Gov. Hochul faces backlash over attempt to divert $120m from legal aid fund

The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) has voiced strong opposition to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent executive budget proposal, which aims to redirect $120 million from the Indigent Legal Services Fund to the state’s general fund. 

This move, coupled with the denial of a $46.3 million budget increase requested by Indigent Legal Services, has sparked concern among legal professionals and advocacy groups regarding the potential impact on legal aid for the state’s most vulnerable populations.

Richard Lewis, NYSBA president, criticized the proposal for jeopardizing essential legal services for indigent New Yorkers, particularly in areas such as Family Court and public defense. The proposal requires an annual appropriation for the distribution of these earmarked funds, a process that has repeatedly seen the executive branch withhold necessary funding, according to Lewis.

“Gov. Hochul is proposing to sweep $120 million earmarked for Indigent Legal Services into the state’s general fund,” Lewis said. “She has also rejected a request from Indigent Legal Services for a $46.3 million increase over last year’s budget — all of which would have come from the Indigent Legal Services Fund and none of which needed to be appropriated from the general budget.