Lawmakers brought it down to the wire, but ultimately passed the state budget on-time for a fifth straight year in a row. NY1's Zack Fink filed this report.
After days of tense, behind-the-scenes negotiations, there were serious questions about whether Assembly Democrats would accept Governor Andrew Cuomo's changes to their public education plans.
On Tuesday, though, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced he had secured the votes to get the Cuomo plan passed as part of the budget.
"We will pass the bill. Members raised a lot of issues and concerns on the implementation. When you are making these kinds of changes, members have questions. So we answered the members' questions," said Heastie.
Cuomo stuck major policy changes in the state budget, including weakening teacher tenure laws and empowering the state to fire ineffective teachers, which would be a major blow to the teachers union.
"I think judging from some of the phone calls and emails we are getting in our offices right now, there is a lot of anger out there just about the process, what's in the bill," said Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi.
Initially, Cuomo had tied education aid to teacher evaluations, which will be designed by the state Department of Education or SED. Ultimately, the governor compromised.
"This one is different in that the money will go out the door, but the school districts will have to respond and get approval from SED by the middle of November. So it's different," Heastie said.
Some lawmakers are concerned the changes to tenure and the strengthening of evaluations could discourage people from becoming teachers.
"I think it is a concern for many teachers. My kids are in these 'failing schools' and the last thing we want to do is whatever evaluation system is agreed to that we drive teachers out of low performing schools," said Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy.