Provides that the Governor's annual budget proposal to the Legislature shall include statements of any new legislation, amendment to legislation, or limitation on the effect of any legislation contained in the budget; makes related provisions granting the legislature an equal role with the governor in the budget process.
Summary
S00945 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how New York’s executive budget is presented and how the Legislature may act on it. The bill requires the Governor’s annual budget to separately identify any new legislation, amendments to existing law, or limitations on the effect of legislation that are included in the budget. It also requires those policy changes to be stated in a way that allows the Legislature and Governor to act on them separately under the Constitution’s budget procedures.
The measure further revises the Legislature’s authority over appropriation bills. It would allow the Legislature not only to strike or reduce items in the Governor’s appropriation bills, but also to add, modify, or substitute appropriation items, including related policy language, so long as those changes are stated separately and each refers to a single object or purpose. The bill also removes the current restriction that the Legislature must finish acting on the Governor’s appropriation bills before considering other appropriation bills, and it adds parallel rules for supplemental appropriation bills.
Impact
If adopted, the amendment would alter Article VII of the New York Constitution, which governs the state budget process. It would expand the Legislature’s formal role in budget negotiations and make policy language embedded in budget bills more transparent by requiring separate statements of new legislation, amendments, and limitations on existing law. It would also change the rules for how appropriation bills are amended and considered, affecting the balance of power between the Governor and Legislature in state fiscal and policy-making.
Sentiment
The bill appears to reflect a reform-oriented, legislative-branch-friendly approach to the budget process, with sponsors seeking to give the Legislature an equal role with the Governor in budget negotiations. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from debate or roll call history in the materials supplied. The sponsor list suggests substantial support among Senate Democrats.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the separation of powers in the budget process: the bill would reduce the Governor’s control over budget policy language and give the Legislature broader authority to modify appropriation bills and related statutory changes. Supporters would likely view this as increasing transparency and legislative parity, while critics may see it as weakening executive budget authority and complicating the budget process. Another likely issue is whether allowing more legislative amendments could slow budget adoption or create more opportunities for policy changes to be inserted into fiscal bills.
Same As
Provides that the Governor's annual budget proposal to the Legislature shall include statements of any new legislation, amendment to legislation, or limitation on the effect of any legislation contained in the budget; makes related provisions granting the legislature an equal role with the governor in the budget process.