1. Inflation Refund Checks
Be on the lookout! Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced that Inflation Refund checks will soon be mailed to over 8 million eligible New Yorkers. These payments, authorized as part of the Governor’s 2025–2026 “Affordability Agenda,” will range from $150 to $400, depending on income and filing status.
You can check your eligibility and estimate your payment amount here.
2. Proposed Changes to the HALT Act
Since late spring, CSEA has been working with the state and other unions representing employees in state and local correctional facilities to develop recommendations to amend the state’s HALT Act. The HALT Act currently places strict limits on the use of confinement for incarcerated individuals who violate jail and prison rules, creating safety concerns for both staff and incarcerated individuals.
The Committee has issued 10 recommendations to the Governor and state legislature to better protect everyone in correctional facilities. These include clarifying that sexual harassment and lewd conduct can result in segregated confinement and creating a new offense for throwing bodily fluids such as urine, semen, or feces at staff or others.
“CSEA members are the backbone of state and county correctional facilities, working tirelessly each day to ensure operations run smoothly despite significant health and safety challenges,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “The proposed HALT Act modifications, thoughtfully developed by this committee, are an important step forward in protecting the health and safety of incarcerated individuals and staff. We commend the Commissioner and committee members for advancing a proposal that strengthens the well-being of everyone in state and local correctional facilities.”
CSEA will continue working with the Governor and state legislature in 2026 to get these changes enacted.
You can view all of the recommendations here.
3. Federal Shutdown Update
The federal government is set to shut down at midnight on September 30 if Congress does not act. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through November, but it was voted down in the U.S. Senate. Republicans in the U.S. Senate can only afford to lose three votes if they hope to pass a spending bill without Democratic support.
However, Senate Democrats are opposing any spending bill that does not include an extension of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. Without these subsidies, ACA health care premiums are expected to rise by about 75 percent. In an attempt to put pressure on Senate Democrats, President Trump has threatened to fire thousands of federal workers if funding runs out next Tuesday.
4. Tell Governor Hochul: Support Home-Based Child Care Providers
The New York State Legislature passed A.4003, which will support home-based child care providers and increase access to affordable infant care for families. Now, this bill is awaiting action by Governor Hochul. Send a letter urging her to sign this bill into law!
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 disparity unnecessarily limits how many children home-based providers can care for. That means fewer openings for working families and more financial stress for providers.
A.4003 would fix this by aligning the standard of supervision for children under 18 months. Now, we need Governor Hochul to sign the bill into law!
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 our summary of the 2025-2026 New York State Budget.
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