Imagine spellcheck, but for the state's annual spending plan.
Gov. Hochul released her 30-day amendments, which are the state executive's last chance to make changes to their budget proposal before the state Legislature can issue rebuttals and eventually, lawmakers pass a spending plan.
The governor made tweaks around the edges, but notably, her proposal to allow robo taxi companies to pilot their "autonomous vehicles" outside of New York City, which already has its own pilot, met the red line of death. The governor's reasoning? A lack of support from "stakeholders" and lawmakers.
The proposed pilot's removal disappointed AV boosters who see the technology as a safer alternative to human-wielded cars. The business community was also let down.
"New York must ensure it does not fall behind," said Joseph Alston, senior director of government affairs at the Business Council of New York. "The economic opportunity and long-term competitiveness of our state depend on being open to innovation and industries of the future."
Organized labor, particularly ride-share drivers who could find themselves competing with clankers, saw the technology as a threat.
Not everyone was happy — tech-friendly State Sen. Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) expressed disappointment in the governor's decision in a lengthy statement:
My statement on Governor Hochul’s Decision to Remove Autonomous Vehicle Language from Executive Budget👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/px5ZUnBcV4
— Senator Jeremy Cooney (@SenatorCooney) February 19, 2026
Robotaxi companies like Waymo won't be disappearing from the scene in Albany anytime soon, however. They'll now shift focus to cajoling state lawmakers and staving off attempts to ban their technology in New York.
Get the full story here.
More news:
- Hochul is headed to D.C. to pow-wow with her fellow governors from across the nation. Hopefully she can set the record straight about who has the best pizza. (NY1)
- The courts have spoken: New York Democrats will have an opportunity to redraw the 11th Congressional District currently held by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island). (Politico New York)
- Just 12 percent of donations for Assembly Member Alex Bores' congressional campaign came from New York. (City & State)
- Republican Lynn Parker is running for departing Assembly Member Donna Lupardo's Binghamton area seat. (Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin)
- The state Department of Motor Vehicles will stop issuing commercial drivers licenses to many immigrants after pressure from the Trump administration. (Newsday, Gothamist)
- Hochul is routing $16 million to New Rochelle after the federal government pulled a grant that would reconnect neighborhoods of color. (The Journal News)
- Disabled New Yorkers face longer waits for ride-share services, according to a new study. (amNewYork)
- State lawmakers are weighing a new DMV fee to help fund upstate transit. (The Buffalo News)
