I recently co-sponsored legislation, introduced by a colleague, Assemblywoman Sandra R. Galef (90th A.D. - Ossining), which would end partisan posturing, reform the state budget process and cultivate a more efficient government that works cooperatively toward producing an on-time budget. Currently, 86 members of the Assembly, both Republicans and Democrats, sponsor this legislation in a bipartisan move to fix a broken system.

As many citizens, organizations, and local news organizations have pointed out, there is very little action going on in the New York State Legislature because of the differences between the three leaders of our state government. That is because when only one of the houses of the Legislature passes its version of the state budget, for example, it does not automatically become a law. The other house must pass the identical budget bills and have those bills signed by the governor. Even if there are only minor differences in a bill, it will never see the governor's desk and be signed into law.

Our legislation would revolutionize the state legislative process and end the continuation of late budgets by automatically institutionalizing a conference committee system to work out differences between the Assembly and Senate budget bills. Only with this legislation would both houses efficiently and effectively work out differences in a timely manner.

With 86 members of the Assembly, both Republicans and Democrats in agreement, this is surely a true indication that we are committed to fixing the broken system.

For more information, or questions or comments, contact my office at 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 315, Westbury, New York 11590, or call (516) 222-0007.