The New York State Assembly and Senate have released their “one-house budgets,” or counter proposals, to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $233 billion spending plan for 2024-25.
Next comes the hashing out, as legislators and the governor enter weeks of intense negotiations. The planned deadline for the final budget is April 1, 2024, but as many New Yorkers know, the state is always late with its budget. In fact, the whole process has been notoriously dubbed “the big ugly.”
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So, where do things stand for the developmental disability community and its caregivers?
You’ll find the Senate one-house proposal here, and Assembly one-house proposal here.
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Some brief highlights:
- CDPAP: In good news, both the Senate and Assembly have rejected Gov. Hochul’s draconian cuts to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance program (CDPAP). To learn more about the governor’s proposed CDPAP cuts, read the Consumer Directed Action of New York State statement.
- DSP COLA: Senate and Assembly one-houses include a 3.2% COLA for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), but with restrictions.
- Wage enhancement: The Senate added the needed money to support a $4,000 wage enhancement to DSPs, the Assembly did not. Background: On Jan. 29, 2024, State Senator John Mannion and Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright reintroduced the Direct Support Wage Enhancement (S4127- A5268) bill. The bipartisan legislation would provide a $4,000 wage enhancement to employees who provide direct care support to individuals with developmental disabilities.
