ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul made reliable, affordable and zero-emission energy a priority in her 2026 policy speech Tuesday, with plans to build out new nuclear power.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to deliver her 2026 agenda in her annual State of the State speech after a series of previews about child care plans and more

Gov. Kathy Hochul used her fifth State of the State address to set up her 2026 re-election campaign, casting herself against the Trump administration and in sync with progressives who scored big wins last year with the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Hochul's Tuesday afternoon speech will lay out her legislative agenda for the year and is expected to focus largely on affordability.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the Speech focused on lowering living costs such as child care and speeding housing construction with quicker reviews.

In her address on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York focused on affordability, while pushing for nuclear power and new restrictions on religious protests.

ALBANY— Gov. Kathy Hochul was pelted with boos during her State of the State address Tuesday in an odd moment that had nothing to do with politics. A scripted crack at the end of the 50-minute speech that was meant to sound like a dis of her hometown NFL Buffalo Bills caught the Empire State crowd off guard.

Hochul said she will push this year to amend the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQRA, to exempt some housing development. That commitment was hailed by developers and housing advocates as a positive step toward easing the state’s housing crisis while still protecting the environment.

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York is expected to adopt some of the affordability message of Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City as she faces a contested re-election bid.