S3412-2013 Actions

• Apr 16, 2013: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
• Mar 20, 2013: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Feb 1, 2013: REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

S3412-2013 Meetings

S3412-2013 Votes

S3412-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S3412

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act to amend the legislative law, in relation to
prohibiting voting on legislation during certain times

PURPOSE:  To require that the state legislature only vote on legislation
during the light of day  to  ensure  open  and  transparent  legislative
actions and opportunity for public awareness of the proceedings.

SUMMARY  OF PROVISIONS:  The bill Prohibits either house of the New York
State Legislature from voting on legislation after 9:00 p.m. and  before
9:00  a.m.  The bill exempts votes on procedural matters. The bill would
rake effect immediately.

EXISTING LAW:  Under existing law, the state legislature may take a vote
on significant state matters at any time. As a result,  many  laws  that
significantly  impact  the  lives  of  New  Yorkers occur while they are
asleep.

JUSTIFICATION:  The work of legislature is to  accomplish  the  peoples'
business,  it  should  therefore  occur  under  the  watchful eye of the
People. However, many votes on issues that will have an immediate impact
on New Yorker's lives occur in the dead of night. These kinds  of  bills
drive a stake through the heart of democracy.

This bill will keep vampire bills from being passed in the middle of the
night  when  controversial  bills  seem  to come alive; bills that would
wither and die if they were exposed to sunlight and citizens would  have
time  to  look  at  them.  No  bill,  no matter what the issue should be
brought to the floor close to, or even worse after, midnight  when  most
people are asleep.

No  bill will be voted on between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Votes must not
occur in dark of night because in most cases  when  the  bills  see  the
light of day they wither and day.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.

S3412-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         3412
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 February 1, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GIPSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern
 ment Operations
 

AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in relation to  prohibiting  voting
 on legislation during certain times
 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited  as  the  "vampire
 voting act of 2013".
 

S 2. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 49 to read
 as follows:

 

S  49.  VOTING  PROHIBITED  DURING CERTAIN HOURS. NEITHER HOUSE OF THE
 LEGISLATURE SHALL CONDUCT A VOTE ON ANY  MATTER,  EXCEPT  FOR  VOTES  ON
 PROCEDURAL  MATTERS, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF NINE O'CLOCK POST MERIDIAN AND
 NINE O'CLOCK ANTEMERIDIAN.
 

S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD08200-01-3

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