What's happening
This bill requires that, except for budget bills, all legislation introduced or passed in New York embrace only a single subject, clearly stated in the title.
Why it matters
Reduces "logrolling" and hidden provisions. By requiring bills to address only one subject, the bill aims to prevent lawmakers from combining unrelated issues into a single piece of legislation, making it harder to pass controversial or unpopular measures by attaching them to widely supported ones.
Increases transparency and accountability. With a clear, single subject stated in the title, it becomes easier for the public, media, and legislators themselves to understand what each bill actually does, making it harder to obscure legislative intent or sneak in unrelated measures.
Improves legislative focus and debate. Legislators and committees will be able to consider, amend, and debate proposed laws on their own merits, rather than being forced to accept or reject large, unwieldy packages of unrelated provisions.
Potentially slows legislative process. The requirement for single-subject bills may result in more bills being introduced and debated separately, which could slow down the legislative process but also encourage more thorough review and deliberation of each proposal.
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Who cares
Headline styles
One Subject Per Bill
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2048
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 22, 2019
Introduced by Sens. GRIFFO, FUNKE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring bills to embrace a single subject
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 49 to read as follows:
§ 49. Bills to embrace one subject. No bill, with the exception of the budget bills submitted by the governor pursuant to article seven of the constitution and amendments thereto, shall be introduced or passed by the legislature which embraces more than one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title.
§ 2. This act shall take effect March 31, 2019.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06951-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring bills to embrace a single subject
Purpose
To prevent the creation of legislation which encompasses multiple issue areas.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds a new Section 49 to the legislative law.
Justification
This bill is meant to prevent omnibus legislation from being presented to the Legislature. All too often, this type of legislation incorporates a litany of policy proposals that should be voted on individually so as to be properly vetted by members, their staffs and the constituencies that they impact. It is imperative that bills acted on by the Legisla- ture are carefully considered as standalone bills. This legislation will allow for such consideration.
Legislative history
2017-18 - S. 675b - Investigations and Government Operations Committee.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
March 31, 2019.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.