansion and modernization efforts of the emergency departments at both facilities to improve patient care in their respective communities. The Department of Health will award another $950 million through additional phases of Statewide IV. Governor Hochul’s proposed FY 2024 Executive Budget also includes $1 billion in additional funding to establish Statewide V.
Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester
Strong Memorial Hospital, the safety-net hospital for the Finger Lakes’ most vulnerable residents, was awarded $50 million from Statewide IV. The 55,000-square-foot facility receives more than 100,000 emergency department visitors annually.
The expansion project will roughly triple the size of the emergency department, thereby improve health equity in the Finger Lakes region. The expansion will help to ease overcrowding situations and reduce wait times for admission to hospital.
Jamaica Hospital Medical Centers, Queens
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center was awarded $150 million through Statewide IV to construct a new 48,534 square foot, three-story basement addition on an adjacent property now being used as a parking lot for physicians. This financially distressed safety-net hospital serves a predominately minority local population in Queens.
Among the 13 Level 1 Trauma Centers in New York City, this project will enable Jamaica Hospital to build an expanded and modernized emergency department to adequately meet the community’s needs. Built more than 30 years ago and designed to handle about 60,000 trips annually, the emergency room now receives roughly 120,000 visits each year, not factoring in the increased visits it experienced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor said:
Governor Announces Second Round of Office of Strategic Workforce Development Grant Awards
The Governor announced the Office of Strategic Workforce Development has awarded more than $7 million in grants to fourteen projects across the state through the second round of the Workforce Development Capital and Pay for Performance Grant Programs. These grants will support the training of more than 3,700 workers through collaboration between training providers and more than 100 employer partners in fields like advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and construction. The Office, which operates under Empire State Development, is charged with supporting workforce development programs and practices to ensure New Yorkers are prepared to meet the needs and priorities of today’s employers.
More information about the awards can be found here.
Round Two Awardees include:
Pay for Performance (P4P) Operating Grant Awardees:
Mohawk Valley Community College – Mohawk Valley – $976,000
Rochester Works – Finger Lakes – $862,000
Clarkson University – North Country – $729,000
Social Enterprise and Training Center – Capital Region – $485,200
SUNY Oswego – Central New York – $340,963
United Way of Long Island – Long Island – $249,000
Center for Employment Opportunities – New York City – $193,735
Center for Employment Opportunities – Western New York – $168,750
North Country Chamber of Commerce – North Country – $125,000
SUNY Cobleskill – Mohawk Valley – $86,400
P4P Capacity-Building Awardees:
Per Scholas – New York City – $822,000
Brooklyn Workforce Innovation – New York City – $201,000
CenterState CEO – Central New York – $128,000
Capital Grant Awardee:
Questar III BOCES – Capital Region – $1,645,985
State Senate Passes Agriculture Package
The State Senate passed a package of legislation to support farmers and food producers around New York State. The bills include measures to establish the Office of Urban Agriculture to support urban farming, expand the definition of land use in agricultural production, establish a farming hotline to connect farmers to operational resources, create procurement goals for New York State products purchased by state agencies, expand regional farmers’ markets, and establish carbon farming tax credits.
S.2415 Bailey – Establishes the office of urban agriculture
The bill would establish an Office of Urban Agriculture to assist with and promote various forms of urban farming throughout the state. This office would support and help facilitate various efforts to create and uphold urban agriculture structures around New York.
S.1056-A Hinchey – Relates to land used in agricultural production
The bill expands the definition of “land used in agricultural production” to allow start-up, beginning, and small farms that are in production of the sale of crops, livestock or livestock products to receive an agricultural assessment if the farm is able to establish the ability to meet the currently required annual gross sales value within a certain timeframe. This bill provides these farmers an opportunity to receive this tax benefit, protect their land, and connect them with the resources needed to ensure success.
S.2236 Hinchey – Establishes a farming hotline
The bill would establish a farming hotline with the Cornell Cooperative Extension. This would serve as a one stop hotline to connect farmers with information and support on needs, including, tax credit programs, beginning farmer loans, and sustainable practices.
S.3125 Hinchey – Establishes procurement goals for New York state
The bill would establish procurement goals of at least fifteen percent of all food and food products purchased by state agencies shall be New York state food products in the first and second year, at least twenty percent in the third year, and twenty-five percent thereafter.
S.1365 Kennedy – Expansion of Regional Farmers’ Markets
Directs the Department of Agriculture and Markets to increase the number of regional farmers’ markets for the direct marketing of foods and produce in the state.
S.4270 Parker – Carbon Farming Tax Credit For Farmers
Establishes a tax credit for farmers who maximize carbon sequestration potential through a “carbon farming” land management strategy and directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to develop regulations related to certifying the amount of carbon sequestered or emissions reduced. This would create a new financial incentive for land management practices undertaken by farmers which help improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making New York a leader in promoting new agricultural strategies that combat climate change.
S.2722 Skoufis – Craft Beverage Permit
Establishes a new temporary New York craft beverage permit allowing all farm alcohol producers to sell their products at a special event.
Attorney General Announces Proposed Price Gouging Regulations
The Attorney General proposed rules that would strengthen enforcement of New York’s price gouging law, which was updated in 2020 to grant the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) rulemaking authority. The proposed rules would:
- Clarify that a price increase over 10 percent during an abnormal market disruption may constitute price gouging.
- Prohibit corporations with large market shares from increasing profit margins during abnormal market disruptions.
- Create guardrails for companies that rely on dynamic pricing.
- Include protections for products or services introduced after a market disruption.
- Provide clarification for what companies can claim as costs when setting prices.
The proposed rules can be found here.
The Attorney General said:
Political Updates
City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.
City & State NY’s 2023 State Labor Power 100 here.
Siena Research Institute Issues New Poll.
Legislature Considers Public Campaign Finance Delay.
NY Times: New York’s Gun Laws Sow Confusion as Nation Rethinks Regulation.
Changes are coming to Medicaid.
Failed LaSalle nomination leaves Hochul’s relationship with labor in a state of confusion.
New jobs for former Hochul opponents.
Meet the Top Private Earners Among New York Lawmakers.
Anthony Cannataro gives State of the Judiciary in front of Hector LaSalle.
Acting New York chief judge sounds off on LaSalle rejection.
Protestors Arrested During Budget Hearings.
New York Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos on unemployment fraud, minimum wage and Good Cause Eviction.
Coming Up
The Senate will hold a public hearing to receive testimony on how to identify and examine best practices for integrating doulas into New York’s maternal healthcare system, as well as recommendations for policies that provide sustainable Medicaid reimbursement rates for doulas on March 7.
The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on March 13 and 14.
The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on March 16.
The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government will hold their next meeting on March 21.