2024 New York State of the State

January 12, 2024

MEMORANDUM

FROM: Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

 
DATE:

 

 January 9, 2024
RE: 2024 New York State of the State

Highlights:

  • Hochul focused her 2024 State of the State (SotS) speech on mental health, healthcare, the environment, and the economy.
  • Notably, after facing significant challenges with the legislature in 2022 and 2023, the Governor did not set significant Statewide housing growth goals in the 2024 SotS.
  • The Governor did not announce any programs aimed at addressing the continuing influx of new migrants in New York.

The Governor proposed the following in the SotS:

Mental Health and Healthcare:

  • Increasing the number of inpatient beds for psychiatric patients by 200 beds, including 15 for children.
  • Development of transitional and specialized housing for New Yorkers with serious mental illness.
  • Expansion of paid medical and disability leave benefits over the next five years.
  • Increasing Medicaid coverage for out-of-network mental health.

Housing:

  • A four-part proposal to:
    • Incentivize construction of new housing.
    • Encourage affordable in-office conversion projects.
    • Allow NYC to add residential density on certain projects.
    • Legalize basement and cellar apartments.

Economy:

  • Legislation to crack down on illicit cannabis storefronts.
  • Launching Empire AI, a consortium of higher education institutions on artificial intelligence.
  • Expanding New York’s consumer protection law for the first time in 40 years.
  • Creating a network of advanced manufacturing training centers in upstate NY.
  • Expanding FAST NY, a grant program for shovel-ready sites.
  • Establishing stronger protections against wage theft violations.

Environment:

  • Expanding voluntary buyout programs in communities most vulnerable to flooding.
  • Directing the Codes Counsel to overhaul building codes design for sustainability.
  • Assisting municipalities with their clean water funding needs.
  • Planting 25 million trees by 2033, with a focus on urban areas.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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