On May 7, the New York State Assembly passed A4980, a bill to provide public funding for candidates for state office. The vote was 88-50. Now the bill goes to the State Senate.

Like the Arizona and Maine public funding programs, but unlike the Connecticut program, the bill does not discriminate for or against any candidate on the basis of party affiliation or independent status. The bill requires candidates who receive public funding to participate in at least one candidate debate. These debates would be open to all ballot-listed candidates, whether the candidates were eligible for public funding or not. Here is the text of the bill. The more interesting parts start about mid-way through the bill; the bill has other provisions not related to public funding.