Little Accomplished in Extraordinary Session

The Senate and Assembly returned to Albany this week in response to the Governor’s call for an extraordinary session. The Governor’s agenda included addressing the current fiscal year $315 million budget deficit through spending cuts, bailing out the NYC OTB, eliminating the notification required prior to the closure of State facilities, and creating a commission to evaluate and adjust judicial salaries.

The Senate was only in session on Monday. Senate Democrats, missing one member, took up just a few bills and a small number of gubernatorial nominations. The Senate did not consider the Governor’s spending cuts, but did approve the bill creating a judicial salary commission.

The Assembly was in session on both Monday and Tuesday. In addition to approving the judicial salary commission bill, the Assembly also approved the NYC OTB bailout and other bills submitted by the Governor for consideration in the extraordinary session. The Assembly also returned to “regular” session and gave final passage to three bills that the Senate approved earlier this year: imposing a moratorium on natural gas exploration through May 15, 2011, enacting the wage theft prevention act, and a “chapter amendment” to a measure requiring utility companies (among others) to pay prevailing wages to service workers.

All three of these bills are considered to be unfriendly to business. The gas exploration bill, due to the bill being poorly written, jeopardizes up to 5,000 current and future jobs. The bill will actually put a stop to almost all gas extraction. The Wage Theft bill adds additional paperwork requirements for employers and could lead to litigation and damages for back wages. The final bill, known as the Service Workers bill, adds more work classifications to the definition of “service worker” and will likely result in higher energy costs for homeowners and businesses.

On Tuesday, Governor-elect Cuomo criticized the Legislature for its inaction, especially on its failure to make budget cuts.

According to published reports, the Senate may return to Albany within the next few weeks to take up at least some of its unfinished business.

Legislative Leaders Re-Elected by their Respective Conferences

All four of the legislative conferences have re-elected their current leaders for the 2011 legislative session.

On Monday, Senator Dean Skelos (R-Nassau County) was re-elected by Senate Republicans as head of their conference. Currently Senate Minority Leader, he is likely to assume the position of Temporary President and Senate Majority Leader in January. Skelos said Senator Tom Libous (R-Binghamton), will remain as his top deputy.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) was re-elected by the Assembly Democratic Conference on Monday. He has served as Assembly Speaker since 1994.

Also on Monday, Senate Democrats re-elected Senator John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) as their leader. Currently serving as the functional Senate Majority Leader, Sampson is likely to become Senate Minority Leader in January. Sampson said that Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) will continue as his top deputy.

Earlier this month, the Assembly Republican Conference re-elected Assemblyman Brian Kolb (R-Canandaigua), as their leader. Kolb will continue to serve as Assembly Minority Leader.