Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday is set to unveil an ambitious multiyear plan to dramatically expand free or affordable child care across New York, a proposal that would move the state toward universal access while aligning her closely with one of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s central campaign promises.

Hochul is expected to introduce the framework alongside Mamdani at a joint appearance Thursday morning, with the initiative formally rolled into her State of the State address on January 13. Her office said the long-term goal is to offer universal child care statewide, beginning with investments in this year’s budget that would create access for roughly 100,000 additional children. The state budget is due April 1.

The announcement comes just days into Mamdani’s first term as mayor. A democratic socialist, Mamdani campaigned on making child care free for all New Yorkers under the age of five. Despite sharp ideological differences, Hochul, a moderate Democrat, and Mamdani have identified child care as shared ground. Hochul highlighted that alignment when she endorsed Mamdani during last year’s mayoral race.

Under Hochul’s executive budget proposal, the state would expand the number of pre-K seats and increase funding for existing programs, with the aim of achieving universal pre-K for 4-year-olds statewide by the start of the 2028–2029 school year. While some low-income families currently receive assistance, middle-class families outside New York City often shoulder the full cost of care.

Hochul also said she plans to work with Mamdani to overhaul the city’s troubled 3K program and make it truly universal. The program faced cuts under former Mayor Eric Adams and currently does not serve all families with 3-year-olds who want or need access.

In addition, the city will begin rolling out a new initiative dubbed “2 Care,” starting in high-need neighborhoods selected by the city and expanding citywide by its fourth year. Hochul has pledged to fully fund the program for its first two years.

“Since taking office, I’ve put families front and center, fighting to make our state more affordable and laying the groundwork to deliver universal child care,” Hochul said in a statement.

Mamdani has said that his three core campaign priorities — freezing rents on stabilized units, making buses free, and establishing universal child care — must be achieved by the end of his term. “In order for that to be the case, we have to start taking real steps, especially when it comes to child care, early,” he said in a recent interview, emphasizing the need to build infrastructure gradually rather than attempting a single sweeping rollout.

Significant questions remain about cost. Mamdani has estimated that universal child care for children aged six months to five years could cost $6 billion annually in New York City alone. Other estimates place the price tag for a fully realized statewide program at up to $15 billion per year.

Even so, child care providers and policy experts welcomed Hochul’s framework, saying it not only expands access but also strengthens an underfunded system. “It’s huge,” said Peter Nabozny of The Children’s Agenda, pointing to both financial commitments and needed structural reforms.

Rebecca Bailin of New Yorkers United for Child Care credited Mamdani with forcing the issue into the political spotlight. “This offers a real path to making New York affordable for working families,” she said.

The proposal arrives at a pivotal moment for Hochul, who faces reelection this year and pressure from both the left and right. While she has focused heavily on affordability, she has resisted income tax increases that Mamdani supports to fund child care and other priorities. Still, the rising cost of child care has broad political resonance.

“There’s one thing that every family in New York can agree on,” Hochul said. “The cost of child care is simply too high.”

Hochul’s plan will be negotiated with legislative leaders in the coming months. It also calls for expanding the state’s child care voucher program, including an additional $1.2 billion investment to bring total funding to $3 billion, as well as the creation of a new Office of Child Care and Early Education. She also plans to expand the child and dependent care tax credit and introduce new measures to support and grow the child care workforce statewide.