Assembly Dems Defeat Proposal For More Media Access

Republicans earlier this week proposed a host of amendments to the Assembly’s rules, including E.223, which would have allowed the news media greater access to the Assembly floor and the areas around the Assembly chamber. Such access would give reporters more access to question representatives about votes or issues that are coming before the legislature.

Access was limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the public wasn’t allowed inside many state Capitol complexes as legislators cycled through the chambers’ to hold debates and votes while maintaining social distancing.

“But with the chamber having opened back up and the Capitol back open to the public there is no reason why we shouldn’t restore whole access to the Assembly chamber to the members of the press,” Assemblyman Edward Ra, R-Garden City, said on the Assembly floor. “It may not always be convenient, but they are the ones who keep us honest, they are the ones that make sure our constituents know what is going on in this Capitol and force us to really answer the tough questions about what is going on.”

The resolution failed in a party line vote, 97-48.

Several other resolutions were proposed by Republicans, many of which have been brought up and defeated in prior years. They include:

¯ E.217, which would have required a two-thirds vote to accept a message of necessity from the governor. The Assembly majority currently has a two-thirds majority and could in a party line vote decide to waive the three-day waiting requirement before approving legislation.

¯ E.218, which would have restored uncapped debate for all Assembly members on bills coming before the chamber.

¯ E.219, which would have required the audio and/or video broadcast of committee meetings to be available and archived on the Assembly Internet site just as televised proceedings of Assembly sessions are currently. It was defeated along party lines.

¯ E.220, which would have allowed public hearing petitions by the Assembly’s standing committees if one-third of the committee members signed the petition.

¯ E. 221 to allow floor votes if a bill receives 76 sponsors regardless of whether or not it passes through an Assembly committee.

¯ E.222 requiring the Assembly to convene if a petition with 76 Assembly members’ signatures is presented to the Assembly speaker.

¯ E. 224 to prohibit a bill from being removed from a committee agenda once voting has begun.

¯ E.225 to require all bills to be assigned a bill number within five days of being delivered to the index clerk.

¯ E.226 creating a members’ prerogative to allow Assembly members to pick one bill to be brought to the Assembly floor for a vote.