For Immediate Release: For more information:
Sunday, June 11, 2023, 6 pages Blair Horner 518 727-4506, bhorner@nypirg.org
TALE OF THE TAPE: NYPIRG’S 2023 LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
NUMBER OF BILLS THAT PASSED SENATE INCREASED, ASSEMBLY DECREASED
GOVERNOR’S USE OF EMERGENCY “MESSAGES OF NECESSITY” CONTINUES TO MOVE UPWARD
As part of NYPIRG’s ongoing review of legislative activity, this analysis examines the 2023 New York legislative session to date. This analysis does not analyze or draw conclusions on the substance of bills or the overall legislative output, since “productivity” is more complicated and subjective than objective numbers. It is up to New Yorkers to assess the Legislature’s effectiveness and impact. In order to be informed, however, New Yorkers deserve information on the functioning of their Legislature and we hope that the following information will stimulate dialogue among and between lawmakers and their constituents.
Unless otherwise noted, the following information is based on data compiled by the Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. Numbers are subject to revision in the event of a special or extraordinary session taking place before the end of the calendar year.
One note: Since the session just finished, actions taken by the governor cannot be compared with previous sessions. The governor will have until the end of the calendar year to act on bills that have been approved by both houses. Lastly, if lawmakers return before the end of the calendar year, the numbers could change.
As seen in Chart 1, the number of bills passed by both houses in 2023 represents a decline compared to last session. The decline was the result of a significant drop-off in legislation approved by the Assembly. However, there have been reports of the Assembly’s return later this month, which may change these numbers. Also of note, the increase in the use of messages of necessity by Governor Hochul. The use of the messages of necessity, primarily to approve the budget and the redistricting legislation, are the most since 2014, but pale in comparison to earlier decades.
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