The state Assembly over two days in Albany this week approved hundreds of measures as they wrapped up the six-month legislative session. 

But lawmakers declined to take up a bill that would expand subsidized health care coverage to include more New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status. 

Advocates were disappointed by the lack of progress on the measure in the state Assembly, which was approved earlier this month in the state Senate. Gov. Kathy Hochul has raised cost concerns over the legislation, however, signaling her skepticism over whether the money was available from an untapped pot of federal dollars in the long term. 

New York was able to secure permission from the federal government to tap into the money, which Hochul had pegged at more than $2 billion. 

“This year, Albany lacked the political courage to do what is right not only for immigrant New Yorkers, but all New Yorkers," said Murad Awawdeh, the executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. "Our labor continues to be a crucial part of New York’s economic engine and when our families are struggling, so is New York. It’s deeply disappointing that Albany failed immigrant New Yorkers in their time of need, when xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant sentiment are rising across the state."

Hochul in prior years has vetoed bills with spending attached them, arguing they should be considered as part of the budget discussions. 

Republicans, meanwhile, were critical of the two days of legislative work in Albany, which saw mostly a flurry of local-level measures get approved. 

Assemblyman Ed Ra, a Republican from Long Island, knocked the lack of agreement to address issues like crime and the cost of living in New York. 

“Assembly Democrats once again had an opportunity to focus on key issues that have led to the massive exodus of New Yorkers: a dangerous surge in crime and an affordability crisis caused by rapid inflation and over-taxation," Ra said. "Instead, spending increased to even more unsustainable levels, and we are now staring at a more than $9 billion deficit in next year’s budget. Further, the Majority refused to allow bills to move forward to address the increase in crime caused by bail and discovery reform or to establish a plan to handle the influx of migrants into New York state."