New York state budget

Lawmakers approved plans to issue "inflation" checks alongside making school meals free for students in public schools, among other measures that Gov. Kathy Hochul says fulfills part of her ongoing "affordability agenda."

Legislative leaders say they could call lawmakers back to Albany to deal with potential federal cuts.

After initially allocating $200 million for the reconstruction, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said she decided to increase that number after touring the facility.

New York is expected to create a new criminal charge to levy against people who wear a mask while committing another crime.

Here are the basics on this year’s state budget agreement.

Sen. Rachel May said the fund would help people build new homes at lower rates.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said lawmakers struck a tentative deal with district attorneys, potentially clearing a budget logjam.

New York state is on track to prohibit students from using their smartphones during the entire school day, a policy Gov. Kathy Hochul and teachers unions have been pushing for months.

The budget is due on April 1. But lawmakers are likely to blow past that deadline because they're split on Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to change how prosecutors share evidence with defense lawyers in criminal cases.