School aid changes out of the state budget, Hochul says

And Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie says a deal on illegal cannabis shops is close as well.

Good afternoon — it’s Thursday, and Hug a Newsperson Day.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• Changes to the state’s school aid formula are out of the budget

• Illegal pot shops in “extremely good (place),” speaker says

• Cannabis regulations struck down again

• Hochul’s State Police nominee made it to the Senate floor

• Thursday Reads

🔨 Is Tomorrow a Session Day? No.

☁️ Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Cloudy, chance of snow, low 30s. New York City: Chance of rain, high 30s (National Weather Service)

---

Hochul in the LCA Thursday. (Dan Clark/Times Union)

✏️ School aid funding change is out of this year’s budget, Hochul says

💵 Gov. Kathy HOCHUL said Thursday afternoon that changes to how the state sends funding to school districts — a controversial item — is out of this year’s state budget.

She made that news in a rare appearance at the Legislative Correspondents Association, where we all work. (Hi!)

“We talked about putting a process in place so, by this time next year, giving everybody the notice and warning they all asked for, there will be a different formula,” Hochul said. 

“And I’m just deciding with the leaders how that mechanism will work but I think it’s all going to put us in a much better place,” she continued.

Hochul had proposed a change to the school funding formula that determines how much state funding school districts receive each year.

• Hochul wanted to restructure how the state sends funding to schools based on current enrollment.

• That could have lead to cuts for about half of the state’s districts that have lost enrollment in recent years.

Lawmakers in both chambers have been opposed to that plan and didn’t want to pass anything that would reduce aid for schools this year.

Both the Senate and Assembly have countered with a proposal to have the state Education Department study the funding formula, and recommend how it should be changed.

• We don’t know if that was the “mechanism” Hochul referred to, or if they’ll consider changing the formula a different way.

👮 Retail theft: Hochul also said she expects there to be a package within the state budget focused on combating retail theft, which has been a problem in New York City.

• One proposal on the table would have raised criminal penalties for certain retail theft crimes.

• The Senate had also pitched an idea to crack down on repeat offenders in particular.

“The whole package we have about it, a strategic task force within the State Police, more money for law enforcement, looking at penalties. We have a whole package,” Hochul said. “All the details are not worked out yet, but there will be something we’re all going to be proud of.”

💵 Cannabis shops in “extremely good (place),” speaker says

💰 Without a deal on the state budget Thursday, the Legislature approved another budget extender and sent most members home for a few days while talks continue.

• That continues current spending levels through Monday.

• Lawmakers from both parties unanimously approved the extender in both chambers.

The next deadline to pass another extender or a final state budget is Monday at 12 p.m.

And as of now, another extender is the expectation, lawmakers said.

• The Assembly is expected to return Sunday to pass the extender, and send members home Monday.

• The Senate is asking members to come back Monday.

Lawmakers in the Assembly aren’t following the same schedule because members wanted the option to head to their districts for Monday’s solar eclipse. 🌞🌝

• The best views of the eclipse are expected across huge swaths of upstate New York, including Buffalo, Rochester and parts of the North Country.

• But don’t worry: you’ll also be able to see a partial eclipse in Albany as well.

🗣️ I caught up with Assembly Speaker Carl E. HEASTIE after Democrats met Thursday afternoon to discuss next steps, and he was optimistic about progress on two key budget issues.