ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Governor Kathy Hochul will lay out her agenda in a State of the State address on Tuesday, with the Democrat expected to focus on housing, crime and education policies ahead of a crucial election season in a state whose races are in control could determine about Congress.
The annual address is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Capitol in Albany and will outline the governor's priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
Hochul introduced pillars of her agenda this past week, including calling for an overhaul of literacy education and paid sick leave during pregnancy. She has also previously teased action to increase housing supply, make the state more affordable and an initiative to combat shoplifting.
The speech will come as both Republicans and Democrats turn more attention to New York as a potential battleground for the U.S. House of Representatives in November, adding a level of national importance to the governor's agenda this year.
For Hochul, a key priority appears to be reaching a deal with state House progressive Democrats to create more housing supply in the state, a politically tricky issue that has previously proven elusive but remains a tenant of her affordability plans.
The governor pushed hard last year on a housing plan that ultimately failed after filtering into the city's suburbs, which emerged in the fall as areas that Democrats in Congress must win if they want to regain control of the House of Representatives. Delegates want to recapture. It is unclear what legislative approach Hochul plans to take on housing this year.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters that Senate Democrats were pushing for a housing package that focuses on protecting renters. In the past, those have included measures to prevent landlords from evicting residents without a perceived good cause, such as failure to pay rent.
Another issue for lawmakers this year will be how they handle the large influx of migrants into the state, especially New York City, since 2022. So far, the state has allocated $1.9 billion in emergency spending related to the surge of asylum seekers, according to recent data from the Office of the State Comptroller. Hochul has pledged a new round of financial support this year to help the city house, transport and provide medical care to migrants.
The term will also include a controversial congressional redistricting process that could have a major impact on which party controls the House.
A bipartisan redistricting commission will submit a proposed map to lawmakers in late February, which could then be accepted or changed by Democrats who control the Legislature. Democrats are widely expected to try to give their party an edge in crucial districts ahead of the fall elections.
Democrats have committed major financial and campaign resources to their goal of recapturing a handful of New York congressional districts in November. The Republicans are trying to hold on to the seats. The first signal could come soon: a special election will take place on February 13 for a successor to George Santos, the New York Republican who was expelled from the House of Representatives.