» Albany lawmakers close out quiet legislative session after voting continued into the weekend

State lawmakers passed a flurry of bills passed into the early hours of Saturday morning to close out this year’s legislative session. The state Senate adjourned early Saturday morning, but Assembly members returned later on Saturday to continue to pass bills before leaving Albany for the year. 

Unlike previous years, Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders seemingly had little appetite to take up any big policy items following a drawn-out budget process that ultimately resulted in the state budget’s passage more than a month late. On the agenda was a bill to automatically seal from the public criminal records after a certain period of time, also known as Clean Slate; numerous housing issues and rollbacks to the state’s public campaign finance laws. 

On Thursday, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, both Democrats, issued a statement that housing talks had broken down and pinned the blame on the governor.

“Unfortunately, it was clear that we could not come to an agreement with the governor on this plan,” they said in the statement. “It takes all three parties – the Senate, the Assembly and the governor – in order to enact legislation into law. There is no debate – New York is experiencing a housing crisis. All three chambers must immediately redouble our efforts and come up with a plan that the governor will sign into law.”

Also unusual, neither legislative leaders nor the governor held any media availability before closing out the legislative session, though Hochul did hold a gaggle Wednesday with reporters to provide an update on the air quality conditions. Hochul’s public schedule showed she flew to Washington D.C. Friday to meet with officials in the Biden administration about the migrant crisis.

CLEAN SLATE

The most controversial item, Clean Slate first passed the Assembly and ultimately passed the state Senate 38-25  around 10 p.m. Friday after hours of debate. The bill would seal records for felonies after eight years and after three years for misdemeanors. The bill would not apply to sex offenses, murder convictions and other serious felonies. 

Following its passage, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, R-Ballston, who argued against the bill on the floor, put out a statement. 

“I think it’s incredibly disappointing how the Assembly Majority chose to close out the Legislative session. Instead of working to address the affordability crisis that has hit so many, we spent hours debating and fighting against a proposal that will empower and reward criminals with more freedoms.”

ELECTIONS

Both houses also passed a bill that will roll back some parts of the state’s public campaign finance reforms. The goal of the original bill was to empower small donors to dilute the power of deep pocketed donors of campaigns. The program, set to begin in 2024, would match with public money donations of $250 or less. However, both houses on Friday passed a bill that would supplement donations as large as $10,000 with taxpayer money. The bill narrowly passed the state Senate, 32-31, meaning an unusual number of Democrats broke the party line to vote against the bill. 

Also related to elections, the state Legislature passed a bill to change most town and county elections to even-numbered years, when critics argue Democrats have the highest voter turnout. 

Another bill passed by both houses will expand early voting by allowing all voters to vote by mail. The proposal is similar to a constitutional amendment to allow no-excuse absentee balloting, which was ultimately rejected by voters in 2021. 

OTHER ISSUES

Local lawmakers also saw some of their key pieces of legislation passed this year. State Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, had advocated for nearly a decade a bill to create a Veterans Internship Program, which would enable honorably discharged veterans to participate in the state Legislature’s annual paid legislative internship program. The bill passed the state Senate last week and passed the Assembly on Wednesday. 

“Let’s not just talk the talk, let’s walk the walk and give back to our veterans and wounded warriors by truly thanking them for everything we hold dear as Americans and as New Yorkers by offering them a birds eye view of the government they sacrificed their blood, sweat and tears and in some cases, nearly their own lives to protect,” Tedisco said in a statement. 

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, had one bill passed that would require the state Energy Research & Development Agency to develop a statewide plan and financial estimate needed to ensure the state has adequate power transmission and distribution grid to meet the requirements to adequately needed to power EV charging stations required by the state’s climate change plan. 

“It is a common-sense, foundational step that the state needs to take as we move toward a zero-emission economy,” she said in a statement.

Assemblyman Phil Steck, D-Colonie, highlighted three bills passed this year. One bill would remove the $20 fee for funeral homes for each burial, removal or transfer permit issued on or remitted to the state to fund the state’s Electronic Death Registration System.

“It is rare in New York that fees or taxes are eliminated, especially on things that affect all citizens,” he said in a statement. 

One bill highlighted by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, D-Rotterdam, would allow the Schenectady County Legislature to provide a $250 tax rebate  for all property owners in the county who have a qualifying School Tax Relief [STAR] exemption. 

“Simply put, this bill puts money back into the pockets of hardworking families,” he said in a statement. “Especially during the economic challenges we’re facing, these rebate checks can provide homeowners with a much-needed relief.”

These are only a few of the hundreds of bills passed since January. These bills now head to Hochul’s desk, where she will decide to either sign or veto the bill. If a bill is not signed by the end of the year, the bill expires and it is automatically vetoed.

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