This Week in Albany – March 14, 2025

1. One-House Budgets Released

This week, the State Senate and Assembly released their one-house budget proposals. Here is a rundown of where each house stands on some of CSEA’s top priorities:

• Both the Senate and Assembly included an extension of the civil service exam fee waiver for an additional two years.

• The Senate included a 25-year retirement plan for firefighters employed by the Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA). The Assembly indicated their support for the plan.

• The Senate included an expansion of the Work Zone Speed Camera Program, as well as an increase in the number of cameras available to DOT and Thruway.

• The Senate included increased penalties for assaulting highway workers, including those working for DOT, Thruway, and local highway departments.

• The Senate included increased penalties for assaulting DMV employees.

• Both the Senate and Assembly included an additional $250 million in capital support for SUNY Upstate, for a total of $450 million.

• Both the Senate and Assembly included an additional $250 million in capital support for SUNY Downstate, for a total of $700 million.

• Both the Senate and Assembly rejected the governor’s proposal to eliminate the Medicare IRMAA reimbursement for retirees.

Other key provisions include:

• Both the Senate and Assembly included increased funding for school aid, Medicaid, safety-net hospitals, and local government assistance.

• The Assembly includes the governor’s proposal to provide inflation rebate checks to New Yorkers who make up to $150,000 per year ($300,000 jointly), while the Senate narrows the proposal to only apply to seniors.

• The Senate agreed with the governor’s proposal to reduce taxes on middle-income New Yorkers by 0.2%, while the Assembly proposed a 1% tax cut for all New Yorkers other than the highest and lowest tax brackets.

Now that one-houses are out, negotiations begin between the Senate, Assembly, and Governor Hochul to reach a consensus before the April 1 deadline. That means we only have a few weeks to ensure that CSEA’s priorities are included in the final budget. Now is the time to act! Write a letter at the links below and tell your legislators and Governor Hochul to support CSEA members in the final budget!

Tell Governor Hochul: DMNA Firefighters Deserve a Fair Pension!

Tell your Legislators: Stop Violence Against DMV Employees!

Tell your Legislators: Protect Highway Workers!

 

2. Federal Budget Update

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded, narrowly approving the measure by a 217-213 vote. The bill extends existing funding levels through Sept. 30, 2025, with some adjustments, including a slight increase in defense spending and a slight decrease to domestic programs.

The measure now moves to the U.S. Senate, where it will require bipartisan support to pass. Lawmakers face a tight deadline to avoid a government shutdown, with current funding set to expire at midnight tonight.

3. Labor Secretary Confirmed

This week, the U.S. Senate confirmed Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the Secretary of Labor in a 67-32 vote. Chavez-DeRamer is a former Congresswoman and one of only three Republicans who co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. This legislation would eliminate right-to-work laws nationwide, in addition to other pro-union provisions. Several Democrats supported her nomination, citing her past support for pro-labor policies.

4. Next Week

 

5. CSEA Legislative Toolkit

We’re encouraging members to get the word out about our legislative successes. Click the icons below for informational documents that you can print, share, and post on social media to spread the news. You can also check out the summary of CSEA’s work during the 2023-2024 legislative session.

	Tier 6 Reform:		Updating Civil Service Exams:		Counting Provisional Time Towards Promotions:
	Employee Notice of Records Disclosure:		Virtual Training for CPS Workers:		Minimum Age & Education Requirements for Exams: