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Assembly advances 12th budget extender as lawmakers warn major items remain unresolved
Summary
The Assembly advanced and passed a temporary budget extender (Assembly No. 11365) to keep state operations funded through May 18 while negotiations continue; members pressed leaders for details on funding totals and outstanding policy issues, and the chair denied reports of a $4 billion bailout for New York City.
The New York State Assembly on May 14 advanced and passed a budget extender that will keep state operations funded through May 18, a stopgap measure as lawmakers continue negotiations on a full enacted budget.
Chair Pretlow, speaking as the sponsor of the extender, said the temporary measure "would ensure funding for state operations and other programs through May 18," and listed categories covered by the extender including emergency payroll, Women, Infants, and Children payments, transportation assistance, unemployment insurance, OPWDD services, veterans programs and general state charges. He told the chamber that the A and B calendars were being advanced to allow immediate votes.
The exchange turned to numbers. When asked about the cumulative effect of multiple extenders, Pretlow said the series of 12 extenders brings the total appropriation to $23,700,000,000 and that this particular extender increases appropriations by $560,100,000 over the prior extender. Assemblymember Palmisano pressed for timing and certainty on when budget bills would be taken up; Pretlow said a completed financial plan was not yet available but expressed hope that work could be finished "by the middle of next week, middle to the end of next week." Palmisano warned of continued uncertainty and frustration, saying the pattern of extenders was troubling.
The chamber also addressed media reports that the state was preparing a $4 billion payment to New York City. Pretlow called that reporting "a lot of misinformation," saying the claim of a $4,000,000,000 bailout was "totally untrue" and that the plan under discussion would be a smaller, targeted increase in aid to distressed cities across the state, not a unilateral multi‑billion dollar bailout to New York City alone.
After floor discussion, the clerk read the last section, the roll was called and the bill was recorded as passed (Ayes 134, Nays 0). The Assembly adjourned and scheduled to reconvene on Monday, May 18 at the call of the Speaker.
Why it matters: The extender keeps core services funded while negotiations continue, but members repeatedly noted that key policy negotiations — auto insurance reform, pension Tier 6 questions, an EV school‑bus mandate and others — remain unresolved, making the timing and content of the final budget uncertain.
The next procedural step is for negotiators to complete a financial plan so the Assembly can take up and vote on the standing budget bills the majority has signaled it wants to begin addressing as soon as the plan is complete.
