NYS Legislature Schedules Joint Budget Hearings

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I – Schenectady) reported recently the Joint Legislative Hearing Schedule on the 2015-2016 Executive Budget proposal has been released.

These hearings provide the appropriate legislative committees with public input on the executive budget proposal. The hearings will be available for viewing on the Senate and Assembly websites. The Legislative Channel (on cable systems throughout the state) also will carry the proceedings, which will be preempted when the houses are in session. At the conclusion of the legislative deliberations, the channel will resume televised coverage of the hearings.

In accordance with the schedule, the hearings will commence on Tuesday, January 27th, and continue through Thursday, February 26th, 2015. The respective state agency or department heads will begin testimony each day, followed by witnesses who have signed up to testify on that area of the budget. Those testifying must limit comments to no more than 10 minutes.

Time constraints limit the number of witnesses that can be accommodated at any given hearing. As a result, people interested in testifying must contact the appropriate person listed on the schedule no later than the close of business, two business days prior to the respective hearing. For each individual testifying before the committees, it is required that 40 copies of their written testimony be provided to the registration desk at each respective hearing.

The agency and the departmental portion of the hearings are provided for in Article 7, Section 3 of the Constitution and Article 2, Section 31 of the Legislative Law. The state Legislature is also soliciting public comment on the proposed budget pursuant to Article 2, Section 32-a of the Legislative Law.

The 2015 Joint Legislative Hearing Schedule is as follows:

* January 27th, 9:30AM, Local Government Officials

* January 28th, 9:30AM, Environmental

* January 29th, 9:30AM, Transportation 

* February 2nd, 10:00AM, Health/Medicaid

* February 3rd, 9:30AM, Elementary & Secondary

* February 4th, 9:30AM, Human Services

* February 5th, 9:30AM, Housing

* February 9th, 9:30AM Taxes

* February 9th, 1:00PM, Economic Development

* February 10th, 9:30AM, Higher Education

* February 25 Wednesday 9:30AM Mental Hygiene

* February 25 Wednesday 1:00PM Workforce Development

* February 26 Thursday 10:00AM Public Protection