Capitol cyber attack ahead of budget vote, first bills could pop Wednesday night

Plus, the Future Caucus is charting a new course for Albany and On The Bill looks at teacher evaluations.

Good afternoon — it’s Wednesday, and National Banana Day.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• A cyberattack brought the budget to a momentary halt Wednesday

• When will budget bills pop, and when will they get a vote?

• The Future Caucus in the Legislature is charting a new course for Albany

• Marist Poll shows low marks for Hochul, economic confidence

• On The Bill looks at legislation to overhaul teacher evaluations

🔨 Is Tomorrow a Session Day? Not scheduled, but session is expected.

☁️ Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Rain likely, mid-40s New York City: Rain likely, low 50s (National Weather Service)

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The Bill Drafting Commission was hit with a cyberattack. (Dan Clark/Times Union)

🖥️ No budget bills yet but they could start to pop Wednesday night

⚡ It could only happen in Planet Albany: a cyberattack struck the Legislative Bill Drafting Commission Wednesday morning, sending the budget process to a momentary halt. 

A few hours later, when that news began to spread, spokespeople for the Senate and Assembly said the attack won’t slow down the commission’s work — finalizing the nine remaining budget bills.

• They then have to be introduced into the bill filing system, where they’ll be available for public view.

And Gov. Kathy HOCHUL said Wednesday morning the commission had a backup plan straight out of a time travel movie.

“We have to go back to the more antiquated system we had in place in 1994,” Hochul said. “So that means a couple more days on the actual bills and the actual vote.”

• Hochul said they’re trying to find the source of the attack, which happened in “the wee hours of the morning,” she said.

• When asked if she thought the attack was politically motivated, Hochul said she couldn’t answer that.

Read more on the cyberattack from the Times Union’s Josh Solomon. (Free for CapCon subscribers)

🕚 So, when are we expecting budget bills to pop?

The first bills of the remaining nine could be introduced as soon as Wednesday night, sources in the Legislature said Wednesday.