This Week in Albany – July 31, 2026

1. CLARITY Act

The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, H.R. 3633, which would expose public pensions to extreme volatility and unnecessary risk associated with cryptocurrency markets. Crypto is an inherently volatile asset that has already caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to public pension funds. With this legislation, the cryptocurrency industry stands to benefit enormously while workers bear the financial risk. CSEA has sent a letter to our U.S. Senators urging them to vote NO on this measure, but we need your help! Tell Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to vote no on H.R. 3633 to protect our pensions.

2. Federal Budget

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to fund the federal government through December 4. A bill must pass both houses and be signed by President Trump by September 30 to avoid a federal government shutdown. While the deadline is more than two months away, House GOP leaders are hoping to avoid a shutdown ahead of the midterm elections in November. The U.S. House of Representatives is now in recess until August 31. It is unclear if the U.S. Senate will act on this temporary funding package before they recess on August 7.

3. Take Action on CSEA Priorities

CSEA was successful in getting several bills passed both houses of the State Legislature during the 2026 session. Now, we need the governor to sign these bills into law. Click the links below to send a letter to Governor Hochul! 

• A.2535 (Paulin): Gives counties the option to provide probation officers with full salary and medical coverage when they are injured in the line of duty.
• S.6987-A (Harckham): Requires panic button technology for social services caseworkers to improve worker safety.
• S.7635-B (Ryan): Authorizes the state and local governments to offer a 25-year retirement plan for emergency dispatchers.
• A.11387 (Pheffer Amato): Allows court officers to retire at age 55 after 30 years of service.

4. Next Week
For the remainder of the summer, “This Week in Albany” will be published every two weeks. The next edition will be in your inbox on August 14. 

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. A summary of the FY 2027 New York State Budget is available, here.