NY Legislators Push for Food Security in State Budget

Proposed $150M package aims to expand nutrition programs and welfare benefits after federal cuts

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Democratic state legislators and anti-hunger advocates in New York are rallying to include a $150 million food security package in the upcoming state budget. The proposed package would increase funding for nutrition programs, raise the minimum monthly food assistance benefit, and provide aid for refugees, asylees, and victims of violence recently excluded from federal SNAP eligibility.

Why it matters

The push for the food security package comes in response to recent federal cuts to food access programs in New York, which have increased demand on state-level nutrition and welfare initiatives. Advocates argue the state cannot balance its budget at the expense of residents who cannot afford to eat.

The details

The proposed Protect, Invest, and Expand Food Security Package includes $150 million in funding for the Nourish New York and Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program, as well as increasing the minimum monthly food assistance benefit from $24 to $100. The package also seeks $244 million to feed 41,000 refugees, asylees, and victims of violence recently excluded from federal SNAP eligibility, and $6 million for the Double Up Food Bucks program and $8.5 million for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program.

  • The rally took place on Monday, March 9, 2026 at the New York State Capitol in Albany.
  • The upcoming state budget is expected to be finalized in the coming months.

The players

Michelle Hinchey

New York State Senator who sponsors a bill in the package to require the New York State Department of Health to track food insecurity and publish annual reports on each county.

Zellnor Myrie

New York State Senator who sponsors a bill in the package to create a state compensation fund to reimburse victims of $52 million in stolen SNAP funds over the past three years.

Jessica González-Rojas

New York State Assemblymember who argued "We are the richest state in the richest country in the history of the world, and not a single person should go hungry here."

Donald Trump

Former U.S. President whose administration is blamed by the coalition for eliminating food benefits and restricting eligibility.

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What they’re saying

“Food access is a basic dignity issue.”

— Michelle Hinchey, New York State Senator (news10.com)

“We are the richest state in the richest country in the history of the world, and not a single person should go hungry here.”

— Jessica González-Rojas, New York State Assemblymember (news10.com)

What’s next

The New York State legislature is expected to finalize the state budget, including the proposed food security package, in the coming months.

The takeaway

This push for a comprehensive food security package in New York's state budget highlights the growing need for state-level action to address food access and nutrition issues, especially in the wake of federal cuts to social safety net programs.