New York Senate Bill S09744

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/2/26
• Refer: 4/2/26

Caption

Requires the governor as part of the executive budget submission to submit a five-year capital plan for state university of New York state-operated campuses and city university of New York senior colleges and establish system-wide goals and objectives for capital funding and provide for an annual estimate of the amount of capital funding needed to maintain or make progress in reducing the current facility condition index for each system.

Summary

This bill requires the governor, beginning April 1, 2027 and every five years thereafter, to include in the executive budget a five-year capital plan for SUNY state-operated campuses and CUNY senior colleges. The plan must set system-wide capital funding goals and objectives and estimate the annual capital funding needed over the five-year period to maintain or improve each system’s facility condition index, a measure of building condition and deferred maintenance. The estimated annual funding levels would be incorporated into the state’s five-year capital program and financing plan and remain subject to annual approval by the governor and legislature. The bill also revises SUNY’s master capital plan reporting requirements. Instead of a yearly submission deadline, SUNY would maintain a rolling five-year master capital plan report, available on its website or the State University Construction Fund website, covering projects over $1 million for academic or hospital facilities. The report must identify each project by campus and facility, describe the project, list estimated costs, start dates, financing method if not state bonds, and provide cash encumbrance and expenditure data. It also allows SUNY or the Construction Fund to provide information on environmental protection, energy management, solar energy, and conservation when requested.

Impact

The bill would amend the state finance law and education law to create a recurring five-year capital planning framework for SUNY and CUNY senior colleges, replacing a more limited reporting structure with a broader executive-budget-based planning requirement. It would affect state capital budgeting, campus facilities planning, and the allocation of capital appropriations across SUNY state-operated campuses and CUNY senior colleges, while preserving annual legislative and gubernatorial approval. It also updates SUNY’s master capital plan reporting obligations and requires more detailed public reporting on major capital projects.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes, the measure appears to be presented as a planning and transparency bill rather than a controversial policy change. Its stated purpose is to improve long-term capital budgeting, facility maintenance, and reporting for public higher education systems. No opposition or support is documented in the provided materials, so the overall sentiment cannot be assessed from debate or roll-call history.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are the mandate for a recurring five-year capital plan, the requirement that the state annually appropriate at least the prior year’s SUNY capital support level, and the extent to which the governor and legislature retain discretion over future funding. Another possible issue is the fiscal emergency exception, which would allow proportional reductions to SUNY and CUNY capital support if declared by the governor. The bill also shifts reporting practices and may raise questions about administrative burden, funding commitments, and how capital priorities are set across campuses.