Senate Bill S8410

                                BILL NUMBER:S8410

TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to article 7 of the constitution, in relation to a timely state budget

PURPOSE:
This constitutional amendment would provide for budget reform in New
York State

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill would add a new Section 4-a to Article 7 of the
State Constitution, to provide as follows:

* That the legislature shall pass a state budget prior to the end of the
state fiscal year;

* That in the event the legislature does not pass a state budget prior
to the end of the state fiscal year, both the assembly and the senate
shall remain in session, and shall not adjourn, until such time as the
legislature has passed a state budget and transmitted the same to the
governor;

* That if the legislature does not pass a state budget prior to the end
of the state fiscal year, after the end of such state fiscal year,
neither the senate nor the assembly shall pass any bill or resolution,
              

other than a resolution or bill passing the state budget, unless such
bill or resolution is to respond to a state emergency, and in such case,
such emergency bill or resolution shall require a two thirds vote of all
the members elected in each house in order to pass; and

* That neither the senate nor the assembly, after March 1st, shall
include in any budget bill or resolution, any bill, portion of a bill,
or substantial language or content from a bill, which was introduced in
either house of the state legislature during the current legislative
session, unless such bill, portion of a bill, or substantial language or
content from the bill was included within the executive budget
originally submitted to the legislature by the governor.

JUSTIFICATION:
This Constitutional Amendment would provide for budget reform in New
York State.

It would require an on time budget to be passed by the legislature and
sent to the governor before the end of the state fiscal year.

It would provide that after the end of the state fiscal year, if no
budget has passed, that neither the senate nor the assembly could
adjourn, and must remain in session, until they have passed a state
budget and transmitted it to the governor.

It would further provide that after the end of the state fiscal year, if
no budget has passed, the legislature could not take up new bills or
resolutions (except for emergency measures which would require a 2/3
vote to pass) until they have passed a state budget and transmitted it
to the governor.

It would additionally provide that after March 1 neither the Senate nor
the Assembly could misuse the state budget to pass other substantive,
programmatic legislation, which has been otherwise introduced as a bill
before either house of the state legislature.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill in the Senate.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None noted.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment be
referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of the members of the assembly, and, in
conformity with section 1 of article 10 of the constitution, be
published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.