Statement by Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos

Agreement on Budget Conference Committees Is Victory for the People

The agreement reached today at the public leaders’ meeting to begin the joint, public conference committee process next week is a victory for all New Yorkers who want to see the budget reform law obeyed, and the budget negotiations come out from behind closed doors.

I will send Senator Sampson my appointments to the conference committees this afternoon and look forward to the start of joint, public conference committees next Monday, as the Governor directed, and Speaker Silver agreed to.  I hope they mean it.

Following the conference committee process as outlined in the Budget Reform Act of 2007 will give every legislator input, enable us to break the deadlock, resolve our differences and get a budget done.

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