Skip to content

ABC

As required under the Constitution of the State of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul presented her annual message to the Legislature regarding the “State of the State” on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 in a speech delivered at the State Capitol in Albany. Listed below are some of the highlighted items of the Governor’s address. Attached is a document summarizing the proposals included within the Governors briefing book.

The Governor presented a multi-faceted agenda focused on affordability, public safety, and modernizing New York’s infrastructure and economy. Her message’s overarching theme is "Your Family. Your Future. My Fight," with a specific focus on countering federal headwinds and reducing the cost of living for New Yorkers.

The State of the State is one of the Governor’s first opportunities to define their agenda for the coming year, followed by issuance of the Executive Budget proposal. A review of some of the initiatives announced by Governor Hochul in her 2026 State of the State message follows:

Affordability – One of Governor Hochul’s priorities is to reduce costs for families, ranging from childcare to utilities and insurance.

  • Universal Child Care: The Governor proposes a roadmap to universal childcare, including a $1.7 billion investment increase and the creation of a new Office of Child Care and Early Education.
    • Universal Pre-K: A commitment to implementing universal Pre-K for four-year-olds statewide by the 2028-29 school year.
    • NYC Initiatives: Partnering with New York City to launch "2-Care" (free care for two-year-olds) and strengthen the 3K program.
  • Insurance Costs:
    • Auto: Proposals to crack down on staged accidents and fraud to lower premiums, including limiting damages for drivers committing crimes or those "mostly" at fault.
    • Home: Increasing transparency on insurer profitability and requiring discounts for homeowners who install safety upgrades.
  • Utilities & Food:
    • Utility Reform: Legislation to tie utility executive pay to affordability.
    • Food Security: Launching "New York PLATES," a grant program to upgrade food bank infrastructure, and using chip-based EBT cards to prevent theft.

Public Safety and Justice - The Governor’s agenda focuses on illegal guns, transit safety, and retail theft, including.

  • New legislation to crack down on 3D-printed guns and DIY machine gun converters.
  • Continued funding for police on subway platforms and expanding teams to address mental health crises in the subway system.
  • Continuing efforts to curtail retail theft.
  • Establishing a state-level right to sue federal officers for constitutional violations.

Housing and Infrastructure - The Governor intends to accelerate affordable housing development through new capital investments coupled with regulatory reform, and the following initiatives.

  • A major reform of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). This would fast-track housing and infrastructure projects that have no significant environmental impact.
  • An additional $250 million capital allocation to accelerate affordable housing development.
  • A five-year, $3.75 billion commitment to upgrade water and sewer systems.
  • Developing High Falls State Park in Rochester and revitalizing Riverbank State Park in Harlem.

Economy, Innovation, and Technology – The State of the State also proposes the following:

  • Launching a Downstate Semiconductor Chip Design Center.
  • Establishing the Empire AI Student Challenge and an independent AI Research Center at SUNY Binghamton.
  • Eliminating state income taxes on tips for service workers up to $25,000.
  • Creating a new state office to oversee digital safety, and requiring labels for AI-generated content.
  • Modernizing alcohol laws to allow dancing in bars by default and creating hybrid restaurant-tavern licenses.

Education and Healthcare – The Governor proposes new state spending for workforce development, mental health, and disability access.

  • Implementing evidence-based instructional practices for math, similar to the Science of Reading initiative.
  • Providing Teen Mental Health First Aid training to all 10th graders statewide.
  • Freezing tuition for resident undergraduates at SUNY and CUNY campuses.
  • Expanding the Safety Net Transformation Program to support struggling hospitals.
  • Removing restrictions on healthcare workers to expand their scope of practice (e.g., allowing medical assistants to vaccinate).
  • Directing the Department of Health to negotiate directly with manufacturers for high-cost drugs.

Energy and Environment - The Governor outlines a strategy balancing reliability with meeting the state’s climate goals.

  • Launching a "Nuclear Reliability Backbone" initiative to develop 4 gigawatts of new advanced nuclear power to work toward a zero-emission electric grid.
  • Advancing "FloodSafe NY" to manage flood risks and investing $425 million in the Environmental Protection Fund.
  • Proposing a sales tax exemption for electricity sold at commercial EV charging stations.

Inclusion and Community – The State of the State includes the following new initiatives:

  • Launching the "These Lands are for Everyone" initiative to make state parks more accessible, and an Adaptive Clothing Grant Program for fashion innovation.
  • Doubling the size of the Empire State Service Corps for SUNY students.
  • Establishing Veterans Services Clinics on every SUNY and CUNY campus.

Categories

Archives