Galef Calls for State Legislators to Support Mandatory Joint Conference Committee to Promote On-Time Budgets and Resolve Differences in Important Legislation

Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, 90th AD, is calling on her colleagues to support reform of the legislative process by requiring Joint Conference Committees (A.6605, S.4129)

Conference committees are an essential part of the legislative process, allowing lawmakers from both houses to work together to resolve discrepancies between different versions of bills passed in the Assembly and the Senate. The Untied States and most other states take advantage of this indispensable tool, devising quick and innovative solutions to pressing problems, including the Budget. New York is one of the few states that do not maximize the value of this invaluable process.

"Albany is at a standstill. I believe that the best way to move us forward, besides ratifying the Constitutional Amendment for Budget Reform, is to make Joint Conferences Committees automatic and not at the call of either house leader," said Galef. "My bill would allow more legislators to be involved in the legislative process by giving bill sponsors and committee chairs the ability to send bills to conference committees and initiate debate. It would also facilitate compromise between both houses and relieve partisan deadlock."

Forty-five states regularly use conference committees as a built-in part of their legislature. In some state legislatures, upwards of one hundred bills are passed through conference committees each legislative session. Also, conference committees have been known to take as few as five minutes to resolve conflicts between different versions of legislation. Conference committees will ease the process of passing important legislation when both house pass different versions of a bill. Issues in New York that can be resolved with the use of a conference committee include funding New York's schools, Timothy's Law which requires insurers to cover mental illness as they do with physical illness, and Lobbying reform.

A.6605 has been referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and S.4565, sponsored by Senator Joseph, had been referred to the Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee.


Fact Sheet on Usage of Joint Conference Committees in New York and Other States Assemblywoman Sandy Galef 90th AD

Conference committees are an essential part of the legislative process allowing lawmakers from both houses to work together to resolve discrepancies between different versions of bills passed in the Assembly and the Senate. The United States Congress and most other states take advantage of this indispensable tool, devising quick and innovative solutions to pressing problems, including the budget. New York is one of the few states that do not maximize the value of this invaluable process.

While New York's Joint Rules provide for conference committees, they allow only the presiding officers to convene them. Even in cases where the majority of the legislative houses want a conference, the presiding officers can refuse to permit one. Clearly, this system is not working for many issues that would not benefit from conferencing but have not gone to conference. The most stroking example of this is the state budget. If New York used a conference committee early on in the budget process to iron out differences between Senate and Assembly versions, as many other states do, we would certainly be better poised to meet the April budget deadline.

A current bill (A.6605, S.4129) proposes a reform that would allow any member of the Assembly or the Senate to propose a conference committee, not just the presiding officers. Other states automatically use conference committees when there is disagreement between both houses, The goal for New York State is to have dialogue to try to come to a comprise. By making conference committees automatic when there is disagreement or by making the request available to members of legislature creates an opportunity for greater and quicker results.

During 2004, three conference committees have been used in New York State. One conference committee focused on budget reform, a second on the Help America Vote Act and a third on reforming Rockefeller drug laws. The last two conference committees have not yet been successful.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some Facts about Conference Committees:

  • 45 States regularly use conference committees as a built-in part of their legislative process.
  • Conference committees have been known to take as few as 5 minutes to resolve the conflicts between different versions of some bills.
  • In some state legislatures, upwards of one hundred bills are passed through conference committees each legislative session.

Some conference committees have been used to successfully resolve issues in New York:

  • 65 mph speed limits on some highways
  • Mandatory 24 hour maternity hospitals stays and care for women post-delivery
  • Allowing a small city school districts to vote on their budgets
  • Creation of pesticides registry
  • Low cost power for business development
  • Amending the Constitution for budget reform

Some issues in New York that have the potential to be solved more quickly the use of conference committees:

  • Campaign for Fiscal Equity in funding New York's schools
  • Timothy's Law requiring insurers to cover mental illness as they do with physical illness
  • Lobbying reform
  • Power-plant siting
  • Reforming car leasing laws that hold car-leasing companies responsible for accidents
  • Computerizing campaign finances for local elections
  • Reform of public authorities
  • State Pension relief plan
  • State take over Medicaid

Conference committee usage on the budget in other states:

  • In California, there is a conference committee every year for the budget.
  • Massachusetts always uses conference committees on appropriations bills.
  • Florida uses conference committees at least once a year for the budget.

Frequency of Conference Committee Usage in Some States in 2003

State
Number of Conference Committees
Number of Budget bills
Alaska
4
2
Hawaii
270
3
Kansas
40
1
Louisiana
105
2
New Hampshire
94
3
Texas
69
2
Virginia
28
1

Information from the National Conference on State Legislatures


Back