ALBANY—Democrats in the State Senate are acknowledging (at least temporary) rejection in their offer of three committee chairmanships to Republicans.
“We will not have a formal announcement this week but we will be making an announcement shortly about one of our proposals to create a more bi-partisan chamber,” said Austin Shafran, a Democratic Read More
ALBANY—Dean Skelos, the Republican leader in the State Senate, is putting the brakes on a Democratic proposal to give members of his conference committee chairmanships.
“Senator [John] Sampson’s proposal to appoint new chairs should be considered along with these other recommendations, by the bipartisan committee, before any action is taken,” Skelos said in a Read More
ALBANY—The Senate Republicans are coming into some money.
Sources in the chamber say that about $6 million of increased allotments to members would be going out, in connection with what a spokesman called the "significant reforms" adopted last month in the throes of a 31-day stalemate.
On Thursday, Minority Leader Dean Read More
ALBANY—So now that the Senate is nominallly a functioning body, who’s running it?
It’s not an easy question to answer.
“It’s not a clear, bipartisan operating agreement, but it’s not as though the Democrats have established clear control over the Legislature again and are consistently moving their agenda,” Justin Phillips, a political science Read More
ALBANY—So now that the Senate is nominallly a functioning body, who's running it?
It's not an easy question to answer.
"It's not a clear, bipartisan operating agreement, but it's not as though the Democrats have established clear control over the Legislature again and are consistently moving their agenda," Justin Phillips, a political Read More
ALBANY—Senator Eric Schneiderman said the rules reforms adopted last night are "without peer," but they won't change anything in the Capitol immediately.
Possibly the most interesting rule is the petition for consideration, under which a bill languishing in committee could be moved to the active list (and, as such, to a floor vote) Read More
ALBANY—Senator Eric Schneiderman said the rules reforms adopted last night are “without peer,” but they won’t change anything in the Capitol immediately.
Possibly the most interesting rule is the petition for consideration, under which a bill languishing in committee could be moved to the active list (and, as such, to a floor vote) if Read More
ALBANY—Just before 8 p.m. last night, the State Senate finally came into session to confirm several judges to their slots. Like most things the body does, it was not free of inter-party rancor.
The first nominee was Richard Dollinger, a former Democratic senator and formerly failed judicial candidate from the Rochester area, who watched Read More
ALBANY—More than 12 hours after it was scheduled to convene in session, the State Senate limped into the chamber and passed a slew of new rules, the product of weeks of negotiation.
"I'd say on the whole they're a substantial improvement," Senator John Flanagan, a Suffolk County Republican, said. "They are less than Read More
ALBANY—More than 12 hours after it was scheduled to convene in session, the State Senate limped into the chamber and passed a slew of new rules, the product of weeks of negotiation.
“I’d say on the whole they’re a substantial improvement,” Senator John Flanagan, a Suffolk County Republican, said. “They are less than what Read More
