New York Legislature Scrambles to Wrap Session

New York State lawmakers are back in Albany, trying to wrap up their legislative session.  The session was supposed to end June 16 but unresolved issues, like the renewal of a policy to give New York City's mayor control of the city’s schools, jammed the legislative works.

A potential compromise has been formed that would tie the mayora control issue to ethics reforms.

Central New York Assemblyman Clifford Crouch says the proposals for ethics reform do call for state lawmakers who are convicted of felonies to be stripped of their pensions, but he called it a “watered down version.”

Legislators have been successful in passing measures to tackle the heroin and opioid epidemic that opens up insurance coverage for treatment and recovery and opens up more hospital beds for addicts but, Crouch says, education about drugs for younger children and stronger action against dealers was not included.

The lawmakers have moved forward with expanding the availability of mammography and treatment to fight breast cancer and also approved a law sponsored by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo of Endwell to require regular inspections of public parking facilities by licensed engineers.