Gov. Hochul delivers 2025 State of the State address
ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her 2025 State of the State address on Tuesday at 1 p.m. at The Egg in the Empire State Plaza. You can watch her full address in the player above once it renders.
Here is a rundown of some of Hochul's proposals included in her address. The plans must be discussed in the state legislature before going forward. Affordability appears to be her biggest theme.
Tax relief for the middle class
Hochul has proposed slashing taxes for the middle class up to 5%. This would bring tax relief to more than 8.3 million taxpayers earning up to $323,200 per year in personal income for joint filers, said Hochul.
Inflation refund
Hochul wants to create New York's first-ever inflation refund to give back $3 million to over 8.6 million taxpayers. Joint tax filers who make less than $300,000 would get $500 and single taxpayers who make less than $150,000 would get $300.
Supporting pregnant New Yorkers
Hochul is looking to establish the New York State Birth Allowance for Beginning Year, or the BABY Benefit, to give families $100 per month during pregnancy and $1,200 at birth for New Yorkers who receive public assistance. Hochul has also proposed partnering with the non-profit Baby2Baby to provide resources to new mothers low-income mothers, expanding the WIC program, and expanding lactation services for Medicaid members.
Expansion of New York’s child tax credit
Hochul has proposed expanding New York’s child tax credit for more than 2.75 million children. The plan would give 1.6 million New York families an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child up to age 3, and $500 for kids aged 4 through 16.
Child care accessibility
Hochul is proposing $110 million to build more childcare centers. The money would go toward building new facilities or repairing existing ones. She's also proposing creating a "Substitute Pool" of vetted, trusted professionals who can step in when there is a staff shortage to keep the facility open.
Making homeownership more affordable
Hochul is looking to create more homeownership opportunities for New Yorkers. This proposal calls for disincentivizing investors from buying one- and two-family homes, building more starter homes, supporting first-time homebuyers with down payment assistance, creating an affordable homebuyer tax incentive, and strengthening laws to combat home appraisal discrimination.
Free school meals
Hochul is looking to provide over 2.7 million public school students in New York with free breakfast and lunch. The program would feed students regardless of a family’s annual income or whether the school participates in federal programs. Analysis from Hochul’s office estimates that free public school meals would cut the grocery bills for families by about $165 per child per month.
Education and youth mental health
Hochul has proposed expanding youth mental health services, including providing high schoolers with teen mental health first-aid training, supporting mental health in after-school programs, developing youth safe spaces, and expanding the Latina Mentoring Initiative and creating the Black Girls Mentoring Initiative.
Hochul wants to make community college free for students between 25 and 55 pursuing associate's degrees in high-demand occupations. She is also looking to create a College-in-High-School Opportunity Fund to make college more affordable, create new Registered Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships in popular occupations, and recruit students for a summer work experience program.
Hochul is looking to create a statewide standard for distraction-free learning when it comes to smartphones. She also wants to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program to more communities.
Investing in safety
As part of her proposals for increasing safety, Hochul would like to:
- Expand victim support services to protect vulnerable populations
- Increase funding to Child Advocacy Centers to support child victims of crime
- Launch a First Responder Counseling Scholarship Program
- Establish a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team
- Enhance safety in work zones
- Strengthening impaired driving laws and penalties
Creating the Crime Analysis Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters
Hochul has proposed creating the nation's first-ever Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters to help fight crime and coordinate information among hundreds of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Hochul is also looking to secure more funding in Law Enforcement Technology (LETECH) grants.
Economic development
Hochul is looking to launch the Promote Opportunity with Electric Readiness for Underdeveloped Properties to create power-ready sites and attract new businesses to the state. She also wants to build clean energy zones, continue to attract semiconductor companies and support small businesses with AI technical assistance and low-interest capital.
Excelsior Broadband Network
Hochul is looking to launch the Excelsior Broadband Network to improve internet and cell service. The new statewide public broadband network would aim to reach from Buffalo to Plattsburgh through Syracuse and Albany to Binghamton and New York City.
Healthcare and protecting abortion rights
Hochul is looking to strengthen abortion rights in New York State by investing in reproductive health providers, reimbursing providers for abortion services, codifying abortion as protected emergency medical care and protecting the identity of medication abortion prescribers.
She is also looking to expand access to infertility treatments, obesity drugs, emergency medical services, and dental care. Hochul wants to increase the affordability of prescription drugs.
Investing in Albany
Hochul has proposed that $400 million of the executive budget be directed toward the capital city. The proposal has $150 million toward renovating the New York State Museum and upgrading exhibits, with another $200 million directed toward:
- Targeted strategies to address public safety and quality of life
- Revitalizing vacant or dated anchor institutions
- Reinvigorating commercial corridors
- Repurposing vacant and underutilized commercial buildings
- Leveraging open spaces and key public assets
- Coordinating with ongoing planning efforts related to the redevelopment of I-787 and the Livingston Avenue Rail Bridge
- Creating new reasons to work, visit, or live in downtown Albany
Investment in Hudson Valley rail service
This proposal includes the planning, evaluation, and design for a set of rail infrastructure capital improvements between New York City and Poughkeepsie. These projects include adding a second track at Spuyten Duyvil, interlocking, signaling, and trackwork at Croton Harmon, and capacity improvements at Poughkeepsie Yard.
You read all of Hochul's proposals in the 2025 State of the State book below: