Bill Text: NY A06220 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the position of member of the legislature as a part-time, volunteer position in the service of the state; provides that state legislators shall receive no salary, or any other compensation of benefit from the state; authorizes the payment of travel expenses and per diem for days the legislature is in session, provides that per diem is limited to 30 days per annum; provides that the legislature shall convene in regular session only on Saturdays and Sundays in January and February; accelerates the state budget process so that the state budget is enacted on or before the last Sunday of February each year.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-06 - held for consideration in governmental operations [A06220 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-A06220-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6220 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 28, 2017 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. DiPIETRO -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to section 6 of article 3 of the constitution in relation to compensation, per diem and traveling expenses payable to members of the legislature; proposing an amendment to article 3 of the constitution, in relation to the convening of legislative sessions; proposing amendments to sections 2, 3 and 4 of article 7 of the constitution, in relation to the submission to and enactment by the legislature of the executive budget; and proposing an amendment to section 4 of article 13 of the constitution, in relation to the annual legislative term 1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 6 of article 2 3 of the constitution be amended to read as follows: 3 § 6. [Each] No member of the legislature shall receive a salary or any 4 other compensation or benefit payable by the state, for his or her 5 services [a like annual salary, to be fixed by law]. [He or she] Every 6 member of the legislature shall be deemed to have volunteered his or her 7 service, as a member of the assembly or a senator, to the state and 8 under no circumstances shall any member of the state legislature be 9 deemed a state employee for any purposes. Provided, however that each 10 such member shall [also] be reimbursed for his or her actual traveling 11 expenses, as determined by the state comptroller, in going to and 12 returning from the place in which the legislature meets, not more than 13 once each week while the legislature is in session. In addition, 14 members of the legislature shall be entitled to receive a per diem 15 allowance, as determined by the state comptroller, for each day the 16 legislature is in regular or extraordinary session, provided that no 17 such member shall receive more than thirty days of per diem during any 18 calendar year. Senators, [when the senate alone is convened in extraor-19dinary session, or] when serving as members of the court for the trial 20 of impeachments, and such members of the assembly, not exceeding nine in EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD89103-01-7A. 6220 2 1 number, as shall be appointed managers of an impeachment, shall receive 2 an additional per diem allowance, to be [fixed by law] determined by the 3 state comptroller. [Any member, while serving as an officer of his or4her house or in any other special capacity therein or directly connected5therewith not hereinbefore in this section specified, may also be paid6and receive, in addition, any allowance which may be fixed by law for7the particular and additional services appertaining to or entailed by8such office or special capacity. Neither the salary of any member nor9any other allowance so fixed may be increased or diminished during, and10with respect to, the term for which he or she shall have been elected,11nor shall he or she be paid or receive any other extra compensation.] 12 The provisions of this section and laws enacted in compliance therewith 13 shall govern and be exclusively controlling, according to their terms. 14 [Members shall continue to receive such salary and additional allowance15as heretofore fixed and provided in this section, until changed by law16pursuant to this section.] 17 § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That article 3 of the constitu- 18 tion be amended by adding a new section 8-a to read as follows: 19 § 8-a. The position of member of the legislature is a part-time posi- 20 tion as a volunteer in the service of the state, and every such member 21 may engage in a regular, legal trade or occupation while not serving as 22 a member of the legislature. The legislature shall, every year, convene 23 in regular session on the first Saturday after the first Thursday in 24 January. Thereafter, the legislature shall only convene on Saturdays and 25 Sundays during the months of January and February. 26 § 3. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That sections 2, 3 and 4 of 27 article 7 of the constitution be amended to read as follows: 28 § 2. Annually, [on or before the first day of February in each year29following the year fixed by the constitution for the election of gover-30nor and lieutenant governor, and] on or before the second [Tuesday] 31 Saturday following the first day of the annual meeting of the legisla- 32 ture, [in all other years,] the governor shall submit to the legislature 33 a budget containing a complete plan of expenditures proposed to be made 34 before the close of the ensuing fiscal year and all moneys and revenues 35 estimated to be available therefor, together with an explanation of the 36 basis of such estimates and recommendations as to proposed legislation, 37 if any, which the governor may deem necessary to provide moneys and 38 revenues sufficient to meet such proposed expenditures. It shall also 39 contain such other recommendations and information as the governor may 40 deem proper and such additional information as may be required by law. 41 § 3. At the time of submitting the budget to the legislature the 42 governor shall submit a bill or bills containing all the proposed appro- 43 priations and reappropriations included in the budget and the proposed 44 legislation, if any, recommended therein. 45 The governor may at any time within [thirty] ten days thereafter and, 46 with the consent of the legislature, at any time before the adjournment 47 thereof, amend or supplement the budget and submit amendments to any 48 bills submitted by him or her or submit supplemental bills. 49 The governor and the heads of departments shall have the right, and it 50 shall be the duty of the heads of departments when requested by either 51 house of the legislature or an appropriate committee thereof, to appear 52 and be heard in respect to the budget during the consideration thereof, 53 and to answer inquiries relevant thereto. The procedure for such appear- 54 ances and inquiries shall be provided by law. 55 § 4. The legislature may not alter an appropriation bill submitted by 56 the governor except to strike out or reduce items therein, but it mayA. 6220 3 1 add thereto items of appropriation provided that such additions are 2 stated separately and distinctly from the original items of the bill and 3 refer each to a single object or purpose. None of the restrictions of 4 this section, however, shall apply to appropriations for the legislature 5 or judiciary. 6 Every such appropriation bill shall be passed by both houses annually, 7 on or before the last Sunday of February. Such an appropriation bill 8 shall when passed by both houses be a law immediately without further 9 action by the governor, except that appropriations for the legislature 10 and judiciary and separate items added to the governor's bills by the 11 legislature shall be subject to approval of the governor as provided in 12 section 7 of article IV. 13 § 4. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 4 of article 13 of 14 the constitution be amended to read as follows: 15 § 4. The political year and legislative term shall begin on the first 16 day of January; and the legislature shall, every year, assemble on the 17 first [Wednesday] Saturday after the first [Monday] Thursday in January. 18 § 5. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing be referred 19 to the first regular legislative session convening after the next 20 succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conform- 21 ity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 22 months previous to the time of such election.