Budget & Taxes (Pensions)

Increases the tax exemption for pensions and annuities for persons age fifty-nine and one-half or greater from $20,000 to $25,000 in 2027, $30,000 in 2028, $35,000 in 2029 and $40,000 for each subsequent year.

This bill establishes a property tax exemption for surviving spouses of firefighters killed in the line of duty. It allows local governments and school districts to exempt up to 50% of the assessed value of the surviving spouse's primary residence from real property taxes. The exemption applies specifically to firefighters who are members of the New York City Fire Department pension fund or the New York State Police and Fire Retirement System. Local legislative bodies retain the authority to reduce the percentage of exemption within their jurisdictions. The law takes effect on January 1st following its enactment.

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; extends provisions of law relating to increasing certain motor vehicle transaction fees (Part A); extends the accident prevention course internet technology pilot program (Part B); establishes a demonstration program in the city of New York for the installation and operation of intelligent speed assistance devices (Part D); extends provisions of law relating to motor vehicles equipped with autonomous vehicle technology (Part E); expands the automated work zone speed enforcement program utilizing photo speed violation monitoring systems to include all New York highways (Part G); extends provisions of law relating to certain tax increment financing provisions relating to the New York transit authority and the metropolitan transportation authority (Part H); authorizes the MTA to conduct environmental reviews under SEQRA for the crosstown extension of the Second Avenue subway project in two stages (Part I); enacts the dairy promotion act; enacts provisions related to the marketing of agricultural products in New York state; repeals certain provisions relating thereto (Part J); extends the refundability of the investment tax credit for farmers (Part K); authorizes the New York state energy research and development authority to finance a portion of its research, development and demonstration, policy and planning, and Fuel NY program from an assessment on gas and electric corporations (Part M); requires gas, electric, steam and water-works corporations to provide an executive compensation disclosure; requires such corporations to return all revenues derived from their actual return on equity in excess of the authorized rate of return to ratepayers; clarifies costs not to be included in rates (Part N); authorizes the public service commission to consider and approve multi-year changes in rates or charges for utilities (Part O); establishes an energy affordability index; permits the public service commission to implant affordability monitors in certain gas or electric corporations (Part P); makes reforms to the state environmental quality review act relating to sustainable housing and sprawl prevention (Part R); increases rebates for certain vehicles purchased by municipalities (Part S); extends the effectiveness of certain provisions of law relating to the powers and duties of the dormitory authority to establish subsidiaries (Part T); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available certain land on the state university of New York at Farmingdale's campus (Subpart A); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available certain land on the state university of New York at Stony Brook's campus (Subpart B); authorizes the commissioner of transportation to transfer and convey certain state-owned real property in the town of Babylon, county of Suffolk (Subpart C); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available grounds and facilities on the state university of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry to the Abby Lane Housing Corporation (Part D)(Part U); extends the authority of the New York state urban development corporation to administer the empire state economic development fund (Part V); extends the loan powers of the New York state urban development corporation (Part W); enacts the "safe by design act" to authorize the attorney general to promulgate rules and regulations identifying methods for reasonable and technically feasible age assurance which may consider the size, financial resources, and technical capabilities of covered platforms, the costs and effectiveness of available age determination techniques for users of such platforms, the audience of such platforms, and prevalent practices of the industry of the operator (Part Y); relates to requiring insurers to provide written explanations for premium changes in certain covered policies (Part BB); places limitations on damages resulting from motor vehicle accidents (Part EE); requires insurers to file annual reports on insurance for multi-family buildings with the superintendent of financial services (Part GG); relates to the annual consumer guide of health insurers (Subpart A); relates to ongoing treatment by an out-of-network provider during pregnancy (Subpart B); relates to accessible formulary drug lists (Subpart C); relates to utilization reviews for treatment for a chronic health condition (Subpart D) (Part HH); extends the policy period for excess profit refunds or credits to motor vehicle insurance policyholders; requires insurers to submit reports demonstrating whether the insurer realized an excess profit and completed making any credits required (Part KK); relates to the effectiveness of the New York state health insurance continuation assistance demonstration project (Part LL); enacts the "Long Island MacArthur Airport terminal and rail integration project act" (Part NN); extends the effectiveness of certain provisions permitting videoconferencing and remote participation in public meetings under certain circumstances (Part OO); exempts major electric generating facilities that provide emergency back-up generation for manufacturing facilities that produce semiconductors from siting requirements set forth in article 10 of the public service law (Part PP); establishes the crime of criminal interference with access to a place of religious worship (Part QQ); extend provisions of law permitting NYC, Nassau and Suffolk to retain a portion of certain fines under the Cleaner, Greener NY Act of 2013 (Part RR); enacts the accelerate solar for affordable power (ASAP) act to direct the public service commission to advance reforms to the utility interconnection process to ensure timely and cost-effective integration of new distributed energy resources (Part SS); establishes a blue ribbon commission on residential affordability through energy savings (RATES commission) to study the causes and origins of rising utility rates and to recommend actions or reforms to reduce rates; provides for the repeal of such commission upon expiration thereof (Part TT); authorizes the creation of a traffic camera violations bureau to adjudicate owner liability for failure of operator to stop for a school bus displaying a red visual signal and stop-arm (Part UU); relates to climate change; requires the plan toward achieving the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits to be updated in 2028 and every six years thereafter; outlines factors to include when developing a regulatory program or programs (Part VV); establishes a monitor team to oversee the Wyandanch union free school district (Part WW); relates to certain retirement benefit enhancements members of tier VI (Part XX); relation to the re-amortization and valuation methods used for contributions to the New York city employees retirement system, the New York city teachers' retirement system, the police pension fund, subchapter two, the fire department pension fund, subchapter two and the board of education retirement system of such city (Part YY); relates to service retirement benefits for uniformed members of the New York city fire department pension fund (Part ZZ); provides for longevity bonuses relating to first grade firefighters and promotions from the firefighter rank (Part AAA); requires certain pension systems to submit a self-report to the superintendent of the department of financial services; requires the superintendent of the department of financial services to submit a report on such reports (Part BBB); allows a beneficiary of a member whose death occurs on or after July 1, 2026 and who would have been entitled to a service credit at the time of such member's death to elect to receive a lump sum payment equal to the pension reserve that would have been established had the member retired on the date of such member's death (Part CCC); relates to certain retirement benefit enhancements for certain state law enforcement officers (Part DDD); relates to the treatment of prior service with certain agencies by the New York city police pension fund (Part EEE); relates to the restoration of 20 year service retirement for certain New York city corrections officers and sanitation workers (Part FFF); provides for the administration of certain funds and accounts related to the 2026--2027 budget (Part GGG); adds ten additional judges to the civil court of the city of New York (Part HHH); establishes the Excelsior power program designed to reduce peak energy demand (Part III); authorizes certain work in connection with the District Galleria project in the city of White Plains (Part JJJ).

This bill would exempt the first $100,000 of an individual's private pension income from state income tax. It applies to regular pension payments from retirement plans based on prior employment, such as 401(k)s or IRAs, for people aged 59.5 or older. Married couples filing jointly would calculate the exemption as if they filed separately. The bill increases the state tax exclusion for pension income from $20,000 to $100,000 annually.

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state education, labor, housing and family assistance budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; relates to contracts for excellence, foundation aid, the homeless and foster count, renewable energy projects, zero-emissions school buses and to apportioning aid for universal prekindergarten; relates to reimbursement for the 2026-2027 school year and the maximum contract hours, withholding a portion of employment preparation education aid, and the effectiveness thereof; relates to the use of apportionments for the EXCEL program and the effectiveness thereof; relates to maximum class sizes for special classes for certain students with disabilities; provides for special apportionment for salary expenses; provides for special apportionment for public pension accruals; amends provisions relating to the apportionment amount for the Roosevelt union free school district; provides for set-asides from the state funds which certain districts are receiving from the total foundation aid; provides for support of public libraries; repeals certain provisions relating to the statewide universal full-day prekindergarten program (Part A); relates to evidence-based instructional practices in the subject of mathematics for students in kindergarten through grade five (Part B); relates to the eligibility of students enrolled in an approved program leading to a degree in a high demand field for the New York opportunity promise scholarship (Part C); allows for the chancellor of SUNY and CUNY to impose differential tuition rates on non-resident undergraduate and graduate students until the 2028-2029 academic year (Part E); relates to early childhood educator eligibility for the masters-in-education teacher incentive scholarship program (Part F); changes the name of the "New York state musical instrument revolving fund" to the "New York state music grant fund"; includes musical education in school districts and boards of cooperative educational services within not-for-profit musical entities incorporated in the state and organized for the purpose of the presentation of performing arts for the benefit of the public (Part G); extends provisions of law relating to restructuring financing for residential school placements (Part K); increases the standards of monthly need for aged, blind and disabled persons living in the community (Part L); utilizes reserves in the mortgage insurance fund for the neighborhood preservation program, the rural preservation program, the rural rental assistance program, and the New York state supportive housing program, the solutions to end homelessness program or the operational support for AIDS housing program (Part M); increases the number of land banks which can simultaneously exist in the state of New York from 35 to 45 (Part N); authorizes a tax abatement for alterations and improvements to multiple dwellings for purposes of preserving habitability in affordable housing (Part O); relates to establishing the crime of aggravated harassment of a rent regulated tenant (Part P); renumbers the disparate impact standard for housing and employment in the human rights law (Part Q); defines eligible multiple dwelling under the affordable New York housing program; includes a multiple dwelling that is located on a parcel of land which was part of a tract of land for which a special permit for a large scale general development was approved via the uniform land use review procedure on or before June 15, 2022, and such tract contains a multiple dwelling for which the commencement date is after December 31, 2015 and on or before June 15, 2022 and complies with certain affordability options (Part R).

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state education, labor, housing and family assistance budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; relates to contracts for excellence, foundation aid, the homeless and foster count, renewable energy projects, zero-emissions school buses and to apportioning aid for universal prekindergarten; relates to reimbursement for the 2026-2027 school year and the maximum contract hours, withholding a portion of employment preparation education aid, and the effectiveness thereof; relates to the use of apportionments for the EXCEL program and the effectiveness thereof; relates to maximum class sizes for special classes for certain students with disabilities; provides for special apportionment for salary expenses; provides for special apportionment for public pension accruals; amends provisions relating to the apportionment amount for the Roosevelt union free school district; provides for set-asides from the state funds which certain districts are receiving from the total foundation aid; provides for support of public libraries; repeals certain provisions relating to the statewide universal full-day prekindergarten program (Part A); relates to evidence-based instructional practices in the subject of mathematics for students in kindergarten through grade five (Part B); relates to the eligibility of students enrolled in an approved program leading to a degree in a high demand field for the New York opportunity promise scholarship (Part C); allows for the chancellor of SUNY and CUNY to impose differential tuition rates on non-resident undergraduate and graduate students until the 2028-2029 academic year (Part E); relates to early childhood educator eligibility for the masters-in-education teacher incentive scholarship program (Part F); changes the name of the "New York state musical instrument revolving fund" to the "New York state music grant fund"; includes musical education in school districts and boards of cooperative educational services within not-for-profit musical entities incorporated in the state and organized for the purpose of the presentation of performing arts for the benefit of the public (Part G); extends provisions of law relating to restructuring financing for residential school placements (Part K); increases the standards of monthly need for aged, blind and disabled persons living in the community (Part L); utilizes reserves in the mortgage insurance fund for the neighborhood preservation program, the rural preservation program, the rural rental assistance program, and the New York state supportive housing program, the solutions to end homelessness program or the operational support for AIDS housing program (Part M); increases the number of land banks which can simultaneously exist in the state of New York from 35 to 45 (Part N); authorizes a tax abatement for alterations and improvements to multiple dwellings for purposes of preserving habitability in affordable housing (Part O); relates to establishing the crime of aggravated harassment of a rent regulated tenant (Part P); renumbers the disparate impact standard for housing and employment in the human rights law (Part Q); defines eligible multiple dwelling under the affordable New York housing program; includes a multiple dwelling that is located on a parcel of land which was part of a tract of land for which a special permit for a large scale general development was approved via the uniform land use review procedure on or before June 15, 2022, and such tract contains a multiple dwelling for which the commencement date is after December 31, 2015 and on or before June 15, 2022 and complies with certain affordability options (Part R).

Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; extends provisions of law relating to increasing certain motor vehicle transaction fees (Part A); extends the accident prevention course internet technology pilot program (Part B); establishes a demonstration program in the city of New York for the installation and operation of intelligent speed assistance devices (Part D); extends provisions of law relating to motor vehicles equipped with autonomous vehicle technology (Part E); expands the automated work zone speed enforcement program utilizing photo speed violation monitoring systems to include all New York highways (Part G); extends provisions of law relating to certain tax increment financing provisions relating to the New York transit authority and the metropolitan transportation authority (Part H); authorizes the MTA to conduct environmental reviews under SEQRA for the crosstown extension of the Second Avenue subway project in two stages (Part I); enacts the dairy promotion act; enacts provisions related to the marketing of agricultural products in New York state; repeals certain provisions relating thereto (Part J); extends the refundability of the investment tax credit for farmers (Part K); authorizes the New York state energy research and development authority to finance a portion of its research, development and demonstration, policy and planning, and Fuel NY program from an assessment on gas and electric corporations (Part M); requires gas, electric, steam and water-works corporations to provide an executive compensation disclosure; requires such corporations to return all revenues derived from their actual return on equity in excess of the authorized rate of return to ratepayers; clarifies costs not to be included in rates (Part N); authorizes the public service commission to consider and approve multi-year changes in rates or charges for utilities (Part O); establishes an energy affordability index; permits the public service commission to implant affordability monitors in certain gas or electric corporations (Part P); makes reforms to the state environmental quality review act relating to sustainable housing and sprawl prevention (Part R); increases rebates for certain vehicles purchased by municipalities (Part S); extends the effectiveness of certain provisions of law relating to the powers and duties of the dormitory authority to establish subsidiaries (Part T); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available certain land on the state university of New York at Farmingdale's campus (Subpart A); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available certain land on the state university of New York at Stony Brook's campus (Subpart B); authorizes the commissioner of transportation to transfer and convey certain state-owned real property in the town of Babylon, county of Suffolk (Subpart C); authorizes the trustees of the state university of New York to lease and contract to make available grounds and facilities on the state university of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry to the Abby Lane Housing Corporation (Part D)(Part U); extends the authority of the New York state urban development corporation to administer the empire state economic development fund (Part V); extends the loan powers of the New York state urban development corporation (Part W); enacts the "safe by design act" to authorize the attorney general to promulgate rules and regulations identifying methods for reasonable and technically feasible age assurance which may consider the size, financial resources, and technical capabilities of covered platforms, the costs and effectiveness of available age determination techniques for users of such platforms, the audience of such platforms, and prevalent practices of the industry of the operator (Part Y); relates to requiring insurers to provide written explanations for premium changes in certain covered policies (Part BB); places limitations on damages resulting from motor vehicle accidents (Part EE); requires insurers to file annual reports on insurance for multi-family buildings with the superintendent of financial services (Part GG); relates to the annual consumer guide of health insurers (Subpart A); relates to ongoing treatment by an out-of-network provider during pregnancy (Subpart B); relates to accessible formulary drug lists (Subpart C); relates to utilization reviews for treatment for a chronic health condition (Subpart D) (Part HH); extends the policy period for excess profit refunds or credits to motor vehicle insurance policyholders; requires insurers to submit reports demonstrating whether the insurer realized an excess profit and completed making any credits required (Part KK); relates to the effectiveness of the New York state health insurance continuation assistance demonstration project (Part LL); enacts the "Long Island MacArthur Airport terminal and rail integration project act" (Part NN); extends the effectiveness of certain provisions permitting videoconferencing and remote participation in public meetings under certain circumstances (Part OO); exempts major electric generating facilities that provide emergency back-up generation for manufacturing facilities that produce semiconductors from siting requirements set forth in article 10 of the public service law (Part PP); establishes the crime of criminal interference with access to a place of religious worship (Part QQ); extend provisions of law permitting NYC, Nassau and Suffolk to retain a portion of certain fines under the Cleaner, Greener NY Act of 2013 (Part RR); enacts the accelerate solar for affordable power (ASAP) act to direct the public service commission to advance reforms to the utility interconnection process to ensure timely and cost-effective integration of new distributed energy resources (Part SS); establishes a blue ribbon commission on residential affordability through energy savings (RATES commission) to study the causes and origins of rising utility rates and to recommend actions or reforms to reduce rates; provides for the repeal of such commission upon expiration thereof (Part TT); authorizes the creation of a traffic camera violations bureau to adjudicate owner liability for failure of operator to stop for a school bus displaying a red visual signal and stop-arm (Part UU); relates to climate change; requires the plan toward achieving the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits to be updated in 2028 and every six years thereafter; outlines factors to include when developing a regulatory program or programs (Part VV); establishes a monitor team to oversee the Wyandanch union free school district (Part WW); relates to certain retirement benefit enhancements members of tier VI (Part XX); relation to the re-amortization and valuation methods used for contributions to the New York city employees retirement system, the New York city teachers' retirement system, the police pension fund, subchapter two, the fire department pension fund, subchapter two and the board of education retirement system of such city (Part YY); relates to service retirement benefits for uniformed members of the New York city fire department pension fund (Part ZZ); provides for longevity bonuses relating to first grade firefighters and promotions from the firefighter rank (Part AAA); requires certain pension systems to submit a self-report to the superintendent of the department of financial services; requires the superintendent of the department of financial services to submit a report on such reports (Part BBB); allows a beneficiary of a member whose death occurs on or after July 1, 2026 and who would have been entitled to a service credit at the time of such member's death to elect to receive a lump sum payment equal to the pension reserve that would have been established had the member retired on the date of such member's death (Part CCC); relates to certain retirement benefit enhancements for certain state law enforcement officers (Part DDD); relates to the treatment of prior service with certain agencies by the New York city police pension fund (Part EEE); relates to the restoration of 20 year service retirement for certain New York city corrections officers and sanitation workers (Part FFF); provides for the administration of certain funds and accounts related to the 2026--2027 budget (Part GGG); adds ten additional judges to the civil court of the city of New York (Part HHH); establishes the Excelsior power program designed to reduce peak energy demand (Part III); authorizes certain work in connection with the District Galleria project in the city of White Plains (Part JJJ).

This bill increases monthly personal needs allowances for residents in specific care facilities. It raises the amount from $55 to $140 per month for residents of residential health care facilities (like nursing homes), and from $35 to $89 per month for residents of developmental disability or mental health facilities. Veterans with reduced VA pensions in nursing homes will receive allowances matching their pension amount (capped at $196/month). These changes apply to individuals eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income or state payments, effective January 2027.

Prohibits the diminution of health insurance benefits of public employee retirees and their dependents or reducing the employer's contributions for such insurance; defines employers to include the state, municipalities, school districts, and public authorities and commissions.

Prohibits the New York Department of State from issuing a certificate of dissolution and filing a judgment or final order of dissolution for the pension fund for employees of the former St. Clare's Hospital in the city of Schenectady, county of Schenectady, until an investigation and/or audit by the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Attorney General or the New York State Comptroller has been conducted to ascertain whether there was any impropriety in the handling and management of funds in such pension plan.