This Week in Albany – August 14, 2026

1. CSEA Endorsements 

CSEA has endorsed several candidates in this year’s State Senate, State Assembly, and congressional races. Our endorsements reflect months of work by CSEA members across the state — interviewing candidates, reviewing voting records, and weighing where each one stands on the issues that matter most to our union. A full list of our endorsed candidates is available at our website.

2. U.S. Senate Recess 

The U.S. Senate adjourned for a five-week recess on August 8. Prior to adjourning, they passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 11. The CR next moves to the U.S House of Representatives for consideration after it passed its own version of a CR that would fund the government only until December 4. 

Notably, the U.S. Senate adjourned without passing 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. Senate majority leader John Thune will force a final vote on the bill on September 15 when lawmakers return. The bill needs 60 votes to pass, meaning Republicans will need to secure support from Democrats. 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.

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 28.

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.