ALBANY – Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday, April 3, an extended period of deliberation regarding the 2017 budget in the wake of both houses’ inability to come to a consensus by Saturday, April 1’s deadline, the first day of the 2017-18 fiscal year.

According to Cuomo, the extender of the current one-year budget serves to keep the government fully functioning through May 31.

One particular issue at hand responsible for bringing budget talks to a stalemate – according to separate releases from Cuomo, Senator Fred Akshar, and Assemblyman Clifford Crouch – is the Raise the Age policy, which would amend New York State’s current policy to treat 16- and 17-year-olds as adults for purposes of criminal responsibility. NYS is currently one of two states in the nation who currently try 16- and 17-year-old offenders as adults.

“The single, divisive issue that has stalled the budget process is Raising the Age of criminal responsibility,” said NYS Senator Fred Akshar of the 52nd District, comprising all of Broome and Tioga counties, and portions of Chenango and Delaware counties.