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Proposed Senate operating agreement
Alright, the next round: read the document proposed by the Senate Democrats to pass emergency bills here (.pdf) The full taxt is here:
WHEREAS the Democratic and Republican Conferences are unable to agree as to who is the validly elected President Pro Tempore of the New York State Senate; and
WHEREAS in order to move forward with legislation critical to the people of this state, the Democratic Conference and the Republican Conference (which, combined with Senator Espada, identifies themselves as the “Reform Coalition”) are willing to put aside temporarily the dispute over the election of the President Pro Tempore, and to suspend the Rules of the Senate for the purpose of considering legislation critical to the public and municipalities of the State;
WE HEREBY PROPOSE the following bipartisan operating agreement to allow the New York State Senate to function for a regular session on June 30th, 2009, that will allow critical legislation to come before the Senate for a vote:
- Term of Agreement. This agreement shall bind parties during regular session of the New York State Senate on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009.
- Presiding Officers. Two Presiding Officers of the Senate shall be designated to serve during such Session. The Democratic Conference shall nominate three Senators from their conference and the Republican Conference shall nominate three Senators from their conference. The Republican Conference shall choose one Senator from the list provided by the Democratic Conference. The Democratic Conference shall choose one Senator from the list provided by the Republican Conference. Such Presiding Officers shall alternate on an hourly basis.
- Floor Leaders. The parties agree to alternate Floor Leaders during such Session, one each to be designated by the Democratic Conference and the Republican Conference, respectively. Whenever the Presiding Officer is a Democrat, the Floor Leader shall be a Republican, and whenever the Presiding Officer is a Republican, the Floor Leader shall be a Democrat.
- Legislation for Consideration. The parties agree that the only bills to come before the Senate during its Session on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 shall be those bills set forth in the attached Appendix, which are agreed to by the Democratic Conference, the Republican Conference and Senator Espada. Except for a motion to adjourn upon agreement and those limited motions or procedures necessary to bring the legislation described in the attached Appendix for a vote, no other legislative matters, resolutions, motions, including motions to amend or procedures of any kind shall be considered.
- Senate Procedures. For the purposes of consideration of the bills listed on the attached Appendix on Tuesday June 30, 2009, the parties agree to suspend the Senate Rules to enable all of the bills that the parties have agreed to, as referenced in paragraph 4 and set forth in the Appendix to this agreement, to be brought to the Senate Floor for immediate consideration by the full Senate.
Dated: June 29, 2009
Albany, New York





Re: Proposed Senate operating agreement
"identifies themselves"???
Aside from that one rather uncomfortable grammatical glitch, there is an interesting omission -- all of the procedures that call for "one Republican" fail to mention the possibility that the "Republican Conference" might want to choose Espada. I wonder what the Democratic leaders' response will be when Skelos, et. al. demand to add Espada as a "coalition member," or replace "Republican Conference" with "Bipartisan Coalition."
If the Democrats are really interested in getting things done, they'll accede to this demand (which will certainly come).
Re: Proposed Senate operating agreement
They're Democrats, Dan. What were you expecting? Competence?
Re: Proposed Senate operating agreement
Well ... certainly a tad more competence than the mental midget who sat behind the Resolute desk for eight years.