FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jake Oliver, jake@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-9983
February 20, 2026

Statement from the New York Legal Services Coalition on IOLA Funding in the Governor’s 30-Day Budget Amendments

ALBANY, NY – The New York Legal Services Coalition released the following statement from President Kristin Brown in response to the Governor’s 30-day budget amendments, which did not restore full appropriation authority for the Interest on Lawyer Account (IOLA) Fund:

“We are deeply disappointed that the Governor’s 30-day amendments fail to provide the full $102.5 million requested by the IOLA Fund. Failing to allocate the full amount requested not only weakens the civil legal services system, it directly undermines the Governor’s priorities of keeping New Yorkers housed and protecting immigrant communities.

“This funding is not taxpayer money. It is generated from interest on attorney escrow accounts and is already held by IOLA for the sole statutory purpose of supporting the provision of civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers.

“In civil cases—unlike criminal matters—there is no guaranteed right to counsel, even when people are fighting to stay in their homes, escape abuse, or secure critical benefits. Without stable IOLA funding, low-income New Yorkers will be left to navigate life-altering legal crises alone.

“IOLA is now in the second year of a carefully structured five-year contracting process designed to provide predictability and strengthen services statewide. Failure to provide full spending authority will force cuts to contracts already awarded, resulting in job losses, fewer services, and disruption to long-planned system improvements.

“We call on the Legislature and Governor to restore full spending authority in the final enacted budget. Protecting IOLA funding is essential to advancing New York’s commitments to affordability, immigrant protection, and equal access to justice.”

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