2023 State of the State Proposals

Build a Stronger Health Care System for the Future

Governor Hochul announced a series of bold proposals aimed at building a stronger health care system for New York State’s future and providing high-quality care for all New Yorkers as part of the 2023 State of the State. These proposals will transform the cost and delivery of care, address the most pressing health needs facing New Yorkers – especially those from underserved communities – and prepare for future public health emergencies.

Fix New York State's Continuum of Mental Health Care

Governor Hochul announced a comprehensive plan to overhaul New York's continuum of mental health care and drastically reduce the number of individuals with unmet mental health needs throughout the state. The multi-year plan includes increasing operational capacity by 1,000 beds for inpatient psychiatric treatment, creating 3,500 units of housing to serve New Yorkers with mental illness, increasing insurance coverage for mental health services, dramatically expanding outpatient services, and creating systemic accountability for hospital admissions and discharges to better address the needs of individuals suffering with mental illness.

Help Older New Yorkers Age in Communities of Their Choice

Governor Hochul announced investments and initiatives aimed at helping older New Yorkers live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence in the communities of their choice as part of the 2023 State of the State. This plan includes broadening access to aging services, improving quality and transparency in long-term care settings, providing funding for home care teams to serve low-income older adults, and providing respite care for caregivers. Governor Hochul also announced investments to revitalize EMS services statewide to help more New Yorkers access health care and reduce unnecessary hospital visits.

Strengthen New York State's Safe Harbor for Abortion Care

Governor Hochul announced new steps as part of the 2023 State of the State that would solidify New York’s status as a safe harbor for all who seek abortion care. Governor Hochul proposes expanding abortion access on SUNY and CUNY campuses, allowing pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraception, enacting additional data protections for patients seeking reproductive health care, and fortifying the reproductive health care system through increased Medicaid reimbursement rates.

Major Public Safety Initiatives to Drive Down Gun Violence and Violent Crime

Governor Hochul, as part of the 2023 State of the State, announced major public safety initiatives and investments, expanding proven programs and services to further drive down gun violence and other violent crime, reduce recidivism, address the flow of deadly fentanyl and improve the efficacy of the court system, which was disrupted by the pandemic. The Governor is proposing a comprehensive plan to expand the number of New York State Police Community Stabilization Units, bolster trooper participation in federal task forces, and increase the ranks of the State Police by offering an unprecedented four academy classes. Governor Hochul is also proposing to double funding for the State’s nationally recognized Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative, more than triple aid to prosecution grants to the State’s 62 district attorneys’ offices, and invest record funding in alternatives to incarceration and re-entry programs to reduce recidivism, increase opportunity for individuals returning home after serving prison sentences, improve quality of life in neighborhoods and make communities safer.

Raise the Minimum Wage Annually

Governor Hochul announced, as part of the 2023 State of the State, a transformative plan to help low-wage New Yorkers meet the rising cost of living by indexing New York’s minimum wage to inflation. Under the proposal, each year, the State’s minimum wage would increase at a rate determined by the Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners for the Northeast Region – the best regional measure of inflation. The proposal is expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of minimum wage workers across New York State. The Governor also unveiled a new suite of bold initiatives that will modernize and streamline the State’s proven workforce development infrastructure to ensure New Yorkers have the skills they need to thrive in today’s economy, and to help rebuild a modern public sector workforce.

Make Child Care More Affordable, Accessible, and Fair

Governor Hochul announced a sweeping plan to make New York’s child care system fairer, more affordable, and easier to access, as part of the 2023 State of the State. The proposals include plans to streamline and centralize the child care application process, expand access to the system, and provide assistance to families, workers, and businesses to support New York’s child care infrastructure.

New Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management and Integration

Governor Hochul announced GO SEMI: the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management, and Integration to oversee Micron’s historic $100 billion investment for a new megafab in Central New York and to lead a broader effort to develop New York’s semiconductor industry as part of the 2023 State of the State. GO SEMI, led by Empire State Development, will be supported by experts from numerous state agencies and will work in coordination with our federal and local partners and oversee investments in the semiconductor industry, and will shape and implement a broader, national model for maximizing industry and community returns on such public/private partnerships.

Economic Innovation Plan to Grown Jobs and Businesses of the Future

Governor Hochul announced plans to expand economic opportunity and innovation across New York State through targeted investments, business support, and other programming aimed at high-growth industries as part of the 2023 State of the State. The proposal, which focuses on rapidly growing industry sectors like high technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing, includes measures to strengthen the State’s supply chain and expand well-established business attraction programs already proven to drive growth. These collective efforts will boost New York’s innovation economy and encourage business development and job creation throughout the State.

Cap-and-Invest Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Governor Hochul announced a Cap-and-Invest Program to fund a sustainable and affordable future for all New Yorkers as part of the 2023 State of the State. Governor Hochul directed the Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to advance an economywide Cap-and-Invest Program that establishes a declining cap on greenhouse gas emissions, invests in programs that drive emissions reductions in an equitable manner prioritizing disadvantaged communities, limits costs to economically vulnerable households, and maintains the competitiveness of New York industries. In addition, Governor Hochul will propose legislation to create a universal Climate Action Rebate that is expected to drive more than $1 billion in future cap-and-invest proceeds to New Yorkers every year.

Investments in Energy Affordability, Building Efficiency, and Clean Air and Water

Governor Hochul announced investments in energy affordability, clean and efficient buildings, clean air, and clean water, as part of the 2023 State of the State. The proposal will create the Energy Affordability Guarantee to ensure participating New Yorkers never pay more than six percent of their incomes on electricity. Governor Hochul also announced $200 million in relief for utility bills for up to 800,000 New York households earning under $75,000 a year that are not currently eligible for the State’s current utility discount program. Additionally, Governor Hochul announced an ambitious package of building decarbonization initiatives, including for zero-emission new construction and the phase out of the sale of new fossil fuel heating equipment. This announcement also includes $500 million in clean water funding, coupled with the creation of Community Assistance Teams to help disadvantaged communities access financial assistance.

Provide Economic Boost to Farmers and Strengthen New York's Food Supply Chain

Governor Hochul announced several major proposals to provide an economic boost to farmers and strengthen New York’s food supply chain as part of the 2023 State of the State. New York’s agricultural industry has faced a number of challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also brought to light vulnerabilities across the local food system. The Governor unveiled plans to bolster demand for New York State foods and dramatically increase the purchasing of local farm products, encourage investments to modernize New York’s farms, and build an agricultural workforce pipeline for the future.

Provide High-Quality Education and Recover from Pandemic Learning Loss

Governor Hochul announced a comprehensive agenda to give every child in New York the tools to succeed through a high-quality education as part of the 2023 State of the State. For the first time since its inception, Governor Hochul is fully funding Foundation Aid—an unprecedented achievement—for all school districts across the State. Foundation Aid takes districts’ unique needs into account when allocating funding to address inequities and ensure schools in need receive the funding they deserve. Additionally, the administration is investing $125 million to expand high-quality, full-day prekindergarten and dedicating $250 million to establish high-impact tutoring programs in districts across the State to address student learning lost during the pandemic. Governor Hochul also announced that high school students will be eligible to earn college credits to get a head start on college, reduce student debt, and prepare for their careers.

Public Transit Expansions to Increase Access, Affordability and Safety

Governor Hochul announced, as part of the 2023 State of the State, a series of actions to expand New York’s transit, while making it safer, more affordable, and more accessible to all. This includes new funds dedicated to non-MTA transit authorities for expanded client services, an update on the Interborough Express, and the expansion of City Ticket to 24/7.

Plan to Help Government Work Better for New Yorkers

Governor Hochul today a plan to make government work better for New Yorkers by transforming the way New Yorkers access services and benefits from State agencies during the 2023 State of the State. The State will implement significant technological enhancements to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and improve access to child care assistance, tax credits, and critical food benefits for women, infants, and children; reduce call wait times; implement e-signature technology; launch “one ID” to improve how residents interact with certain State agencies online; and modernize State agency websites and applications to improve the user experience. In order to help State agencies efficiently deliver results to New Yorkers and ensure that this initiative is successful, the Governor will appoint a new Chief Customer Experience Officer to oversee this statewide transformation. Governor Hochul will also sign the State’s first Executive Order on customer experience to build on this initiative and improve access to State services.

Expansion of State's Investments in Cybersecurity Initiatives

Governor Hochul announced $35.2 million in new funding as part of the 2023 State of the State to support cybersecurity enhancements statewide, including the expansion of shared services to local governments that help identify security gaps that could be exploited by an adversary. Building upon nation-leading legislation to protect against cyberthreats to the State's energy grid recently signed by the Governor, the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will establish a first-ever in specialized industrial control system assessment team to help protect critical infrastructure and manufacturing systems across the state and make those systems more resilient to cyberattacks.

Offer Fully-Paid Parental Leave for New York State Employees

Governor Hochul announced a nation-leading proposal to offer fully paid parental leave benefits to New York State employees as part of the 2023 State of the State. Under the initiative, unrepresented State workers will receive 12 weeks of fully paid leave to use for bonding with a newborn, fostered, or adopted child. The Governor will also direct the Office of Employee Relations to engage State unions on extending this benefit to their employees through collective bargaining.