Senate Rules Reform Committee Announces Hearing Schedule

State Senators David Valesky and John Bonacic, Co-Chairs of the State Senate’s Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform today announced the public hearing schedule the Committee will undertake to solicit input from the public on changes that should be made in the way the State Senate operates.

“For too long, the State Senate has operated with oppressive rules that stifled the will of the people,” said Valesky. “As we begin this new session, and this new Senate, we have an opportunity to make this body more deliberative, more open and more responsive.”

“New York has a moral and legal duty to shed its reputation as having the most dysfunctional Legislature in the Nation. We in the Senate can do that by changing the Rules to create a more inclusive system. The changes we seek will ensure the ability of every Senator to advance legislative and budgetary goals on the merits, and engage in open debate both in Committee and on the floor of the Senate,” Bonacic said.

The hearing schedule is:

Friday, February 6, 2009 Tuesday, February 10, 2009

1 – 4 PM 10 AM – 1 PM

Syracuse Common Council Chambers State Capitol, Room 124

231 Washington Street Albany, NY

Syracuse, NY 13202

Thursday, February 26, 2009 Friday, February 27, 2009

6 – 9 PM 10 AM – 1 PM

NYS Senate Hearing Room Captree Commons Room 114

250 Broadway, Between Park Place & Murray St. Suffolk Co. Community College

(across from City Hall) Brentwood Campus, Crooked Hill Road

New York, NY Brentwood, NY 11717 (parking lot 4)

The Hearings are open to the public to both attend and participate. Depending on the number of people wishing to testify, some may be asked to provide written testimony, rather than oral testimony. “Our goal is to obtain the broadest participation by those with a recognized credibility on reform. The process of making law does effect the end product. A better process will lead to a better product for all New Yorkers,” Bonacic and Valesky said.

Those wishing to testify are asked to contact Ariana Caplan, at (518)-455-2838 acaplan@senate.state.ny.us, or Langdon Chapman at (518) 455-3181 (speckhar@senate.state.ny.us).

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