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ALBANY -- It’s Spring Break, but not every lawmaker is ready to party.
It’s quiet here today as lawmakers begin an extended spring break. But not everyone thinks a 2 and a half week vacation is appropriate considering the volume of work left to do -- including ethics reform.
Ethics reform is the centerpiece of Governor Cuomo's policy initiative during this 2nd half of session.
Senator Gustavo Rivera, D-33rd District - Bronx said, "This is what we were sent to Albany to do."
Senate Democrats announced Wednesday they will be pushing for a public floor debate on 5 different bills dealing with ethics legislation, covering all the main issues including disclosure of outside income and eliminating pay to play. But any work on ethics reform will have to wait until May when lawmakers come back to town…
Senator Liz Krueger, D-26th District - Manhattan said, "We apparently don't have a lot to do so we're going away for two weeks."
In case you missed it, that was said with tongue in cheek.
Senator Dean Skelos, Senate Majority Leader said, "We have until the end of session to get this done, and we'll get an ethics bill done."
That was said without irony!
Senator Skelos continued, "We're negotiating, if you remember when there was a rush to pass the bill a few years ago, the governor vetoed."
Governor Paterson did indeed veto ethics legislation last time around. But there is another reason Dems are bracing for a fight: The last time the pushed for public hearings, they failed…
The Republicans rejected their petitions for independent redistricting. So this time around, the Dems have crossed their t's and dotted their I's.
"The only thing that might go wrong is that the Republicans might say no, we are going to proactively stop you from having a public hearing on ethics legislation. Can you even imagine!? added Senator Krueger.
As for going home for two weeks?
"That's part of the job, not just being up in Albany" said Senator Skelos.
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