FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 7, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT:
Lisa Derrick, [email protected]
718-940-0428
ASSEMBLYMEBMER
RODNEYSE BICHOTTE
the
NYS Legislature and Governor Cuomo
ENACT
FY 2020-21 Budget
(Albany, NY) - On Friday, April 3, 2020, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte along with colleagues in the Legislature passed the budget which was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo enacting the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget.

We are in the midst of a public health crisis that most of us could never have imagined. And, while this coronavirus pandemic has uprooted our daily lives and put the economy in a state of disarray, the Assembly Majority remains committed to helping each and every New Yorker get back on their feet and overcome the obstacle that have been placed before them.

As expected, completing this budget was a challenge. We attempted to restore critical items while balancing a steep incline of the budget gap currently projected at $6.1 billion. Below are the budget bills followed by some highlights of the budget.

  • A9503C regarding aid to localities

  • A9505B regarding state public protection and general government budget

  • A9506B regarding state education, labor, housing and family assistance

  • A9508B regarding state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation
New York State Fiscal Year 2020-21 Enacted Budget
Highlights
PROS

Education:
  • $27.9 billion in education funding (increase of $93.2 million), including:
  • $500,000 increase of the reimbursable cap for New York City Transportation after 4 p.m.
  • $848 million for pre-K funding
  • $94.1 million in aid to public libraries
  • $10 million to increase mental health services in schools

Higher Education:
  • $2.1 million to SUNY and $1.7 million to CUNY for child care centers
  • $27 million for the Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act
  • $385,000 for training programs for teachers providing bilingual or multilingual education

Housing:
  • $15.5 billion increase of bonding authority of New York City Housing Development Corp ($1 billion increase)
  • $10 million allocated from the Mortgage Insurance fund to support the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP)
  • $18.2 million for Neighborhood and Rural Preservation programs

Human Services:
  • $19.76 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding
  • $832 million allocated for child care subsidies
  • $29.08 million for programs administered by the Office of Children and Family Services
  • $2.9 million to restore funding for programs administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) for various programs
  • $58.6 million for Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs

Medicaid Redesign Team II (MRT II):
  • $300 million in restorations and modifications based on recommendations from the Medicaid Redesign Team II, including:
  • $94 million to reduce proposed across-the-board reduction for most Medicaid providers
  • $4.8 million to maintain the adult day transportation service delivery model
  • $70 million to restore Indigent Care Pool funding for public hospitals
  • $3 million restored for supplemental payments to ambulance providers
  • Expands the list of authorized providers that may use telehealth services

Local Funding:
  • $761.1 million for local government assistance (increase of $10.49 million over the executive proposal)

Unemployment Insurance:
  • $43 billion for various state and federal unemployment insurance benefits to support increased claims currently taking place, and $1.05 billion for administrative costs

Mass Transit Authority
  • $3 billion toward the $54.8 billion 2020-24 MTA Capital Plan (total of $20.9 billion)
  • Requires New York City and New York state to pay $3 billion each to the MTA to support 2020-24 MTA Capital Plan
  • MTA given access to funds in its lockbox temporarily to offset the recent revenue loss
  • $25 million for the MTA School Fare Subsidy

Other Transportation:
  • $438 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs)
  • $20 million for electric buses
  • Authorization of the use of e-bikes and e-scooters statewide
  • $100 million each for Pave NY and Bridge NY infrastructure projects

Environmental Conservation:
  • $300 million for Environmental Protection Fund (EPF)
  • $500 million for clean water infrastructure grants to municipalities as part of the Clean Water Infrastructure Act
  • Ban polystyrene foam food containers and loose-fill packaging effective January 1, 2022
  • $3 billion for the Environmental Bond Act of 2020 which goes toward preservation and restoration of the environment

Agriculture:
  • $31.77 million for agricultural aid to localities

Veterans:
  • $2.02 million for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Project
  • $1.09 million in funding for various veteran's programs

Criminal Justice and Legal Services:
  • $4.2 million restored for Legal Services Assistance Fund (LSAF)
  • $16.1 million for various legal services
  • Expand the definition of "serious offense" to include out-of-state crimes equivalent to New York crimes when determining whether a person is disqualified for a gun license in New York
  • $80 million ($40 million each for SFY 2021 and 2022) for increased costs of discovery implementation

State Board Elections:
  • $21.8 million in anticipation of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant funding for enhanced election technology and security
  • $16 million for expenses related to implementing online voter registration and the state's 20% match for HAVA funds
BUDGET POLICIES
Video: Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte in Assembly Chamber debating on prevailing wages with Assemblymember Harry Bronson

Prevailing Wages:
Requires payment of prevailing wages on construction work paid for in its entirety or in part out of public funds, and where the amount of such funds is at least 30% of total construction costs and such costs are over $5 million
Video: Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte in Assembly Chamber commenting on Budget Policies: Bail Reform; Flavored E-Cigarettes/Vaping; Gestational Surrogacy; and MRT
Gestational Surrogacy:
Authorized paid Gestational Surrogacy arrangement, which includes protection for surrogates, protection for intended family, and provides financial assistance for intended family. Effective February 15, 2021.
Flavored E-Cigarettes / Vaping:
The sale of flavored vaping products is prohibited unless approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Certain restrictions have been put in place such as:
  • prohibits display of advertisement for tobacco and vapor products within 500 feet of New York City schools
  • prohibits sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and retail establishments with a pharmacy inside
  • establishes a prevention, control and educational awareness campaign developed by the Department of Health and the state Education Department
  • increased monetary penalties for retail dealers
Public Campaign Finance:
Provides optional public financing of campaigns for statewide and state legislative offices, and constitutional convention delegates. Donations will be matched based on the the office being sought.
  • Statewide: 6 to 1 for up to the first $250
  • Local: 12 to 1 for first $50; 9 to 1 for next $100 and 8 to 1 for final $100
To take effect in 2024 for local offices and 2026 for statewide offices.
Sick Leave:
Sick Leave to support those employees impacted by COVID-19. This bill was passed earlier this year ( A10153 / S8091 ):
  • Employers with 10 employees or less and net income less than $1 million: unpaid sick leave and immediately become eligible for Paid Family Leave and Temporary Disability;
  • Employers with 11-99 employees or net income >$1 millon: 5 days paid sick leave then eligible for Paid Family Leave and Temporary Disability;
  • Employers with 100 employees or more and all public employees: minimum of 14 days paid sick leave.

CONS

Bail Reform Roll Back:
The list of qualifying crimes have been expanded to include crimes such as:
Class-A misdemeanors; Misdemeanor re-arrest; Arrest while on probation; Enterprise corruption; Vehicular assault.

Expanding the crimes to include lesser crimes such as misdemeanors gives the justice system an opportunity to continue imprisoning people who likely are not to be harmful to the community if released while waiting for trial, including those who may have been wrongfully accused and arrested. This will have a negative impact on low-income and minority communities.

Additional qualifying crimes that have been added include: Domestic violence - criminal obstruction of breathing, strangulation, unlawful imprisonment; Aggravated assault - person less than 11-years old; Grand larceny 1; Money laundering 1; Criminal possession of a controlled substance 1; Criminal sale 1; Sex trafficking (B felony) and Sex trafficking of a child (B felony); failure to register as a sex offender or endangering the welfare of a child while a level 3 sex offender.
REJECTED
The following Executive proposals were rejected by the Assembly


Education: Rejected the authorization to annually increase undergraduate resident tuition up to $200 a year through the 2024-25 academic year.

Taxpayers: Rejected a change to STAR (School Tax Relief) from an exemption to a credit program for homeowners making $200,000 or more in annual income. Also, rejected the elimination of Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) aid for all municipalities outside the city of Yonkers. ( support was restored to the full $9.3 million).

Transportation: Rejected the authorization of the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad to enter private property abutting their rights of way to remove or trim vegetation.
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn covering Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Midwood. She is currently the  Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) , and serves on the following committees:  Housing, Government Operations, Education , Banks, Health, and Higher Education . She is also a member of the Task Force on Women's Issues and sits on  Governor Cuomo's Domestic Violence Advisory Council and Mayor De Blasio's MWBE Task Force.

As a current Assemblymember, District Leader, and Chair of Brooklyn Democratic Party, Rodneyse Bichotte has been an outspoken advocate on issues concerning  immigration, education, economic development, unemployment, education reform, health care access, senior citizen centers, affordable housing, school safety, women's and LGBTQ rights , as well as other issues affecting the quality of life in the community.

  
Learn more about 
Rodneyse Bichotte by visiting her website: