The New York State budget is now a week overdue, and with the spring holidays upon us, lawmakers will not return to Albany until Monday, when they are likely to pass a budget extender to keep state employees paid.
Negotiations between Governor Kathy Hochul and Democratic legislative leaders have stalled over big ticket items including housing and public safety.
Republican State Senator Jim Tedisco of the Capital Region is co-sponsoring the “Budget Transparency Act” – legislation that he says would prevent lawmakers, the media, and members of the public from being left in the dark during the budgeting process.
The constitutional amendment would stop the clock on legislative proceedings between midnight and 8 a.m. and limit messages of necessity except in the case of emergency. A message of necessity removes the requirement that a bill age for three days before being voted on. Tedisco’s bill would require a message of necessity to be voted on by a two-thirds majority.
WAMC’s Lucas Willard spoke with Tedisco about the bill and the stalled budgeting process.
