S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1271
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 7, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF, ALESSI, MILLER, THIELE, CALHOUN, KOLB,
WALKER, GIGLIO, ALFANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BACALLES,
BARRA, ERRIGO, McKEVITT, SPANO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT establishing the temporary task force on legislative items for
the purposes of investigating and making recommendations regarding
items of appropriation and providing for the repeal of such provisions
upon expiration thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Temporary task force on legislative items. 1. A temporary
task force, to be known as the temporary task force on legislative
items, is hereby created to investigate the effectiveness of and to
recommend alternatives regarding the current legislative item of appro-
priation process.
2. (a) The task force shall be bipartisan and consist of eleven
members of whom three shall be appointed by the governor, three members
appointed by the temporary president of the senate, three members
appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one member appointed by the
minority leader of the senate and one member appointed by the minority
leader of the assembly. All appointments shall be made within 30 days
after the date on which this act shall have become a law.
(b) A chair shall be elected by the members of the temporary task
force. Six members shall, at all times, constitute a quorum. Members
shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed
for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance
of any of their duties. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of
any general, special, or local law, no member of the legislature, offi-
cer or employee of the state or of any political subdivision thereof
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01671-01-9
A. 1271 2
shall forfeit his or her office or employment by reason of acceptance of
appointment to the temporary task force.
3. The task force is authorized, and shall have the powers of a legis-
lative committee as provided in article 4 of the legislative law, to
solicit input from civic groups throughout the state and hold a minimum
of three public hearings throughout the state to hear from the public on
the topic of legislative items of appropriation and the distribution of
such among each assembly and senate district.
4. After the solicitation of input from civic groups and the public
hearings, the task force shall establish:
(a) goals for legislative items, including requiring the legislature
and the governor to determine the most equitable distribution of such
legislative items to districts throughout the state without regard to
party affiliation of the member of the legislature;
(b) rules and regulations governing eligibility determination for
receiving legislative items and components;
(c) an application process with criteria for receiving and providing
legislative items and components to a member of the legislature for
distribution in such member's district;
(d) accountability mechanisms for legislative items and components
including, but not limited to, the identification of the legislative
member receiving such item, the funding amount of the item, and the
intent of the expenditure; and
(e) such other issues as the task force may deem important to the
efficient and effective operation of the legislative item of appropri-
ation process.
5. The task force shall make a written report to the governor, tempo-
rary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, minority leader
of the senate, and minority leader of the assembly of its findings,
conclusions and recommendations on or before June 30 of the year next
succeeding the year in which this act shall have become a law. Such
report shall be made available to the public and include such legisla-
tive proposals as shall be necessary to implement the task force's
recommendations.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire on the
first of July of the year next succeeding the year in which it shall
have become a law, when upon such date the provisions of this act shall
be deemed repealed.