New York Assembly Bill A08670

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/27/25
• Refer: 5/27/25
• Refer: 6/25/25
• Refer: 1/7/26
• Refer: 1/30/26

Caption

Relates to items of appropriation.

Summary

A08670 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how the Governor’s budget and appropriation bills are structured in New York. The bill would require the Governor to submit appropriations and reappropriations in a way that is consistent with existing state law, and it would separate proposed legislation from appropriation bills. It also specifies that appropriation bills should contain only items of appropriation and their descriptions, with any program conditions, rules, or legal changes placed in separate nonappropriation bills or other budget materials. The measure further tightens the content rules for appropriation bills by requiring clearer identification of the object or purpose of each appropriation, discouraging multiple items within a single appropriation unless separately scheduled, and, where practicable, identifying the statutory basis for expenditures. It would also prohibit appropriation bills from including provisions that abrogate or modify existing law, while preserving the Governor’s ability to propose such changes in separate legislation. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it would need to be passed by the Legislature and then referred to the next regular legislative session after the next general election, with publication requirements before final consideration.

Impact

If adopted, the amendment would alter Article 7 of the New York Constitution and significantly constrain the content of executive budget appropriation bills. It would reinforce the separation between spending authority and substantive policy changes, requiring legal changes to be proposed in separate nonappropriation bills rather than embedded in budget language. This would affect the Governor’s budget process, legislative review of appropriations, and the drafting of state budget bills and supplemental appropriations.

Sentiment

There is no recorded committee debate or vote history available in the provided materials, so no direct public sentiment can be measured from transcripts or roll calls. Based on the bill text, the proposal appears to reflect a reform-oriented concern with transparency, clarity, and limiting policy changes in budget bills. The overall tone of the measure is procedural and structural rather than partisan or program-specific.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely to be the restriction on the Governor’s ability to use appropriation bills to advance policy changes or modify existing law. Supporters would likely favor the bill for increasing transparency, legislative oversight, and separation of powers, while opponents may argue it reduces flexibility in the budget process and could make it harder to negotiate or implement policy through the state budget. Another possible issue is the requirement that appropriations remain consistent with existing law, which could limit executive budget drafting practices.