NYAPRS MEMBER MEMO
March 14, 2021 Noon
Both houses released their respective budget proposals last night that make the changes below to the Governor’s budget. The funding restorations and adds, the tax hikes, the criminal justice diversion expansions, rejection of coercion, the passage of HALT and restored funding to the Self-Directed Care pilots have been top priorities for NYAPRS that we advanced during our recent Legislative Advocacy Days. Great thanks to MHANYS’ Glenn Liebman for our very strong collaboration here.
Next steps: Representatives from both houses launch joint budget conference committees early next week to arrive at consensus for negotiation with the Governor’s office towards a final version that is to be approved by April 1. Stay tuned for more analysis.
Funding
The Senate take down the 5% across the board cut ($17 million) and approves a 1% Cost of Living Adjustment ($15 million); The Assembly also restores the COLA.
Reinvestment: both Houses releases the $22 million in Reinvestment funding withheld by the Governor.
Tax Hikes on the Wealthy
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The Senate would have anybody making more than $2.2 million pay 9.85 percent (about 1.3% higher than currently); the highest rate would be 11.85 percent, imposed on income of more than $50 million.
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The Assembly proposal keeps the 9.85 percent and $2.2 million figures. But the top rate kicks in sooner under that house’s bill: anybody making $25 million or more would pay 11.85 percent.
Criminal Justice and Coercion
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The Assembly includes funding for more Crisis Intervention Teams and likely new crisis stabilization centers
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Both houses reject proposals to expand criteria for Kendra’s Law and involuntary inpatient commitment criteria (remains danger to self or others).
Self-Directed Care
The Senate puts up $400,000 to extend funding for the transformative self-directed care pilot in New York City and in the Hudson Valley.
Merger of OASAS and OMH
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The Senate approved a version of what The Assembly took out the Governor’s proposal but that could be because it doesn’t view this as a budget initiative and will want to consider in the succeeding few months post passage of the budget
Veterans Support Services
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The Senate restores the $4.5 million in Joseph Dwyer funding; the Assembly restores $1.5 million
HALT (Alternatives to Solitary Confinement)
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Both houses moved HALT out of their respective committees last week
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The Senate proposes $100 million, in part to pay for programs and services in prisons and jails to provide ‘treatment not torture’