Senate advances a package of bills, including a budget extender and measures on banking, energy and labor

The New York State Senate on April 20 passed a supplemental budget extender and a series of bills touching banking investments, lobbying disclosure, energy planning, labor penalties and real property rules.

Senators voted to approve Calendar 699 (Senate Print 9963), a supplemental appropriation described on the floor as a $12.7 billion extendor with $5.1 billion in additional spending. The Senate also adopted a resolution designating April 2026 as Arab American Heritage Month.

Among the bills acted on were: a measure to prohibit state‑chartered banks from investing in entities that own or operate private correctional facilities (Calendar 186, Senate Print 114); a change to the lobbying reporting threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 for certain nonprofit expenditures (Calendar 450); a bill directing NYSERDA and asking utilities to study and plan for advanced transmission technologies with PSC oversight (Calendar 454); amendments tying criminal wage‑theft convictions to licensing consequences (Calendar 654); and reforms to the real property actions and proceedings law targeting abandoned multi‑family dwellings (Calendar 672).

Several of the bills prompted extended debate on the floor. Opponents of the banking restriction warned it could place state‑chartered community banks at a competitive disadvantage; supporters framed it as aligning investment policy with New York’s ban on private prisons. The lobbying threshold vote divided members over transparency and administrative burden for small nonprofits. Energy and utility proposals generated discussion about study and implementation costs, the role of NYSERDA and PSC, and whether optional utility plans could nevertheless lead to mandatory deployment. Labor and property bills prompted exchanges over scope, enforcement and unintended consequences for small businesses and lenders.

Votes at a glance • Calendar 699 (Sen. Serrano) — supplemental appropriation/budget extender: Passed (Ayes 57, Nays 1 recorded). Sponsor said the package totals $12.7 billion with $5.1 billion in new funds covering Medicaid, payroll and school aid. • Calendar 186 (Sen. Cleare) — ban on state‑chartered bank investments in private prison operators: Passed (Ayes 36, Nays 22). • Calendar 450 (sponsor debate on lobbying threshold) — change reporting threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 for certain nonprofit lobbying expenditures: Restored/passed per calendar action (Ayes 51/Nays 7 in a related roll call sequence earlier in the reading process). Sponsor and proponents described the change as relief for small nonprofits; opponents raised transparency concerns. • Calendar 454 (Sen. May) — advanced transmission technologies / NYSERDA & PSC coordination: Passed (Ayes 40, Nays 18). Sponsor estimated the study cost at about $250,000 and projected potential savings for ratepayers in the millions. • Calendar 654 (Sen. Mayer) — labor law amendments tying convictions for wage‑theft to license sanctions: Passed (Ayes 52, Nays 6). • Calendar 672 (Sen. Myrie) — amendments to real property actions and proceedings law to address abandoned multi‑family dwellings: Passed (Ayes 52, Nays 6 in related roll calls).

What’s next Many of the bills will await gubernatorial action or further administrative implementation (for example, PSC reviews and NYSERDA criteria). Several measures generated requests for additional guidance, particularly the labor and property bills where members urged clearer definitions and safeguards before enforcement.