Sen. Aubertine Announces Senate Reform Package

Four-bill package would reduce the influence of partisan politics on the state Senate

WATERTOWN (July 25, 2008)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent) announced today a reform package of four bills that will help take partisan politics out of Senate business.

"We have all witnessed Albany politics standing firmly in the way of local goals and solutions," Sen. Aubertine said. "Doing the people's business should never be about partisan politics, but the issues on the ground in our districts. These reform measures are a start toward ending the partisan dysfunction in Albany that we've seen impact us directly in recent weeks."

The Senator will be sponsoring legislation to make it easier for home rule legislation to reach the floor for a vote. Several home rule bills that passed in the Assembly in June were delivered to the Senate Rules Committee and despite memos indicating the importance of these bills, the Senate Majority chose not to bring the bill to the floor. Sen. Aubertine's new proposal would make sure home rule bills are voted on by the committee. This would give bills a fair chance to come to the floor for a vote by the Senate as a whole.

"We're all feeling the crunch of high property taxes, rising fuel costs and a sluggish economy," Sen. Aubertine said. "The very structure of the Senate prevents us from moving forward with bipartisan solutions that would help address these issues. I believe we must pass a package of reforms that will change the way the Senate operates and put the people and their elected representatives back in charge."

In addition to his proposal regarding home rule bills, he has also co-sponsored legislation to allow any interested member, regardless of party, to co-sponsor a bill. This is intended to encourage bipartisan cooperation on important bills.

"On Wednesday, the governor signed legislation that will allow 14- and 15-year olds to hunt big game with a mentor," Sen. Aubertine said. "This is important legislation for sportsmen and I was a co-sponsor on it until it became clear the majority leaders would not pass it unless I withdrew my name. I did what I had to do to get it passed, but it shouldn't be that way."

The Senator is also a co-sponsor on a bill to create automatic conference committees when similar legislation passes both the Assembly and the Senate. This would open up opportunities for compromise on important legislation, when only small differences exist.

"If similar legislation can pass in both houses, we need to have a way to come together and reconcile small differences," Sen. Aubertine said. "These so-called 'one house bills' go nowhere if just one word is different between the versions from each house. This blocks reasonable solutions from being signed into law."

The fourth bill in the package, co-sponsored by the Senator, would equalize office resources among Senators, ending the practice of stocking the offices of majority members with employees who serve as professional campaigners while minority offices are kept at a bare bones level to provide basic constituent services.

"My office does with eight employees the work my predecessor did with 14 employees," Sen. Aubertine said. "Resources are not doled out based on need or seniority, but politics. Our taxpayer resources should be used evenly and in ways that best serve the districts, not a lawmaker's bid for re-election."

The Senator's request for a second district office in Oswego was denied last week, even though SUNY Oswego had agreed to donate the space and the budget request was for just phone lines and Internet. The senator has decided to move ahead with plans to open a district office, paying for these supplies through campaign money to do so.

"You can be certain the powers that be in Albany do not like these bills, nor will they take kindly to this reform agenda," Sen. Aubertine said. "Their power depends on the system as it is. This is beyond Republican or Democrat. It's about creating a state Senate that is open, responsive and responsible to the people we represent. The future of this district and all of New York—our economic development, relief from burdensome taxes, improved health care and solutions to our fuel crisis—depends on real change. Together we can take back our government and take control of our future."