The first day of the 2013 legislative session was like none I have experienced in decades. It started with pink in early morning and ended with guns after midnight.
Women’s Equity
Monday, January 14 was Family Planning Advocates’ (FPA) lobby day. There was a sea of pink in the well of the LOB as men and women, all wearing vivid pink scarfs or ties, gathered to rally support for the Reproductive Health Act (RHA). This year, however, there was a twist.
Following Governor Cuomo’s State of the State address announcing the Women’s Equity Act – which includes the RHA – FPA displayed signs that read “Women’s Equity” Act. This new initiative includes ten issues which, when taken together, will enhance women’s economic, safety and reproductive health.
Back in the well of the LOB, the Lieutenant Governor attended and spoke on the initiative for the Governor. Speaker Silver followed, with a pink scarf draped around his shoulder like a shawl, and spoke eloquently about pay equity and the RHA. He was surrounded by scores of Assembly members. Several Democratic Senators also spoke, including Jeff Klein, the new co-leader of the Majority Coalition in the Senate. For the rest of Monday, pink scarved men and women weaved their way through the halls of the LOB and the Capitol.
Gun Control
For weeks after the tragedy at Newtown, CT, Governor Cuomo had been negotiating a package of strong gun control measures with legislative leaders. The deal between the new Majority Coalition Conference in the Senate and the Assembly leadership was sealed at about 4:00 PM on Monday afternoon.
Once the bill was printed the Senate began debate at about 10:30 PM, with several Dems speaking in support – including Senator Jeff Klein, the Senate Co-leader. Only two Republicans spoke, including Senator Ball who condemned the bill as a crass political move by the Governor to run for President. The Senate passed the bill 43 to 18 shortly after midnight.
Speaker Silver scheduled his chamber’s debate for 10:00 AM Tuesday to give the Assembly Minority time to conference the bill. After a five hour debate where every Republican and several Democratic Assembly members spoke, the bill passed by a vote of 104 to 43. It had been 13 years since the Legislature had addressed gun control.
This has to be seen as a major success for Governor Cuomo as he begins this new session. It is also a success for the League as we have had a position on strong gun control since 1990, although with respect to process we agree with our good government colleagues and the editorial board of the New York Times that pushing this complex bill through using a message of necessity did not allow for appropriate public discussion and a transparent legislative process.
Written by Barbara Bartoletti, LWVNYS Legislative Director
Follow Barbara’s blog: http://lwvny-capitolbeat.blogspot.com/
