Assembly Action Highlights
The Week Ending February 27, 2004

Charles Carrier, Press Secretary

Silver And Farrell Present Annual State Revenue And Economic Forecast Reports

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman"Denny" Farrell, Jr. released the Assembly’s annual New York State Revenue and Economic Forecast Reports. Among the reports’ findings are the governor’s 2004-05 budget proposal topped $100 billion and underestimated revenues by a total of $656 million.

"While New York State may have started to turn the corner toward economic recovery, we have a lot of ground to make up and growth is slow," said Silver at a morning news conference. "It is my hope that armed with this information we can continue our fast-paced budget progress and craft a spending plan that provides for our state’s school children, college students and health-care system, while creating jobs."

"The detailed and extensive analysis contained in these reports provides us with as clear a financial picture as possible as we proceed through the budget process," said Farrell. "I commend the Ways and Means staff for their efforts in producing this valuable information and extend my appreciation to the members of the Assembly’s independent Board of Economic Advisors who provided valuable insight in preparing these documents."

According to the reports produced by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, over the past two years, the state economy continued to lag behind the rest of the nation in wages and employment. Indeed, if New York State had grown at the same rate as the nation did during 1995-2003, we would have 432,900 additional jobs.

Silver said that while the state is witnessing some rebound in its economy, he is concerned that the governor’s failed economic policies will put the state further behind the rest of the nation. "I urge the governor to get serious about pressing President George Bush to obtain the financial assistance due this state following the September 11 attacks," said the speaker.

Despite serious concerns over the nation’s continuing "jobless recovery," Silver noted some hopeful signs, including moderate growth in the state’s vital securities industry, the stock market, corporate profits and bonuses. The Assembly forecasts state wage growth to accelerate from an anemic 1.2 percent in 2003 to 4.8 percent in 2004. At the same time, state employment, which is expected to have declined by .5 percent in 2003, is projected to grow by .7 percent in 2004.

Assembly Passes Election Reforms (HAVA)To Modernize NY Voting System

Silver was joined by Election Law Committee Chair Keith Wright and Governmental Operations Chair RoAnn M. Destito at a news conference to discuss a five- bill legislative package, later approved by the Assembly, aimed at the integrity of New York’s electoral process and bringing New York into compliance with the federal "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA) of 2002.

HAVA is designed to help states create a uniform, computerized, voter- registration list and standardized their electronic voting machines. In order to receive federal funds available under HAVA, each state must design a plan, pass enabling legislation and appropriate state funds to modernize its voting procedures. The process must also include efforts to promote citizen participation and provide for public review.

"HAVA provides a historic opportunity to modernize our voting system and make voter registration more efficient and accurate," said Silver. "We owe it to the voters of New York to improve our electoral system, protect our democratic processes and encourage the broadest possible participation. This package of bills does that."

"The Assembly Majority has a long history as champions for legislation that encourages voter participation and protects the integrity of our electoral process," said Silver. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of Assembly members Wright and Destito, who are working to ensure the election process truly meets the needs of voters. This legislative package will help ensure trust in the process so that all voices are heard."

The speaker also thanked Assembly members Kevin Cahill and Michael Benjamin for their efforts to develop legislation to protect the rights of all voters and ensure the integrity of state and local elections. The Assembly legislation, which was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support, received the endorsement of Common Cause/ NY, New York State Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and the League of Women Voters of New York State.

These bills would ensure that HAVA is fully operational by 2006, when New York State is required to implement a statewide voter registration database, new voting system standards and procedures to verify voters’ identities.

The HAVA package includes measures that would require poll workers to be trained and tested annually, using a core curriculum developed by the state Board of Elections and modified to meet local needs (A.8833-B, Wright); establish a computerized, centralized, interactive statewide voter registration list with proper privacy protections to ease confusion at the polls (A.8842-A, Destito); ban punch ballots and require a single type of electronic voting machine that would be accessible to all citizens (A.8847-A, Wright); provide an administrative procedure through which a voter may make a complaint relating to any violation of Title III of HAVA (A.8841-A, Benjamin); and establish basic guidelines to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to polling sites (A.5473-A, Cahill).

Legislature To Hold Joint Legislative Conference Committee On Budget Reform

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno announced the convening of the joint Legislative Conference Committee on Budget Reform to resolve differences between each house’s legislation (A.9615, S.1-A and S.2-A) to change the state’s current budget process.

The joint conference committee will meet in public on Monday, March 1 at 3:30 p.m. in Hearing Room "B" of the Legislative Office Building. Legislators who will represent their respective house on the committee are Co-Chairs Assemblyman Farrell, Jr., and Senator Own H. Johnson, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and Assembly members RoAnn Destito, Alexander B. Grannis, Susan V. John and Thomas F. Barraga. Senators John R. Kuhl, Jr., Thomas W. Libous, Guy J. Vellella and Suzi V. Oppenheimer also will serve on the conference committee.

Silver Announces Agreement On Peddlers Bill Affecting New York City Street Vendors

Silver announced a legislative agreement with the Senate and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to reinstate a vending system on New York City Streets for veterans who have physical disabilities.

"This bill balances the needs of businesses and veteran vendors while also continuing the city’s ability to ensure the safety of its pedestrian and vehicular traffic," said Silver.

Under the bill (A.9889), the number of veteran vending licenses would be expanded from 60 to 105. It would allow vending to continue in the Midtown core area, and it would require vendors to position their merchandise no closer than 10 feet from a street corner. The measure would prohibit all vending in the Ground Zero area and expand the restricted vending area on 42nd Street by one block from 7th Avenue to 8th Avenue.