What's happening
This bill requires public conference committees to resolve differences between Senate and Assembly bill versions, with specific rules for deliberation and reporting.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public oversight. by mandating that all conference committee negotiations occur in a public forum, making it harder for closed-door deals and fostering public trust in the legislative process.
Prevents "cherry-picking" or piecemeal alterations. by requiring each house to accept or reject a conference committee’s compromise bill in its entirety, ensuring that the negotiated outcome can’t be selectively changed after the fact.
Limits excessive government spending. by prohibiting new or amended bills from including appropriation amounts higher than the largest version previously passed by either house, directly constraining last-minute budget escalations during compromise.
Creates a structured process for deadlock resolution. by requiring a new conference committee with full powers if the initial compromise is rejected, encouraging ongoing negotiation but within clearly defined, transparent rules.
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Who cares
Senate and Assembly presiding officers
The proposed constitutional amendment would require them to appoint four members from each house to a conference committee when the houses engross different versions of a bill.
Legislators negotiating bills
Conference committees would deliberate publicly only on differences between the two versions, and each house would have to accept or reject their reports without amendment.
State budget advocates
Appropriation items in a new or amended conference bill could not exceed the higher corresponding amounts in the separately engrossed bills.
Legislative reporters and open-government advocates
Required public deliberations would let them observe conference committees working toward compromises.
Headline styles
Require Action on Stalled Bills
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to governmental operations
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3403
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to section 12 of article 3 of the constitution, in relation to conference committees
Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 12 of article 3 of the constitution be amended by adding a new undesignated paragraph to read as follows:
Upon the engrossment of a bill in a different form by both houses, a conference committee shall be formed by appointment of four members from each house by the presiding officers thereof to serve on a conference committee. The committee shall endeavor to reach a compromise between the two draft bills, and may only deliberate on those issues that differ in the drafts engrossed by the two houses. The committee's deliberations shall take place in public forum, and it shall report the result of its deliberations in the form of a bill. A new draft bill resulting from the committee's deliberations may receive a new bill number. Any items of appropriation in a new or amended bill may not exceed the higher of such items from either of the separately engrossed bills. Reports of a conference committee cannot be changed or amended by either house, but must be accepted or rejected in whole, in the form in which made. Rejection of a conference committee report by both houses shall result in the creation of a new conference committee composed in the manner set forth above, which may make any alterations necessary to reach agreement between the two engrossed bills, and report its deliberations to both houses for the question upon its final passage.
§ 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendments be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89049-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.