March 13, 2025

NYS Senate and Assembly Budget Bills Support 7.8% Increase

Congratulations to all of our advocates who have rallied, sent letters, called, and met with legislators since last fall. Through your hard work and diligence, both Senate and Assembly one-house budgets include our full request for a 7.8% increase! This is a historic proposal by the legislature, and demonstrates that we can make a huge impact when we speak with a unified voice.

The Arc New York is incredibly grateful to the New York State Legislature for hearing the needs of New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities and taking meaningful action to support them. The investments proposed in both one-house budgets will help stabilize the system of care New Yorkers with disabilities and their families rely on, and make progress toward wage equity for the skilled staff who deliver that care. Upholding the proposed investments would begin to correct years of neglect, and demonstrate a renewed commitment to support New York’s most vulnerable citizens. 

We are not done yet! As we pivot once again in the final stretch of the budget process, we need to urge state leaders to ensure these critical investments are fully realized in the enacted budget. The legislature and the governor will begin negotiations leading up to the budget deadline of April 1. The 7.8% must be non-negotiable!

Additional Budget Notes

For more information about the proposals, you can view the press release and resolution from the Senate here and the Assembly’s budget page with a handful of topic-specific releases here. The respective budget bills are S3007B and A3007B.

It should be noted that the Senate bill includes funding for a Direct Support Wage Enhancement (Part BBB), on top of the 7.8% and also requires a targeted wage increase of 4% to the majority of the workforce. The Assembly bill includes the 7.8% without the wage increase caveat, providing additional flexibility for providers. It does not include a Direct Support Wage Enhancement.

Also omitted was our request for a wage commission, moving rate setting authority from DOH to OPWDD, and enhanced capital funding towards climate change goals.

Our Next Steps

We have updated our one-click campaign so you can easily send a message to your legislators, thanking them for hearing our call and encouraging them to make us a top priority during negotiations. A separate message will be sent to the governor, asking her to accept the legislature’s proposal. As you recall, the Executive budget only included 2.1%.

The resources found in our Budget Advocacy Toolkit remain relevant and we encourage you to use them as you continue your advocacy. We have also added a new Wage Equity Info Sheet, which speaks to the inequity between nonprofit and state operated DSPs.

Rally Reminder: March 21 @ 10 AM in Syracuse

If you're in Central New York, join The Arc of Onondaga and AccessCNY as they rally at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse to tell legislators to #INVESTINUS because #WEMATTER!

The Arc New York Joins 240 Organizations to Raise SSI Limits

The Arc New York has long supported legislation that would bolster the financial stability of people with disabilities, and we are proud to join nearly 240 organizations in a letter to congress on this issue.

The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would significantly improve the lives of SSI beneficiaries by raising the asset limit to $10,000 per individual and $20,000 per married couple. This will correct a harmful marriage penalty and allow SSI beneficiaries to use their own savings to address emergencies when they arise. The legislation also adjusts that number for inflation every year, a critical element in today’s economy.

The Senate version will be reintroduced on March 25, and the House co-leads plan to reintroduce shortly afterwards. View the letter here and a supplemental information sheet here.  

This and all advocacy updates are archived on The Arc New York website for future reference. Please contact us if you have questions regarding any of this information.