New York Senate Bill S03034

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/23/25
• Refer: 2/5/25
• Refer: 1/7/26
• Refer: 2/3/26

Caption

Prohibits the legislature from transferring funds from the power authority of the state of New York into the general fund.

Summary

This bill is a proposed amendment to the New York State Constitution that would prohibit the Legislature from diverting revenues of the Power Authority of the State of New York into the state’s general fund. In practical terms, it would add a new section to Article 7 stating that Power Authority revenues may not be transferred to the general fund by legislative action. Because it is a constitutional amendment, the proposal would not take effect immediately. If approved by both houses, it would be referred to the next regular legislative session after the next general election of Assembly members and would also have to be published for three months before that election, following the constitutional amendment process.

Impact

The bill would constrain future state fiscal policy by removing legislative discretion to use Power Authority revenues as a source for the general fund. It would amend the state constitution, rather than ordinary statute, and would therefore create a stronger legal barrier against revenue transfers involving the Power Authority established under the Public Authorities Law. The main affected parties would be the Legislature, the Power Authority, and state budget officials who manage general fund revenues and transfers.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a fiscal restraint proposal, likely appealing to those concerned about protecting authority revenues from budget sweeps, while potentially drawing opposition from those who view such revenues as a flexible source for balancing the state budget.

Contention

The central point of contention is whether the Legislature should retain the ability to transfer Power Authority revenues into the general fund. Supporters would likely argue that these revenues should remain dedicated to the authority’s purposes and not be used to patch budget gaps, while opponents may argue that the state needs access to all available revenue tools for fiscal management. The bill does not identify specific sponsors or recorded objections in the provided materials, so the disagreement is inferred from the policy change itself.