Legislative & political action
CSEA’s Legislative & Political Action Department analyzes proposed legislation for its impact on members, advocates for beneficial laws, opposes harmful ones, and partners with members and activists to support the campaigns of elected officials who share our values.
Tell Governor Hochul and the State Legislature to Fix Tier 6 in the final State Budget!
The State Legislature and Governor Hochul are currently negotiating the final State Budget. We need to make sure that the budget includes meaningful reforms to Tier 6!
Federal Action Center
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the Federal Reconciliation Bill (H.R. 1) into law, ushering in sweeping changes to federal spending that will hit New York especially hard. The law slashes billions in federal aid, shifting costs onto the state and local governments, and threatens essential services that working families rely on. With $10 billion in cuts and cost shifts to the state budget, $13 billion in health care reductions—including deep cuts to safety-net hospitals—and the loss of SNAP benefits for 300,000 New Yorkers, the fallout will be felt in every community. Public services, jobs, and the health and well-being of millions of New Yorkers are now at risk.
Helpful materials
In our fight against these cuts, we are providing members with flyers, including FAQs, fact sheets, and more. Use the links below, but if you are interested in learning more or having a presentation with your members, contact your Political Action Coordinator.
Advocating in New York State
Legislative Action Center
Each legislative session, our union reviews more than 20,000 bills introduced in the New York State Legislature. Over 40% of which directly affect the jobs and lives of CSEA members. Thanks to the activism of union members, we’ve achieved key legislative successes. Read below to learn more about those victories and the issues we’re continuing to fight for to improve members’ lives.
CSEA’s Legislative Agenda 2026
Read “CSEA Legislative Agenda 2026,” a publication that details our union’s legislative priorities this year. Click on the image to read “CSEA Legislative Agenda 2026” online!
This Year in Albany
Read “This Year in Albany,” a publication that details our union’s 2025 legislative successes that will make a positive impact on CSEA members and the communities in which we live and work. Click on the image to read “This Year in Albany” online!
OUR UNION’S SUCCESSES
The following successes are due to the activism of CSEA members.
This session delivered several important victories for CSEA. We led the charge to regulate how artificial intelligence (AI) is used by local governments, school districts, community colleges, and SUNY, ensuring workers aren’t replaced by these new technologies. We were also successful in getting bills done to improve recruitment and retention in the public sector, improve conditions for home-based child care providers and much more.
- Legislative Victories: Local Governments
- Legislative Victories: Civil Service
- Legislative Victories: Health care
- Legislative Victories: K-12
- Legislative Victories: SUNY
- Legislative Victories: OMH & OPWDD
- Legislative Victories: Child care
- Legislative Victories: Work Zone Speed Cameras
- Legislative Victories: DMNA Firefighters 25-Year Retirement
CSEA is celebrating the inclusion of reforms to the Tier 6 pension plan in the FY 2025 State Budget.
The enacted state budget includes a change to how pensions are calculated. Under the new law, a Tier 6 employee’s pension will be based on their top three years of earnings instead of five years. This change will increase retirement security for Tier 6 employees and make Tier 6 look more like earlier pension tiers.
The 2024 New York State legislative session was a successful one for CSEA. In addition to achieving a significant reform to Tier 6 and new investments in the state and local government workforce in the FY2025 state budget, we also achieved several legislative successes prior to the Senate and Assembly’s adjournment for the year.
WHAT CSEA IS WORKING ON
See our union’s 2026 legislative agenda
Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a $260 billion State Budget for fiscal year 2027. Her budget is focused on affordability, with proposals to provide universal childcare, reduce utility rates, cut the cost of auto and home insurance, as well as build affordable housing. This budget contains no layoffs, facility closures, or service cuts.
Please review our Summary of the New York State Budget Proposal Fiscal Year 2027.
CSEA is providing testimony on various components of the budget, including public protection, human services, transportation, higher education, mental hygiene. and workforce development and labor.
Tell Governor Hochul and the State Legislature to Fix Tier 6 in the final State Budget!
During this year’s legislative session, fixing Tier 5 and 6 is CSEA’s top priority. These tiers changed the rules on retirement, forcing members to work longer and pay more for smaller benefits, making it harder for public service jobs to compete with the private sector. CSEA is pushing for real pension reforms that put more money back in members’ pockets at retirement by reducing the contribution rate to 3%.
To learn more, visit the Fix Tier 6 page. Help us secure the retirement our Tier 5 and 6 members deserve — join the fight!
Fair Retirement for Court Officers
A bill has passed both houses of the legislature to allow court officers and peace officers employed by the Unified Court System to retire at age 55 with 30 years of service. This legislation takes a big step towards pension parity for these law enforcement personnel. Improving the pension will help the Unified Court System recruit and retain sufficient staff to keep facilities safe and secure.
Write a letter to Governor Hochul urging her to sign this bill!
- Workplace violence at the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles: Summary of Annual Review of Workplace Violence Incident Reports: 2023-2024
- Protecting DMV and highway workers from assault
- Increasing penalties for violating the state’s Move Over Law
- Increasing penalties for speeding in a work zone
This bill has passed both houses of the legislature to align supervision requirements for CSEA’s home-based child care providers with what is required in child care centers.
Right now, home-based child care providers must have one caregiver for every two children under 24 months old. However, child care centers are only required to follow this ratio for children under 18 months. This bill which would fix this by aligning the standard of supervision for children under 18 months. This simple change will create more child care slots, which will support home-based child care providers and increase access to affordable infant care for New York families.
This Week in Albany
This Week in Albany is CSEA’s weekly political action newsletter intended to keep members updated on recent developments in politics and legislature.
PEOPLE: Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality
PEOPLE
Learn about PEOPLE, a voluntary CSEA and AFSCME program where participating members contribute funds which are then used to advance CSEA’s agenda.
Election information
New York State 2026 Elections!
Voting is one of the most powerful ways CSEA members can make their voices heard, and 2026 offers several important opportunities to do just that.
In New York, school district elections take place on May 19, when voters help decide school budgets and elect board members who shape the future of public education in their communities.
This is followed by the primary election on June 23, where CSEA-endorsed candidate Tom DiNapoli will face a primary challenge in his bid for re-election, and then the general election on November 3, when CSEA-endorsed candidate Kathy Hochul faces a tough re-election campaign.
CSEA has endorsed many candidates who stand up for workers and public services.
Statewide Endorsements
• Governor Kathy Hochul for Re-election: Visit her page
• Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for Re-election
• Attorney General Letitia “Tish” James for Re-election
Find an endorsed candidate in your region below and make your plan to vote.
CSEA 2026 Endorsements by Region
Endorsements coming soon
Endorsements coming soon
Westchester County
Legislative District 1 – Colin Smith
Legislative District 2 – Erika Pierce
Legislative District 3 – Margaret Cunzio
Legislative District 4 – Vedat Gashi
Legislative District 5 – Jenn Puja
Legislative District 7 – Anant Nambiar
Legislative District 9 – Emiljana Ulaj
Legislative District 10 – Judah Holstein
Legislative District 16 – Shanae Williams
Middletown CSD School Board
Deymiss Caraballo, Freddie Williams & Terry Randolph
Endorsements coming soon
Endorsements coming soon
Endorsements coming soon
Have you registered to vote?
Your vote is your voice. For more information, call 1-800-FOR-VOTE (1-800-367-8683)
Learn about CSEA’s member driven endorsement process
CSEA’S POLITICAL ACTION STAFF
Legislative and Political Action Office, Albany
(518) 436 – 8622
Joshua Terry
Director of Legislative and Political Action
Davin Carroll
Assistant to the Director
Alex George
Legislative Representative
Aurora Falvius
Legislative Representative
Kim Wallace-Russo
Statewide PEOPLE Coordinator
Bob Hawley
Systems Specialist
Libbie Miller
PEOPLE Program Assistant/Secretary
Deanna Brady
Secretary
Sue Castle, Coordinator
(631) 462 – 0030
sue.castle@cseainc.org
Matthew D’Amico, Coordinator
(212) 406 – 2156
matt.damico@cseainc.org
Chris Ludlow, Coordinator
(845) 831 – 1000
chris.ludlow@cseainc.org
Bryan Gorman, Coordinator
(518) 782 – 4400
bryan.gorman@cseainc.org
Josh Schick, Coordinator
(315) 433 – 0050
josh.schick@cseainc.org
Chris Rackl, Coordinator
(716) 691 – 6555
chris.rackl@cseainc.org