File under "But we already knew that"

It's official. It's confirmed. According to a study conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU's Law School, the New York State legislature is the most dysfunctional legislature in the entire United States. We're 50th out of 50. New York is to good government what Mississippi is to schools. In 2002, only 4.1% of bills proposed were enacted. Compare that to Michigan's best-in-US 69%, or even California's with 41% passed. Why, you ask? You know why. Because the rules in Albany are draconian and fundamentally unfair.

The study said that legislative committees in New York do little real work, have few hearings on bills and release few reports to help members make voting decisions. It also noted New York has more restrictions on putting a measure to a full house vote than in any other state. Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno is the only legislative leader in the country who can unilaterally suspend action on bills listed in the Senate calendar. Both Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, are among just a handful of legislative leaders nationwide who can determine the order of bills to be considered.

Over 80% of bills passed in Albany do so with no debate or discussion. In a nutshell, the State is run by Bruno, Silver and Pataki. How do we know this for sure? Because Silver and Bruno both defend the current system, which gives them almost dictatorial power. Bruno (who's supposed to be a Republican - small government, etc.) calls the study "pure nonsense." Silver criticizes the study, saying that he "gets opinions on issues" from other Assemblypeople. Yay. Opinions don't mean diddly. Getting bills to the floor for debate and a vote would actually mean something. Some suggestions in the report, via the Times-Union of Albany:

Make it easier for members to request a public hearing on a bill. Require all bills reported to the floor to have a detailed public committee report reflecting the debate held on each. Limit committee assignments to no more than three per lawmaker per legislative session. Restrict the number of bills passed under a "message of necessity" from the governor, which gives lawmakers little time to read what they are voting on. The report also calls for the end of proxy voting. Legislators can swipe their ID cards, reporting themselves as "in," and leave the chamber -- sometimes even going home -- but still have their votes recorded. Those votes are automatically counted in the affirmative. Citizens are cheated by the existing system, Creelan said. Many bills of public interest never receive public hearings. The report found that from 1997 to 2001, the Senate held only one public hearing on a bill out of the 152 pieces of major legislation that passed the Senate.

Here's a link to the actual report, so you can read it for yourself; (you'll need Adobe Acrobat). Please be sure to contact your state Assemblyperson and Senator about the fact that you're absolutely fed up with the Banana Republic-style of governing that pervades Albany. It's time for a fundamental change in the way business is conducted in this state. It's time for Albany to stop handing perks out willy-nilly to coveted, parochial constituencies. It's time for Albany to stop viewing the hardworking, uphill-climbing taxpayers of this State - and especially those of us in disproportionately beleaguered upstate - as a big, unlimited piggy bank. Can you believe there's no fundamental, grassroots movement to reform the state? Maybe its time has come. Let me know what you think.