Senate Business
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The Senators
As you look down at the Senate Chamber floor, the Majority party is seated to the right of the center aisle facing the Senate Desk. The Minority party is seated on the left. Some members of the Majority party sit at the rear of the Minority's side of the Chamber to balance the 62-seat house.
2007-2008 Senate Chamber Seating Chart
The Temporary President of the Senate, a Constitutional post, is also the Majority Leader. The Temporary President is seated on the aisle in the second row with the Deputy Majority Leader at his right and the Chairman of the Finance Committee directly in front.
The Minority Leader, Deputy Minority leader and the ranking Minority member of the Finance Committee have corresponding seats on their side of the aisle. All other Senators select their seats according to seniority. Those who have equal service draw lots to determine who chooses a seat first.
The Lieutenant Governor, who is the President of the Senate, presides over the Senate from the raised desk at the front of the Chamber. In the absence of the Lieutenant Governor, the Temporary President designates a member of the Senate to preside.
The Staff
The Secretary of the Senate oversees staff activities at the Senate Desk directly below the Lieutenant Governor. The Journal Clerk and deputy clerks handle the routine duties of a session.
Seated to the left of the Lieutenant Governor is a parliamentarian who assures that established guidelines are followed in the Senate's day-to-day operations.
At the Lieutenant Governor's right is a chair for a member of the clergy who delivers an opening prayer at the start of each day's session.
Just in front of the Senate Desk are chairs for reporters from newspapers throughout the state. In front of them, in the well of the Chamber, is the official stenographer and a sound controller, who operates a console that turns on and off microphones on the Senators' desks.
Senate pages occupy seats along the walls on each side of the Chamber. They are called upon to run errands and otherwise assist the Senators.
Attendants stand near the Chamber's doors at the rear and sides of the room. They are the Sergeant-at-Arms and his deputies. Other deputies are assigned to the galleries so that visitors do not disturb floor proceedings.
The Sergeant-at-Arms permits only authorized personnel to enter the Chamber. When the Senate directs a "Closed call of the Senate", the Sergeant-at-Arms is instructed to lock the Chamber doors to permit no Senator to leave during debate on an important bill. The Sergeant-at-Arms also is responsible for bringing absent Senators to the Chamber.
The Day's Business
A black binder containing the bills that have been introduced is on each Senator's desk. This provides quick reference when each bill is brought up for debate or a vote.
The State Constitution provides that no bill can become law unless it has been printed and on the desks of the Senators in its final form for three legislative days before passage. An exception is made when a bill is presented with a Message of Necessity from the Governor. Such a Message allows immediate action.
When a bill reaches the Order of Third Reading on the calendar, it is ready for action by the full Senate.
The Secretary of the Senate or a clerk designated by the Secretary reads the title of a bill when it is brought up for a vote. When debate is concluded, or if there is no debate, the last section of the bill is read and the roll of the Senators is called. Quite often it is done by what is known as a short roll call. All the Senators are considered to be voting "yes", unless they indicate a "no" vote by raising their hands.
When a slow roll call is requested by a Senator, at least four other Senators must indicate they support the request. In a slow roll call, the names of all Senators are called for their votes. The rules of the Senate permit a member two minutes to explain his or her vote during either a short or slow roll call.
You may hear a Senator ask that a bill be laid aside. This means that no action is taken at that time, but it will be considered again later. The Temporary President or a principal sponsor of a bill may request that a bill be "starred" (placed on an inactive list). No action can be taken on that bill until one day after it has been removed from the starred calendar.
A bill must be passed in identical form by both the Senate and the Assembly before it is sent to the Governor for his signature or veto. To expedite the procedure, a bill passed by one house may be substituted for an identical bill in the other house. When a bill is vetoed by the Governor, it may become law only if it re-passes each house by a two-thirds vote.
Text Source: New York State Senate, Welcome to the New York State Senate Gallery (Albany, New York State Senate, 1993)
