How Hochul is holding up new immigrant protections, according to lawmakers

And Blake Washington has an update on top state budget items.

Good afternoon — It’s Wednesday and April Fools’ Day.

• Hochul is holding up the immigrant protections package, lawmakers say.

• Immigrant advocates blocked entrances to both chambers of the state Legislature Wednesday.

• State Budget Director Blake Washington stopped by with an update on talks about Tier 6 changes, corporate tax hikes and the Climate Act.

• Democrats may have found a solution for more than 400,000 people in New York set to lose health coverage.

Names in today’s CapCon: Kathy Hochul, Karines Reyes, Gustavo Rivera, Tony Simone, Blake Washington, Brendan J. Lyons, Amy Paulin, Donald J. Trump, Elisabeth Benjamin, Carl E. Heastie

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🗣️ Lawmakers say Hochul is the obstacle to an immigrant protections package

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democrats in the state Legislature have said for months they want to approve a package of new immigrant protection bills as soon as possible.

Despite that desire, negotiations around such a package have languished in recent weeks.

Several Democrats in the state Legislature rallied at the state Capitol Wednesday morning with a unified message on what’s behind the impasse. It’s Hochul, they said.