Gov. expects action in 2nd special session - Business First of Buffalo:

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Senators are scheduled to try againmWednesday afternoon. Gov. Davi d Paterson has called a special legislativs session for3 p.m. Tuesdag was the first time in more than two weekw that the two sides had been in the chamber at thesame time. Senators have performefd no official business since the surprise uprising that Republicands led onJune 8, when two Democrat joined all 30 Republicans in an attempt to oust Sen. Malcolmj Smith, D-Queens, as majority One Democrat has since left the meaning there isa 31-3 1 split in the Senate. There is no way to breako a tie vote, because the state has no lieutenanf governor—the job Paterson vacated to replaceformere Gov. Eliot Spitzer last year.
The unprecedented battler for power has paralyzed thelegislative process. The two sides stil do not agree on who is in or whether the actions on June 8 were By law, Paterson has the powerr to compel legislators to meet in a specialp session. He also dictates whichu bills will be included onthe session’s The governor cannot, however, force legislators to vote on thosse bills. Democrats locked themselves in the Senate chambers ahead of in an attempt to preventthe Republican-led coalition from taking controlo of the gavel. When Republican they conducted their own sessiojn using asecond gavel, voting on billxs that were to be considered in the special session.
At 3 the special session begabn with Democrats and Republicans shouting over each holding two sessionsat once. Smith rose to say that Paterson’s office had not sent the Senate the bills to bevotesd on, with proper numbering. “There’sz nobody in this chamber holdingthe government’s business back. It’s the governor,” Smitgh said. Paterson later disputed that claim. Democrat and the Republican-led which includes Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. left the chamber. Democrats returned to vote on 14 billz that Paterson had placed onthe agenda. It’s unclear whether the votes were legal.
Democrats recordedd each vote asa 62-0 even though the Republican-led coalition was not in the chamberd for any of the “Senate Republicans showed they are so desperate for power, they triexd to prevent real work from gettingh done,” Democrats said in a statement. “Senate Republicansx again brought disgrace and shame to the Senate when they attemptedd to conduct another shamlegislative session.” Republicanse claim that the bills were passerd 62-0 earlier in the day, durint their own session. “This was a legal session,” Republicans said in a “While the Senate Democrat leadership triecd to disrupt thesession ...
their votes count and the billds passed. We are not Among the bills that Republicans and Democrats separately approved is the extension ofthe state’s Powetr for Jobs program until May 2010. The popular program provides low-cost electricity to 570 companies, includinh many upstate manufacturers, in exchange for pledges to create It is scheduled to end onJune 30. Any bills that legitimatel y passes the Senate would have to be voted on by the because they receive new identificationh numbers during aspecial session. Earluy Tuesday morning, the Assembly adjourned for summed vacation.
Paterson, furious, ripped legislatorws after the session ended on The special session he called for today has a different legislative agenda. “They should be punished for what they’ved done. They should stay here every day, like you Saturday, Sunday, July 4 and every other time,” Patersohn said. “Their conduct [Tuesday] was There’s really no more tolerance forthese excuses, games and miscarriagesx of the truth.” Paterson has offered to have the state’s top Jonathan Lippman, preside over a Senate sessionh simply to pass a series of bills, including routine extensions of saled tax rates in 36 counties across the state.
“Thaty should have sailed right through,” Paterson said. “For two weeks, thes legislators were paid, even though they didn’t conducft any business. So I’d think they’d be well-rested by now and willin to stay all night to passthe