Governor Hochul's 3rd State of the State Address: Our New York, Our Future

2024 State of the State "Our New York, Our Future" Available Here

Governor Kathy Hochul today delivered the 2024 State of the State Address and released her “Our New York, Our Future” agenda. The State of the State includes 204 bold initiatives to make New York more affordable, more livable and safer.

“The State of New York is stronger, healthier, safer and more affordable than it was two years ago when I became Governor, but there is more work to do,” Governor Hochul said. “Every proposal announced today serves to improve our state and ensure our communities are not just surviving, but that they are thriving. Our New York is our future, and the future is brighter than ever.”

Fighting Crime and Keeping New Yorkers Safe

Since Governor Hochul took office two years ago, shootings and murders have declined by double digits. To build on that progress, Governor Hochul proposes:

• Cracking down on retail theft with a dedicated State Police “Smash and Grab” unit and an interagency Joint Operation on retail theft
• New initiatives from Office of Gun Violence Prevention to continue progress in fight against gun violence
• Providing new funding and tools to prosecutors to hold domestic abusers accountable
• Allowing additional crimes, such as graffiti and arson, to be prosecuted as hate crimes
• New legislation to crack down on illicit cannabis storefronts that undermine public health and disturb communities

Treating Serious Mental Illness That Threatens Public Safety

Decades of disinvestment in mental health are having a devastating effect on our State, and as a result too many vulnerable New Yorkers are slipping through the cracks. Governor Hochul proposes:

• Opening 200 new psychiatric inpatient beds under a multi-year expansion plan

• Establishing a law enforcement and mental health coordination team and funding crisis intervention training for law enforcement
• Improving mental health admission and discharge procedures for hospitals
• Funding mental health court expansion and court-based mental health specialists
• Increasing transitional and specialized housing

Addressing The Youth Mental Health Crisis

After convening New York’s first-ever Youth Mental Health Summit in 2023, Governor Hochul is recommitting her efforts to help struggling kids and teenagers by:

• Providing resources to schools so that every school that wants one can open a school-based mental health clinic
• Establishing new Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams statewide
• Expanding loan repayment programs for children’s mental health practitioners
• Pushing for the passage of legislation that would hold social media companies accountable

Transforming and Strengthening New York’s Health Care System

To stabilize and transform the state’s health care system, Governor Hochul announced a bold health care agenda that includes:

• Expanding affordable health care options through NY State of Health and better access to primary care
• Continuing aggressive efforts to combat the opioid crisis and support individuals struggling with addiction
• Supporting providers by launching the Health Care Safety Net Transformation Program and strengthening cybersecurity
• Improving access to mental health and addiction services by expanding out-of-network coverage when timely appointments are not available for in-network coverage

The Consumer Protection and Affordability Agenda

As part of last year’s Budget, Governor Hochul secured a historic minimum wage increase to raise wages through 2027 and then index it to inflation – a change that began taking effect earlier this month. To build on her mission of protecting New York consumers and keeping money in New Yorkers’ pockets, Governor Hochul will:

• Propose the first expansion of New York's consumer protection law in more than 40 years
• Advance legislation to ensure Buy Now Pay Later loan providers treat customers fairly
• Expand paid medical and disability leave benefits over the next five years
• Eliminate co-pays for insulin cost-sharing for any New Yorker on a State-regulated health insurance plan
• Combat medical debt and protect low-income New Yorkers from medical debt lawsuits

Addressing the Housing Crisis by Increasing Supply

Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis, and will focus in 2024 on giving New York City the tools they need to construct more housing. Proposals include:

• A four-part proposal to help New York City increase its housing supply by incentivizing construction of new housing, including affordable housing; encouraging affordable in office conversion projects; allowing New York City to add residential density on certain projects; and legalizing basement and cellar apartments
• Create a $500 million capital fund to support the development of up to 15,000 units of housing on state-owned land
• Strengthen the Pro-Housing Communities program by making the certification a requirement for accessing $650 million in state discretionary funding
• Take action to combat housing discrimination against Section 8 voucher recipients and affordable housing providers

Strengthening New York’s Economy

Governor Hochul remains committed to making New York the most business-friendly and worker-friendly state in the nation. To build on her progress toward building a 21st-century economy in New York State, Governor Hochul will:

• Launch Empire AI, a first-of-its-kind consortium to unlock the economic potential of artificial intelligence
• Bolster state efforts to prepare workers for the jobs of tomorrow by establishing a network of four advanced manufacturing training centers along the I-90 Corridor in Upstate New York
• Grow statewide business attraction efforts with a $100 million expansion of FAST NY program to prepare sites to be shovel-ready
• Support immigrant entrepreneurs to drive innovation and economic growth
• Seek stronger protections against wage theft and child labor law violations
• Expand the State workforce by removing barriers to hiring qualified candidates

Ensuring New York’s Clean Energy Future Is Affordable

Governor Hochul’s commitment to energy affordability has resulted in an average savings of $1,400 for each eligible utility customer. Governor Hochul is taking steps to expand those savings by:

• Introducing legislation to support responsible, equitable and effective gas system transition planning
• Introducing legislation to create a one-stop-shop for the environmental review and permitting of major renewable energy and transmission facilities
• Launching Statewide Solar for All initiative to deliver an electric bill credit of $40 per year to more than 800,000 households

Protecting New Yorkers from Extreme Weather

As extreme weather becomes a more frequent occurrence across the state, Governor Hochul has developed a comprehensive resiliency plan to keep New Yorkers safe, including by:

• Making homes more resilient, expanding voluntary buyout programs and directing the Codes Counsel to overhaul building codes design
• Protecting communities through major investments in statewide disaster response and equipping localities with new tools
• Responding to extreme heat through funding for cooling capacity at schools and supplying air conditioners to medically vulnerable New Yorkers
• Repairing aging infrastructure and making State agencies more sustainable and climate resilient

Conserving New York’s Extraordinary Natural Resources

To build on the success of the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and water funding programs, Governor Hochul is moving forward with transformative environmental protection plans including:

• Planting 25 million trees by 2033 with a focus on urban areas to mitigate extreme heat
• Protecting clean water and introducing new initiatives to assist municipalities in meeting their drinking water and clean water funding needs.
• Protecting our lakes by directing key investments to address the root causes of harmful algal blooms
• NY SWIMS: the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming

Expanding Access to Affordable, High-Quality Higher Education

Governor Hochul is committed to supporting public higher education and helping students access a high-quality, affordable education. In the 2024 State of the State Governor Hochul is proposing:

• Offering direct admission to high achieving students from the top 10 percent of New York high school classes to SUNY and CUNY campuses
• New legislation requiring school districts to ensure every high school senior completes the FAFSA
• Ensuring eligible students take advantage of SNAP benefits to address food insecurity among college students
• Boosting college student voter participation by having SUNY and CUNY provide information about voter registration in various campus information packets

"Back to Basics" Plan to Improve Reading Proficiency

The reading curriculum taught in many schools for the past two decades has been proven to be ineffective -- especially for students with dyslexia or who are learning English as a second language. Governor Hochul is proposing:

• Her "Back to Basics" reading plan to take statewide action to ensure that every school district utilizes instructional best practices grounded in the evidence-based Science of Reading approach.
• A $10 million investment to train 20,000 teachers in “Science of Reading” instruction
• A SUNY and CUNY Microcredential Program for teachers to ensure the next generation of educators utilizes evidence-based best practices
• Boosting college student voter participation by having SUNY and CUNY provide information about voter registration in various campus information packets 

Better Transit, Safer Streets

Governor Hochul has made transformative infrastructure investments that will transform the way New Yorkers live, work and get around. As part of the State of the State, she is proposing:

• Planning the expansion of the Second Avenue Subway to Broadway
• Moving forward to the engineering phase of the Interborough Express
• Combatting fare evasion by drivers and subway riders
• Providing New York City with tools to lower its own speed limits through “Sammy’s Law”

Supporting New York’s Children and Families

As New York's first mom governor, Governor Hochul is proposing a comprehensive approach to protect New York’s children and families. This includes:

• New $7 billion Medicaid initiative secured from the Biden Administration
• Six-point maternal and infant health agenda
• Increase access to high-quality child care and provide new grants and incentives to providers
• Working with the federal government to provide continuous Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for eligible children up to age six
• Securing $200 million in federal funding for nutrition assistance from the USDA’s Summer EBT program
• $50 million anti-poverty pilot program targeting cities in Upstate New York with high poverty rates

Fostering an Inclusive New York

At a time where hate and bias crimes are increasing, New Yorkers must stand together. Governor Hochul is proposing:

• Expanding support for New Yorkers with disabilities through increasing integration, employment and independent living opportunities
• New commitments to First Nations, including expansion of dental care
• Taking action to strengthen data privacy for abortion providers
• Strengthening services for LGBTQ+ and TGNCNB New Yorkers
• Expanding mental health support for and recognition of New York State’s veterans

Strengthening New York’s Agricultural Industry

Proposals to boost New York’s dairy and agricultural industry will promote a more resilient future for the state’s agriculture, food and forestry sectors. These proposals include:

• Financially bolstering New York’s dairy industry
• A full suite of workforce strengthening tools created and managed by Cornell University’s Agricultural Workforce Development Program
• Promoting a One Health approach
• Increasing youth agricultural leadership and education opportunities
• Growing New York’s bioeconomy
• Launching a blue food transformation

Inspire Stronger Communities Through Office of Service and Civic Engagement Led by Lieutenant Governor

The brand-new Office of Service and Civic Engagement within the Lieutenant Governor's office will preside over a statewide strategy to create accessible public service opportunities. The Office will launch an Empire State Service Corps Program in partnership with SUNY, modeled after the California College Corps, to connect students with opportunities to serve their communities. Service opportunities could include tutoring school-aged children, distributing meals to those in need, and taking climate action.