[THEME MUSIC] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE STATE'S BUDGET AND HAVE PASSED ANOTHER EXTENDER THIS WEEK.

WHILE MAKING AN IMPROMPTU STOP TO THE LCA PRESS ROOM, THE GOVERNOR SAID "THE END WAS NEAR".

IT'S MOST IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO GET A BUDGET THAT DELIVERS FOR NEW YORKERS AND WE ARE TRULY GETTING CLOSE TO THAT OUTCOME.

AND EARLIER IN THE WEEK, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE EXPRESSED A SIMILAR SENTIMENT.

REMEMBER BEFORE I TOLD YOU I THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE SAME PLANET?

I THINK WE MIGHT NOT ONLY BE IN THE SAME COUNTRY, BUT THE SAME STATE.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ON THE SAME BLOCK.

ON EDUCATION, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA USED TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH FUNDING IS PROVIDED TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE ADDRESSED NEXT YEAR.

WHEN ASKED ABOUT HOUSING, HOCHUL SAID LEADERS HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON LOTS OF SOME OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS IN DEALING WITH THE STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS.

AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE FAILED TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON A COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PLAN LAST YEAR - AND THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN A MAJOR STICKING POINT OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS WITH REAL ESTATE, LABOR AND TENANT INTERESTS ALL AT PLAY.

NOW ALL EYES ARE ON THE GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS TO SEE IF THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE ENACTED BUDGET.

AND WHILE DEMOCRATS TRY TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, REPUBLICANS UNVEILED A HOUSING PROPOSAL OF THEIR OWN LAST WEEK.

OUR TEAM WAS ON THE GROUND AT THE CAPITOL TO LEARN MORE.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE LED BY STATE SENATE MINORITY LEADER ROB ORTT, REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS BLASTED DEMOCRATS FOR THEIR APPROACH TO THE STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS.

THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE NOT HEARD REAL SOLUTIONS TO THIS CRISIS.

WHAT WE'VE HEARD -- WE'VE ACTUALLY HEARD, BESIDES SORT OF POLITICAL DOUBLESPEAK FROM THE DEMOCRATS AND FROM GOVERNOR HOCHUL, WHAT WE'VE HEARD ARE THINGS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY DOUBLE DOWN ON WHILE WE'RE IN THIS CRISIS TO BEGIN WITH.

AMID ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS, THE DEMOCRATS AND THE LEGISLATURE HAVE CONTINUED TO AFFIRM THEIR POSITION ON THE NEED FOR TENANT PROTECTIONS.

THE HOUSING DEAL, AS WE'VE ALWAYS INDICATED, MUST BE HOLISTIC AND MUST INCLUDE TENANT PROTECTIONS AND ALIGNED WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD CAUSE.

AND I DO BELIEVE, AGAIN, WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PLANET.

WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO GET THAT GRAND PLAN THAT WILL NOT ONLY ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY BUT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF SUPPLY AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF TENANT PROTECTIONS.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, REPUBLICANS ARGUED FOCUSING ON TENANT PROTECTIONS WOULD ONLY WORSEN THE STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS.

THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT MINDSET.

THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH WITH GOOD CAUSE EVICTION.

TENANCY FOR LIFE.

IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY COLLAPSE THE RENTAL MARKET IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THIS PROPOSAL IS A REAL ANSWER AND A REAL SOLUTION.

THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL INCLUDED PLANS TO MAKE SQUATTING A CRIME, CREATE A FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT, PROVIDE MEANS TESTING FOR RENT-REGULATED HOUSING AND MORE.

REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR PAMELA HELMING, A RANKING MEMBER OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, TOLD THE REPORTERS THE CONFERENCE IS URGING DEMOCRATS TO WORK IN A BIPARTISAN WAY TO HELP FIX THE STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS, WHILE ALSO ASSERTING THE REPUBLICAN PROPOSAL WOULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT GOOD CAUSE EVICTION, I THINK WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, HOW MANY NEW HOUSING UNITS IS THAT GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE?

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE PLAN THAT, AGAIN, WILL CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR TENANTS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FINDING HOUSING THAT'S MORE AFFORDABLE.

ON A TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM, DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE SAID THEY WERE OPEN TO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON EXTENDING THE 421-A PROGRAM IN THEIR ONE HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSAL.

AND REPUBLICANS SEEM TO AGREE.

THE LAWMAKERS INCLUDED AN EXPANSION TO THE PROGRAM IN THEIR HOUSING PROPOSAL.

SO, YES, THERE IS A HOUSING CRISIS.

AND WHILE WE WORK ON THAT CRISIS, AND WHILE WE WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO BUILD THE HOUSING THAT IS NECESSARY TO GET OUT OF THAT CRISIS, SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO TAKE YEARS, EVEN IF WE WERE TO PUT A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND TODAY.

[MUSIC] AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON HOW LAWMAKERS PLAN TO ADDRESS THE STATE'S HOUSING CRISIS IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT HERE ON THE SHOW.

AND AMID BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, LAWMAKERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES ARE HOPING FOR FUNDING FOR THE NEW YORK HEAT ACT.

THE BILL WOULD ENSURE GAS COMPANIES HONOR MANDATES TO HELP THE STATE REACH ITS CLIMATE GOALS.

IF PASSED, THE BILL WOULD ALSO ENSURE THAT LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS WOULD NOT PAY MORE THAN 6 PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME FOR UTILITY BILLS.

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE BILL HAS PASSED IN THE SENATE - BUT HAS SEEN LITTLE MOVEMENT IN THE ASSEMBLY.

WE SPOKE WITH THE ASSEMBLY SPONSOR OF THE BILL, PATRICIA FAHY, ABOUT THE PROGRESS BEING MADE TO GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SIT WITH US, ASSEMBLYMEMBER.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE.

NOW, FOR OUR VIEWERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE NEW YORK HEAT ACT, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE IMPACT OF THIS BILL WOULD BE IF PASSED, AND WHY SHOULD NEW YORKERS CARE ABOUT IT?

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IMMEDIATE CHANGES.

BUT THIS IS PART OF A LONG-TERM PROCESS TO TRANSITION OUR ENERGY ECONOMY AWAY FROM GAS AND OTHER FOSSIL FUELS AND MOVE TOWARD RENEWABLE, CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY.

AND AGAIN THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE, BUT WE PASSED VERY FAR REACHING ENERGY GOALS IN 2019, ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO, THAT'S CALLED THE CLCPA, THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND THE CLIMATE PROTECTION ACT.

THIS IS PART OF MEETING THOSE GOALS THAT WE ALL AGREED TO AT THE TIME WERE AMBITIOUS, AND THIS IS ANOTHER STEP IN MOVING THAT, BUT THE POINT IS IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS, BUT WHAT WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE IS THAT ULTIMATELY THERE WILL BE SAVINGS IN MOVING TOWARD THIS CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY ECONOMY.

AND A PART OF THIS BILL WOULD IMPLEMENT A 6 PERCENT INCOME CAP ON NEW YORKERS PAYING THEIR UTILITY BILLS.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW THAT FIGURE WAS DETERMINED?

SURE.

WELL, I SHOULD START BY SAYING, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, WE WANT TO MAKE ENERGY AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE.

THEY'RE TWO VERY, VERY KEY PRINCIPLES HERE, AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE.

AND PART OF IT IS WE ARE SEEING UTILITY BILLS REALLY GO UP.

THEY'RE GOING UP MUCH HIGHER IN TEXAS, PARTLY BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T DONE THE INVESTMENT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS MAKING NEW YORK STAND OUT, THAT WHILE THEY'RE GOING UP HERE NOWHERE NEAR THE SCALE, BUT WE -- NOWHERE NEAR THE SCALE OF OTHER STATES.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO MOVE IS TOWARD AN AFFORDABLE, CLEAN ENERGY SYSTEM AND THAT MEANS TRYING TO LIMIT AFFORDABILITY TO ABOUT 6 PERCENT OF ONE'S INCOME, ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME AND MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES.

AND THAT, BY THE WAY, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AN EXISTING GOAL.

THAT'S NOT NEW WITH THIS LEGISLATION.

IT'S BEEN A GOAL, BUT IT'S NOT IN LAW, FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, THE PSC.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT OVERSEE THESE ENERGY INVESTMENTS AND THE ENERGY SYSTEM HERE IN NEW YORK.

SO WHILE IT'S BEEN A GOAL, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THAT LAW SO THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT THESE DO TAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS UP FRONT, BUT THEN IT MAKES RENEWABLE ENERGY CAN BECOME VERY AFFORDABLE ON THE BACK END BECAUSE IF YOU ARE USING RENEWABLE ENERGY, RELYING ON THE SUN AND WIND AND GEOTHERMAL, WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE ENERGY, HOME INSULATION, BUILDING INSULATION, ENERGY COSTS CAN DROP DRAMATICALLY.

SO IT'S THE UPFRONT COSTS, BUT EVEN THEN WE ARE TRYING TO TELL RATEPAYERS, ESPECIALLY LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME, THAT WE WANT A CEILING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AFFORDABLE, 6 PERCENT AFFORDABLE.

AND THIS BILL WOULD ESTABLISH CIVIL PENALTIES FOR UTILITY COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE FALSE STATEMENTS TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT THOSE CIVIL PENALTIES WOULD LOOK LIKE?

WELL, SOME OF THOSE WOULD BE ESTABLISHED -- WE LEAVE A LOT OF AUTHORITY TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

AGAIN, WHICH IS THE STATE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION OVERSEEING THIS TRANSITION.

THEY CERTAINLY WOULD BE WORKING WITH NYSERDA AND DEC AND OTHER AGENCIES, BUT PART OF THAT IS TO SAY WE WANT OUR UTILITIES TO BE TRANSPARENT, UTILITY COMPANIES TO BE TRANSPARENT.

WE ALSO WANT THEM TO BEGIN TO MAKE THE INVESTMENTS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S AFFORDABLE SO THAT THE RATEPAYERS ARE NOT HIT HARD, AND RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WHEN WE SEE RATE PROPOSALS FROM DIFFERENT UTILITY COMPANIES TO RAISE RATES, THERE'S OFTEN QUITE A TUG OF WAR BETWEEN THE RATEPAYERS, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, AND WHAT'S CALLED PULP, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES LAW PROJECT, AND OTHER ADVOCATES TO TRY TO KEEP ENERGY AFFORDABLE IN THIS STATE.

THIS WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND ALLOWS FOR PENALTIES WHERE IT WOULDN'T.

I SHOULD ALSO ADD, PART OF THE DESIGN OF THIS PROPOSAL IS, RIGHT NOW, ABOUT ROUGHLY -- AND IT'S VERY ROUGH NUMBERS -- $200 MILLION, 200 MILLION IS SPENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR ON GAS PIPE INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE -- THE GAS PIPES HAVE TO BE REPLACED.

SO ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THIS BILL -- AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED THE GOVERNOR HAS PICKED IT UP IN HER BUDGET PROPOSAL -- IS TO STOP THIS, WHAT WE CALL, AUTOPILOT WITH THE HUNDRED-FOOT RULE.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION, ANY NEW PIPE REPLACEMENT, THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC GAS PIPE REPLACEMENT WITHIN 100 FEET, AND IT'S THE CURRENT RATEPAYERS WHO PICK UP THAT COST, WHICH IS ESTIMATED, AGAIN, TO BE ABOUT $200 MILLION.

WE WANT TO STOP THAT, END THIS AUTOPILOT ON THIS 100-FOOT RULE, AND SAY THE PSC NOW HAS THE AUTHORITY TO TELL UTILITIES AND OTHERS THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE MEASURES, WHERE THEY'RE AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE, AND MAYBE LOOK TO, LIKE, GEOTHERMAL INSTEAD OF A GAS PIPELINE.

THEY CAN STILL DO A GAS PIPELINE WHERE IT'S CONSIDERED MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME CRITICISM OF THIS BILL FROM LABOR LEADERS AND LAWMAKERS AND THE LABOR COMMITTEE WHO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT POTENTIALLY TAKE AWAY JOBS.

SO WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT TYPE OF CRITICISM?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A PRETTY STRONG TRACK RECORD.

I'M IN MY 12th YEAR IN OFFICE, AND ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I'M OBSESSED WITH GROWING JOBS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT JOBS, ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSTATE ECONOMY.

I ALSO CAME OUT OF THE LABOR DEPARTMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SO AS PART OF -- WE'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL AT ALBANY PORT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE 500 JOBS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR FOR YEARS WITH WIND TURBINE AND ASSEMBLING OF WIND TURBINES, ANOTHER KEY COMPONENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.

SO I'M ALL ABOUT JOBS.

THE PREMISE OF THIS BILL IS ACTUALLY TO SEEK THOSE INVESTMENTS, ESPECIALLY FEDERAL DOLLARS, SO THAT WE GROW JOBS WITH TRANSITIONING OUR ECONOMY.

ONE EXAMPLE, FOR INSTANCE -- NOW IT WILL TAKE SOME RETRAINING -- BUT IF YOU ARE A PIPEFITTER AND YOU'RE PUTTING GAS PIPES IN THE GROUND, WE WANT YOU RETRAINED AND WE WANT YOU DOING GEOTHERMAL PIPES, THERE ARE ACTUALLY MORE PIPES THAT NEED TO GO IN THE GROUND FOR THAT.

I'VE ACTUALLY SAID TO LABOR, ANYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN, LET'S PUT IN THE DISPLACEMENT LANGUAGE.

I'M ALL IN ON LABOR PROTECTIONS ON THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY GROW JOBS.

CERTAINLY NOT TAKE AWAY JOBS.

THERE MAY BE SOME RETRAINING, BUT I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL LABOR PROTECTIONS AND ALL LABOR TRAINING THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.

I SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS GROWTH POTENTIAL.

WE'RE ALSO PROMOTING WHAT'S CALLED UPGRADE NEW YORK.

WE DID IT AT SUNY ALBANY LAST YEAR, NOW WE'RE PUSHING IT FOR SUNY BUFFALO AND SUNY PURCHASE.

IT'S CALLED UPGRADE NEW YORK, WHERE WE BEGIN TO TRANSITION THE STATE-OWNED PROPERTIES AND MOVE THEM TOWARD RENEWABLE ENERGY.

BIG INVESTMENTS, BUT AGAIN WE'LL GROW SERIOUS JOBS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

AND AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE FILMING THIS, THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE, OF COURSE, IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.

SO WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT THE STATUS OF POTENTIALLY GETTING THIS INTO THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET?

OH, BOY, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE -- WE ARE AT A BIT OF A STALEMATE RIGHT NOW ON A COUPLE OF UNRELATED ISSUES IN THE BUDGET.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, IT'S A THREE WAY NEGOTIATIONS.

THE SENATE HAS ALREADY PASSED THIS LEGISLATION TWICE, ACTUALLY.

THE GOVERNOR, WE ARE SO PLEASED, SHE PUT IN THE 100-FOOT RULE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER RELATED PROVISIONS.

IN THE ASSEMBLY, I'VE HAD THIS BILL FOR A FEW DIFFERENT YEARS.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY PROVISIONS OF THIS LEGISLATION, THE HEAT LEGISLATION, AS MANY PROVISIONS AS POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE TREMENDOUS MOMENTUM BEHIND US.

AS YOU YOURSELF MENTIONED, WE RAN INTO SOME OPPOSITION FROM LABOR GROUPS.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT NOW, HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS LAST WEEK.

GOING TO ADD IN THE LANGUAGE TO -- HOPEFULLY ADD IN THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SEEN AS A JOB GROWTH INITIATIVE, NOT A NEGATIVE JOB INITIATIVE.

SO WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC, BUT CERTAINLY EVERYTHING IS UP IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW SINCE WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES SETTLED ON THE BUDGET AND THOSE INCLUDE HOUSING, SOME EDUCATION FUNDING, AND OF COURSE MEDICAID SPENDING.

SO AS I'M TOLD, WE'RE THAT NEXT TIER, BUT WE'RE DOING THE WORK ON THIS EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE TODAY.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER PATRICIA FAHY.

AND AS THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER UNDERSCORED, IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THE ENTIRETY OF THE NEW YORK HEAT ACT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET AT THIS TIME.

BUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT ALL TURNS OUT IN THE COMING WEEKS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW YORK HEAT ACT, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER TOPIC.

LAWMAKERS AND IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES ARE ALSO PUSHING FOR STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND TO HELP WITH THE RECENT INFLUX OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS.

TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE'S RESPECTIVE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, WE CAUGHT UP WITH MURAD AWAWDEH OF THE NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME, MURAD.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE, NATURALLY, I WANTED TO START ON THE STATE BUDGET.

WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.

I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ARE PROPOSING.

WE KNOW IN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL PROPOSED $2.4 BILLION TO HELP WITH THE MIGRANT CRISIS, 500 MILLION OF WHICH WOULD COME FROM THE STATE'S RESERVE.

AND IN THE LEGISLATURE'S ONE HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSAL, THEY INCLUDED FUNDING FOR HEALTHCARE, AS WELL AS LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRATION.

I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE PROPOSALS.

IT SEEMED LIKE GENERALLY THE COALITION WAS IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT, OF COURSE, I WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU DIRECTLY.

NO, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

AND THE GOVERNOR MADE SOME VERY BOLD INVESTMENTS IN HER EXECUTIVE BUDGET TO ENSURE THAT ALL NEW YORKERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE IN OUR GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK.

AND SHE ALSO INCLUDED $45 MILLION FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL, WHICH IS 20 MILLION SHORT OF LAST YEAR, AND ABOUT 105 MILLION SHORT OF OUR ASK THIS YEAR.

THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY ONE HOUSE HAS INCREASED THAT TO ABOUT $75 MILLION, AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES WERE STRAINED, AND BACKLOGGED MANY YEARS AGO AND THEY ARE -- WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BUILDING TOWARDS A STRONGER, MORE PROSPEROUS ECOSYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FOR LEGAL SERVICES TO THRIVE HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SO IN TERMS OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THE LEGAL SERVICES THAT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR ARE PROPOSING VERSUS THE ACCESS TO REPRESENTATION ACT, ARE THEY THE SAME, OR ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES YOU ARE HOPING MAKE IT INTO THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET?

SO THE ACCESS TO REPRESENTATION ACT IS A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE LEGAL REPRESENTATION A RIGHT SIMILAR WHEN YOU'RE IN CRIMINAL COURT.

ARA WOULD MAKE IT A RIGHT THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN IMMIGRATION COURT, YOU HAVE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY APPOINTED TO YOU.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST IN THE NATION.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BECAUSE IT IS SO CRITICAL.

WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT PEOPLE WHO GO IN FRONT OF A COURT, IMMIGRATION COURT, ARE TEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO WIN THEIR CASE WHEN THEY HAVE AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY AS OPPOSED TO WINNING THEIR CASE 16 PERCENT OF THE TIME WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY.

AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER, STRENGTHENING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING OVER $62 BILLION OF TAX REVENUE IN OUR STATE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING SOME SUPPORT WHEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING TIMES.

I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE CRITICISM OF THAT BILL.

A LOT OF REPUBLICAN LEADERS AND LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY DON'T THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE STATE TO INVEST IN IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES.

IN FACT, THEY THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR THE STATE TO BE FIRST MAKING IT THEIR PRIORITY TO FOCUS ON NEW YORKERS AND HAVE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES BE LIKE AN AFTERTHOUGHT.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT CRITICISM?

IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN MAKING NEW YORK THE GREAT STATE THAT IT IS FOR CENTURIES.

WE'VE SEEN EVERY WAVE OF IMMIGRATION REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE FABRIC OF WHAT WE CALL OUR GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK, FROM OUR ROADS, TO OUR SKYSCRAPERS, TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES.

THE IMPACT OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT IN BUILDING OUR GREAT STATE.

AND I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE CONTRIBUTING OVER $62 BILLION IN TAX REVENUE TO THE STATE, SPENDING OVER $200 BILLION IN THIS STATE.

I THINK OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ON -- OUR REPUBLICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS MAY BE MISCONSTRUING WHO NEW YORKERS ARE, BUT IMMIGRANTS ARE NEW YORK, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND THIS IS A TINY INVESTMENT.

IT'S $150 MILLION OUT OF ALMOST A $240 BILLION BUDGET.

SO IT'S LESS THAN A DROP IN THE BUCKET IN PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY INTEGRATE BETTER SO THEY CAN BE LIVING A MORE THRIVING LIFE HERE, AND ALSO CONTRIBUTING MORE BACK INTO SOCIETY.

AND IN TERMS OF THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE NONNEGOTIABLES FOR YOUR COALITION, THAT THEY'RE HOPING SPECIFIC ASPECTS MAKE IT INTO THE FINAL BUDGET?

WHAT DO THOSE LOOK LIKE?

OBVIOUSLY IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES AT AN INCREASED RATE.

MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN THE ECOSYSTEM OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

WE NEED TO BUILD OUT THAT SYSTEM AND ENSURE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND NOT JUST WHAT WE NEEDED FOR IT FOR YESTERDAY BUT AS WELL POWER US INTO THE FUTURE.

AS WELL AS MAKING SURE WE'RE PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH SUPPORTS ACROSS NEW YORK WITH HOUSING ASSISTANCE VOUCHER PROGRAM.

AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS NOW, AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP WITH GETTING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES SO THEY DON'T END UP IN A HOMELESS SHELTER, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT FAMILIES ARE GETTING THEIR CREDIT, AND THAT WE EXPAND TAX CREDITS HERE IN THE STATE TO FAMILIES AND CREATE THE WORKING FAMILY TAX CREDIT, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE SENATE ONE HOUSE.

AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS SKILLS IN THE STATE ARE IMPROVED.

WE ALREADY HAD THE OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS, WHICH WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT.

BUT WE WANT TO SEE THEM GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THE TUNE OF AN ADDITIONAL $10 MILLION SO THEY'RE ABLE TO CREATE WORKER CO-OPS OF LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER ASKS.

EVERYTHING IS IN THE BETTERMENT AND ALLOWS FOR OUR STATE TO CONTINUE TO POWER ITSELF, BECAUSE OUR NUMBER ONE ASSET -- I THINK THAT PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET THIS -- OUR NUMBER ONE ASSET AS A STATE IS OUR PEOPLE.

WHEN WE MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN NEW YORKERS, THE RATE OF RETURN IS A THOUSAND-FOLD.

AND DO YOU THINK THE STATE IS DOING ENOUGH TO RALLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES?

I THINK THAT GOVERNOR HOCHUL, GIVING CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE, HAS BEEN A PRETTY GREAT ADVOCATE IN DEMANDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE STATE.

WE GOT SOME RESOURCES THROUGH THE SST PROGRAM BUT WE ALSO ARE RECEIVING OTHER RESOURCES THROUGH OTHER AGENCIES.

LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAS SENT US RESOURCES AS WELL.

AND SHE'S BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE IS RECEIVING SUPPORTS, BUT ALSO HER GOING TO BAT IN D.C. TO FIGHT FOR MORE FUNDING HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT.

AND WE KNOW THE RECENT INFLUX OF MIGRANTS HAS CREATED A HEIGHTENED AWARENESS AROUND IMMIGRATION ISSUES BUT, OF COURSE, IMMIGRATION ISN'T A NEW ISSUE.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW ARE YOU HOPING THAT THE COALITION WILL BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM AROUND IMMIGRATION SERVICES IN THE YEARS TO COME AND ENSURE THAT THE STATE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES?

THE NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ORGANIZATION IN THE U.S. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS AT THIS POINT AND CONTINUE TO POWER FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DELIVERING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO OUR STATE.

AND THE BIGGER PIECE HERE IS THAT NO MATTER WHICH MOMENT WE'RE FACED WITH, IF IT'S HELPING RESETTLE AFGHANIS WHO FLED WHEN THE GOVERNMENT COLLAPSED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OR HELPING RESETTLE UKRAINIANS, OR NOW WITH THE INCREASE OF THE PEOPLE COMING FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER, OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR MEMBERSHIP, OVER 200 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NEW YORK HAVE ALWAYS STEPPED UP TO DELIVER FOR OUR PEOPLE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED OUR STATE TO ALSO STEP UP WITH US AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER REALLY QUALITY PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, WITH IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES BEING AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE NEEDS TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE HERE.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH MURAD AWAWDEH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION.

AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CALLS FOR IMMIGRATION FUNDING THIS YEAR AND FOR BUDGET UPDATES, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO OUR LAST TOPIC OF THE DAY.

AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN OUR PRESS RELEASE, I AM OFFICIALLY THE NEW HOST OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I AM SO THRILLED TO BE AT THE HELM OF THIS HISTORIC SHOW - AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD - TOGETHER.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[THEME MUSIC] FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET.

[THEME MUSIC]