No. 54: Declaring a Statewide Disaster Emergency Due to Federal Actions Related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

No. 54

E X E C U T I V E O R D E R

DECLARATION OF A STATEWIDE DISASTER EMERGENCY DUE TO FEDERAL ACTIONS RELATED TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program designed to combat food insecurity by providing benefits to eligible families to purchase food;

WHEREAS, the federal government has never before interrupted SNAP benefits during a federal government shutdown; however, during the ongoing federal shutdown, the United States Department of Agriculture has ceased funding for SNAP benefits effective November 1, 2025;

WHEREAS, the interruption of SNAP benefits will result in the abrupt and imminent disruption of benefits valued at approximately $650 million each month for nearly three million New Yorkers, including approximately 800,000 seniors and one million children;

WHEREAS, the interruption of federal SNAP benefits will exacerbate food insecurity and poses an imminent, impending and urgent threat to the health, safety, and well-being of New Yorkers, especially children, senior citizens, and individuals with disabilities;

WHEREAS, the interruption of federal SNAP benefits will create an economic hardship that will drive an increased need for assistance by local food banks and other non-profit organizations, creating an unprecedented emergency for beneficiaries, food banks, local governments, and others working to address food insecurity;

WHEREAS, the state has an obligation to act to the extent possible to ensure New Yorkers have access to adequate food and nutrition; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to suspend certain provisions of law, rule or regulation which would otherwise hamper the efforts of the State to respond to this crisis;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of New York and by Section 28 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, do hereby find that a disaster is imminent for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately and declare a State Disaster Emergency, effective October 30, 2025 for the entire State of New York. This executive order shall be in effect through November 29, 2025; and

FURTHER, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 29-a of Article 2-B of the Executive Law to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation, or parts thereof, if compliance with such statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule, or regulation would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency, I hereby temporarily suspend or modify, for the period from the date of this Executive Order through November 29, 2025, the following:

• Section 112 of the State Finance Law, to the extent consistent with Article V, Section I of the State Constitution, and to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 139-d of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 139-i of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 139-j of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 139-k of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 163 of the State Finance Law and Article 4-C of the Economic Development Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Section 163-a of the State Finance Law, to the extent necessary to assist local governments, individuals, and other non-State entities in providing food or other necessary assistance to respond to and recover from the emergency;
• Any rules, regulations, or guidelines established pursuant to, in conformity with, or for purposes of implementing any of the aforementioned provisions of law.

G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this 30th day of October in the year two thousand twenty-five.

BY THE GOVERNOR

Secretary to the Governor