By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Lawmakers are set to return to Albany Wednesday evening for an "extraordinary session" to take another stab at passing the state's long-overdue budget.
While the majority of the budget was passed at the end of June, negotiations are continuing over two outstanding bills: one granting SUNY and CUNY more control over tuition and another that lays out what to do if the state loses millions in federal Medicaid funds, the Albany Times-Union reported.
The budget is now 119 days late.
"New Yorkers cannot afford to wait any longer for a final State budget," Paterson's Director of Communications, Morgan Hook, said in a statement announcing the session last Friday.
"State government has a responsibility to the people and businesses of New York; finish the work that Governor Paterson started in January when he proposed his budget plan," it read.
Since the announcement, some have been worried about the fact that not all of the Senate's 32 Democrats are expected be in attendance tonight. The party needs all of its votes to pass any bill.
But Senate Conference Majority spokesman Austin Shafran said that he doubts a vote will take place today.
Still, he remained confident that a solution can be brokered.
"We hope to negotiate a final resolution on the budget", he said.
The session is set to convene at 6 p.m. If the plan is not resolved Wednesday, the Governor will call a special session for Thursday, Hook said.
