‘Insult to democracy’: New York Assembly tries to silence GOP votes in Albany

On Tuesday, Albany Democrats tightened their grip on New York’s legislative agenda with a power play aimed at preventing debate on topics like bail reform.

The vast majority of the Democratic Assembly now places strict limits on the number of times per year members can force a committee vote on bills, a move that allows them to effectively block the vast majority of GOP-backed laws without debate.

“In fact, not only bills are being considered. It encourages conversations,” Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Valley Stream) said. “This is another way to centralize power.”

The proposal was made by Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes (Buffalo State), Assembly Speaker Senior Lieutenant Carl Histie (Bronx State).

Another change, also approved by a resolution passed on Monday, effectively requires GOP lawmakers to attend legislative sessions while still allowing Democrats to vote yes by default.

Assembly members have traditionally been able to force committee votes on bills by using a parliamentary maneuver called “99” – forcing chairmen to vote before the end of the regular legislative session in June.

In the past, Republicans have used 99, also known as the Motion to Dismiss, to force Democrats to formalize their opposition to more gun crimes on bail, to prevent parole for child killers, and to shoot a “public safety officer.” “. “Class B felony, among other counts.

“Basically, it puts all of us in charge,” said Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R-Staten Island), who used the maneuver to get the Democrats on the left to go on record as to why they don’t want judges to have more leeway. actions when imprisoning people before-trial.


Andy Goodell, wearing a signature sweater vest, points on the red carpet in the Assembly Hall.
Assemblyman Andy Goodell, leader of the GOP in the Assembly, said the Democrat-backed rule changes are “an affront to democracy.”
AP

But GOP lawmakers can now only do so four times a year, compared to in the past, when an individual member could theoretically do so on nearly 200 bills a year.

“It’s all designed to reduce the number of Republican bills they even have to look at, and reduce the number of bills they have to explain why they don’t vote yes,” Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R-Jamestown), Member parliament. The GOP leader said on Tuesday.


Carl Histie sits in front of a blurry Robert Ortt.
Assembly Speaker Carl Histie declined to answer Tuesday when asked why Democrats changed House rules in a way that disadvantaged both Republicans and Progressives.
AP

Legislators from both parties have also been leaning towards it in recent years as part of efforts to overcome committee chairs’ opposition to bills, ranging from a progressive drive to expand state power last year to a push by the GOP in 2019 to provide “Gold Star families” with more tuition aid.


Meeting room from the balcony with red carpet and many beautiful woodwork on the ceiling.
A new Assembly rule allows members to vote for bills by default while those who vote against must physically appear in the House, putting Republicans at a disadvantage.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The timing of the rule change seemed suspicious to Republicans, given that Assembly Democrats began broadcasting committee meetings only after years of criticism over a lack of transparency compared to the state Senate.

“It seems like a complete coincidence that just a few weeks after the Assembly finally began broadcasting committee meetings, the majority is passing a rule change that limits the ability of members to force the committee to consider their bills!” Ra tweeted Monday.


Ed Ra in a blue suit with folded arms in the boardroom
Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra says the rule changes are about “centralization of power” in Democratic hands.
AP

Republicans have also expressed outrage, they are also outraged by another change in Assembly rules that allows lawmakers to skip full house sessions if they don’t mind being listed as a yes vote, unless in a Democratic supermajority-dominated house. .

Anyone who wants to vote against bills being put to the vote will have to physically enter the House in a change that followed Albany Democrats’ December approval of a $32,000 pay raise, making the $142,000 salary given to state legislators New York, the highest. in the nation.

“The new process is an insult to democracy. Members have been elected by their constituents to hear the debate and make an informed vote,” said Goodell.

“They give themselves such a huge pay raise and then they vote no show for work,” he added.

Assembly Speaker Carl Histi’s press secretary (D – who boycotted questions from the New York Post over the past two weeks – did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday about the rule change.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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