Rabbitt Calls For Limit On Number Of Bills To Focus On The People’s Business

March 15, 2011

Surrounded by an erupting citizen protest in the Assembly Chamber today, Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt (R,C,I-Greenwood Lake) called for a limit to be placed on the amount of bills individual lawmakers can introduce.

“Today is another ‘lobby day,’ when residents, groups and organizations travel to the Capitol from all across the state to ask us ‘What are you doing to help me?’ By addressing a one-house budget resolution, the Assembly’s answer is ‘nothing’,” said the assemblywoman. “The only thing that will actually help people is to cut taxes, eliminate unfunded mandates, and get government out of the way. We need to stop taking from homeowners and businesses in order to give New Yorkers a chance at prosperity.”

As the protest continued, stalling debate on the Assembly Majority’s one-house budget resolution, Assemblywoman Rabbitt continued, “If lawmakers could only introduce a limited number of bills, they would focus on the priorities that really matter to their constituents and to our state as a whole. It would force both houses to come together, build consensus and help get something finally accomplished.”

Each legislative session, tens of thousands of bills are introduced in Albany. In the last legislative cycle, more than 11,000 bills were introduced in the Assembly and another 8,000 in the Senate. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the New York State Legislature consistently introduces the highest volume of bills of all legislatures in the nation, even beating out Massachusetts, which is the only state in the nation to allow citizens, as well as legislators, to introduce bills.

A video of Assemblywoman Rabbitt’s remarks can be watched by visiting her Facebook page or by clicking on the following link: