Senate budget resolution in response to the 2016-2017 Executive Budget submission - R4330

R4330

RESOLUTION in response to the 2016-2017 Executive Budget submission
(Legislative Bills S6400B, S6403B, S6404B, S6405B, S6406B, S6407B,
S6408B and S6409B) to be adopted as legislation expressing the position
of the New York State Senate relating to the 2016-2017 New York State
Budget

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to effectuate the timely
passage of a State Budget; and

WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature to engage in the Budget
Conference Committee process, which promotes increased participation by
the members of the Legislature and the public; and

WHEREAS, The Senate Finance Committee has conducted an extensive study
and review of the Governor's 2016-2017 Executive Budget submission and
has recommended proposed amendments to such Budget submission in the
above referenced Legislative Bills and Report on the Executive Budget;
and

WHEREAS, Article VII of the New York State Constitution provides the
framework under which the New York State Budget is submitted, amended
and enacted. The New York State Courts have limited the Legislature in
how it may change the appropriations bills submitted by the Governor.
The Legislature can delete or reduce items of appropriation contained in
the several appropriation bills submitted by the Governor in conjunction
with the Executive Budget, and it can add additional items of appropri-
ation to those bills provided that such additions are stated separately
and distinctly from the original items of the bill and refer each to a
single object or purpose; and

WHEREAS, An extensive study and review of the Governor's 2016-2017
Executive Budget submission has revealed that the construction of the
budget bills submitted to the Legislature by the Governor constrains the
Legislature in its ability to fully effectuate its intent in amending
the Governor's budget submission; and

WHEREAS, The 2016-2017 Executive Budget includes funds for new
programs throughout various agencies which are direct aid and grant
programs, have been drafted as lump sum appropriations and are proposed
to be distributed at the sole discretion of the Executive. In addition,
some of these proposed initiatives related to capital plans have no
corresponding plan details, which is imperative for proper consideration
of these proposals. New capital spending, distributed through regional
economic development councils, is also included in the Executive
proposal; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature has amended the Governor's 2016-2017 Execu-
tive Budget submission to the fullest extent possible within the author-
ity provided to it pursuant to Section 4 of Article VII of the New York
State Constitution; and

WHEREAS, The Senate, in addition to the Governor's 2016-2017 Executive
Budget submission bills as amended by the Senate in the above referenced
legislative bills, does hereby provide its recommendations as to
provisions in the Governor's 2016-2017 Executive Budget submission which
reflect those items the Senate is constrained from effectuating as
amendments to the 2016-2017 Executive Budget appended hereto; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of the Legislature that upon the passage of
the Governor's 2016-2017 Executive Budget submission as amended by the
Senate, and the incorporated Report on the Amended Executive Budget may
provide a basis for both houses of the Legislature to convene Committees
on Conference pursuant to Joint Rule III of the Senate and Assembly for
the purpose of reconciling any differences between the amendments to the
Governor's budget as proposed by each house of the Legislature; now,
therefore, be it RESOLVED, That, the above referenced legislative bills (S6400B,
S6403B, S6404B, S6405B, S6406B, S6407B, S6408B and S6409B) be and are
incorporated as part of this resolution and are hereby adopted as the
New York State Legislature's budget proposal for the 2016-2017 New York
State Budget.

View the full Resolution here.