Highlights include nonprofit contracting, transition to chip cards, a right to sue federal officers
Today, Governor Kathy Hochul gave her State of the State address and released a budget briefing book, which covered a number of proposals, some of which Empire Justice has been pushing for for a long time.
“Given the changes at the federal level and current economic uncertainty, protection for New York’s most vulnerable – including funding for civil legal services – has never been more important. There are notable successes in today’s State of the State, including the transition to chip cards for those who receive electronic benefits, which will help protect New Yorkers from an established risk of theft, with limited recourse to be made whole. We look forward to reviewing this proposal and the full Executive budget when it lands next week,” said Empire Justice Center President and CEO Kristin Brown.
On the state’s broken nonprofit contracting system
The briefing book noted that Governor Hochul will “issue direction to all state agencies to provide consistent, clarifying guidance to contractors on timing and eligible expenses for reimbursement.”
“We recognize the Governor’s acknowledgement that nonprofits need predictable processes and timely payments to deliver critical services. However, guidance alone is not enough. We look forward to seeing concrete reforms in the Executive Budget that address chronic delays, administrative failures, and cash-flow crises, and call on the State to work directly with nonprofit stakeholders to ensure these changes are meaningful, enforceable, and result in payments being made on time,” said Brown, who is also the president of the board of the New York Legal Services Coalition.
On the much-needed transition to chip cards for electronic benefits
“Empire Justice Center applauds Governor Hochul’s commitment to protect low-income New Yorkers by upgrading New York’s Electronic Benefits Transfer (“EBT”) cards to secure chip-based technology to prevent critical public benefits, including SNAP and cash assistance, from being stolen by “skimming.” This upgrade will prevent tens of millions of dollars SNAP and Cash Assistance from being stolen annually, which leaves people hungry and creates a significant loss to local economies and small businesses. This step will protect millions of benefits recipients including children, older Americans and individuals living with disabilities who are vulnerable to hunger and extreme poverty if their benefits are stolen. This commitment will modernize the EBT system and significantly curtail benefits theft to ensure that taxpayer dollars go to their intended purpose – supporting New Yorkers in need and our local economies,” said Elizabeth Woods, Supervising Senior Attorney of Public Benefits.
On establishing a right to sue federal officers for constitutional violations
“We applaud the governor’s proposal to establish a right to sue federal officers for constitution violations. Given what the world saw in Minnesota last week, the threat is real, and this proposal has real teeth,” said Katie Blum, Managing Attorney for the Civil Rights Practice.
On Childcare
“Safe and affordable childcare is critical for children, families, the work force, and our communities. We applaud Governor Hochul’s commitment in the State’s investment in childcare subsidies for those that need it most. This is especially important as counties across the State have been running out of funding and starting waitlists. We will be watching for the plan for how it is disseminated across the state and hope Governor Hochul continues to work towards the goal of universal childcare,” said Haley Kulakowski, supervising staff attorney.
On raising awareness of the child tax credit
“New York’s historic expansion of the Empire State Child Credit can be game changer for families who are working hard just to keep up. Increasing the credit to $1,000 for our youngest children and $500 for school-age kids means more food on the table, more stability, and more opportunity for millions of New York families. But a tax credit only changes lives if families can access it at no cost. That’s why trusted community partners like Empire Justice Center’s CASH in Monroe county and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites statewide are essential. At CASH, we meet families where they are, provide free and accurate tax preparation, and ensure every eligible parent claims every dollar they’ve earned. With a whole-of-government approach that includes strong community partnerships, we can turn this investment into a real economic impact for New York’s children and families,” said Yversha Roman, Director of Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH).
On consumer protection for students
“We applaud the Governor’s highlighting of the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program, which provides free, unbiased assistance to student loan borrowers struggling to manage their debt, and other protections for students. Governor Hochul’s proposal would give borrowers greater access to information to make informed decisions when refinancing their loans. With shrinking repayment options from the Department of Education, additional assistance at the state-level is imperative for borrowers navigating options to avoid default,” said Jordan Daniels, Student Loan Paralegal.
Empire Justice Center is a statewide nonprofit law firm whose mission is to make the law work for all New Yorkers, particularly for those who need its protection most. We take a 360-degree, comprehensive approach to changing systems by engaging in three major and interconnected areas of service. We teach the law by providing training, support and technical assistance to legal services and other community-based organizations; we practice the law by providing direct, civil legal assistance to low-income people with a particular focus on those from marginalized communities; and we change the law by engaging in policy analysis, research and advocacy and undertaking impact litigation to get at the root of systemic issues.
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