Bill > A07387

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would modify the governor's budget submission process by requiring a clear separation between appropriations (monetary items) and policy changes. Specifically, the bill mandates that the governor can only include monetary appropriations and re-appropriations in the budget bill, and any substantive legal changes—whether temporary or permanent—must be submitted as separate pieces of legislation for the legislature to consider. The amendment aims to prevent the governor from embedding policy provisions within budget bills, which can currently be used as a tactic to pass policy changes without direct legislative scrutiny. The proposed change would require the governor to present budget appropriations and policy changes as distinct pieces of legislation, potentially increasing legislative transparency and allowing for more focused debate on both fiscal and policy matters. The amendment would be referred to the first regular legislative session after the next general election of assembly members and would be published for three months prior to that election, following constitutional procedures for constitutional amendments.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7387