Assembly Bill A6073

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6073

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 24, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. GALEF, DINOWITZ, ORTIZ, ALESSI, BRADLEY, PAULIN,
  SCHROEDER, CAHILL, FIELDS, REILLY, LUPARDO, WEISENBERG, MAISEL, CLARK,
  RAIA, HAWLEY, SPANO, JAFFEE,  LAVINE,  MAGNARELLI,  KAVANAGH,  GIGLIO,
  CAMARA,  GUNTHER, DelMONTE, KELLNER, MILLMAN, STIRPE, CUSICK -- Multi-
  Sponsored by -- M. of A. BACALLES, BARCLAY, BOYLAND, BURLING, CALHOUN,
  CHRISTENSEN, COLTON,  CONTE,  CROUCH,  DIAZ,  DUPREY,  ERRIGO,  FINCH,
  FITZPATRICK, GABRYSZAK, GORDON, HAYES, HIKIND, HYER-SPENCER, JEFFRIES,
  JOHN, KOLB, KOON, LANCMAN, LIFTON, MAGEE, MAYERSOHN, McDONOUGH, McKEV-
  ITT, MILLER, MOLINARO, PEOPLES, PERRY, PHEFFER, QUINN, REILICH, ROSEN-
  THAL,  RUSSELL,  SALADINO,  SAYWARD,  SCHIMEL,  SCOZZAFAVA, SEMINERIO,
  SWEENEY, TEDISCO, THIELE, TOWNS, TOWNSEND, WALKER,  WRIGHT,  ZEBROWSKI
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations

AN  ACT  to  amend the legislative law, in relation to the continuity of
  legislative sessions

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Legislative  intent. The legislature finds that while New
York and most other states operate on  two-year  legislative  calendars,
only  the  legislature  of  the  state of New York interrupts procedural
continuity of legislation during the  two-year  session.  This  practice
commonly  requires  the  reconsideration  and  readoption of hundreds of
bills during the  second  year  which  were  previously  considered  and
adopted  during  the  first  year.  The legislature determines that this
practice is usually unnecessary and  expends  time  and  taxpayer  money
which could be better spent addressing other important legislative busi-
ness.  The  legislature  therefore  declares  its intent to preserve the
procedural continuity of  all  bills  within  the  biennial  legislative
session.
  S  2.  The  legislative law is amended by adding a new section 42-a to
read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01670-01-9

              

A. 6073                             2

  S 42-A. CONTINUITY OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. 1. UPON PASSAGE OF A  BILL
BY  ONE  HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE, SUCH BILL SHALL AUTOMATICALLY BE SENT
TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE IN THE OTHER HOUSE FOR ACTION ON SUCH BILL,
WHERE THAT HOUSE MAY ACT ON THE BILL AT ANY TIME DURING THE REMAINDER OF
THE BIENNIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
  2.  NO BILL REPORTED BY A STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE OR ASSEMBLY
SHALL BE REFERRED BACK TO THAT COMMITTEE UNLESS  SUCH  BILL  SHALL  HAVE
BEEN AMENDED.
  3.  EVERY BILL WHICH SHALL HAVE REACHED THE ORDER OF THIRD READING BUT
WHICH SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN ACTED ON BY THE HOUSE BEFORE THE  END  OF  THE
FIRST  YEAR OF THE TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION SHALL MAINTAIN ITS PLACE
ON THE ORDER OF THIRD READING UNTIL THE HOUSE SHALL ACT ON SUCH BILL  OR
UNTIL THE END OF THE TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION UNLESS SUCH BILL SHALL
HAVE  BEEN  AMENDED,  IN  WHICH CASE SUCH BILL MAY BE REFERRED BACK TO A
STANDING COMMITTEE FOR RECONSIDERATION.
  4. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL  NOT  APPLY  TO  BUDGET  BILLS
INTRODUCED   BY   THE   GOVERNOR   PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  SEVEN  OF  THE
CONSTITUTION, BILLS REQUIRING A HOME RULE MESSAGE FROM ONE OR MORE LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE NINE  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION,  CONCURRENT
RESOLUTIONS  TO  AMEND  THE CONSTITUTION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE NINETEEN OF
THE CONSTITUTION OR BILLS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION FIFTY  OF
THIS ARTICLE.
  S  3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a  law;  provided,  that  the
senate  and assembly shall, by concurrent resolution, adopt rules neces-
sary to implement this act within twenty days after such act shall  have
become a law.