NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT Participation in Government NEW

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT Participation in Government

NEW YORK’S STATE CAPITAL -ALBANY, NY

POWERS NOT GRANTED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE RESERVED FOR STATES AND THE PEOPLE, WHICH ARE DIVIDED BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

JUST LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: v. Executive v. Judicial v. Legislative

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: In every state, the executive branch is headed by a governor who is directly elected by the people. In most states, the other leaders in the executive branch are also directly elected including the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and auditors and commissioners. States reserve the right to organize in any way, so they often vary greatly with regard to executive structure. No two state executive organizations are identical.

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

THE 4 POSITIONS ELECTED DIRECTLY BY THE PEOPLE IN NEW YORK STATE

EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS OF NEW YORK: Governor Andrew Cuomo Hochul Lt. Governor Kathy C.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS OF NEW YORK: Comptroller Thomas P. Di. Napoli Schneiderman Attorney General Eric

EXECUTIVE BRANCH IN NYS • 20 Departments which is the maximum allowed under the STATE Constitution

WHAT IS THE GOVERNOR RESPONSIBLE FOR? 1. Administrator 2. Legislature Negotiator 3. Political Party Leader 4. State Spokesperson

ADMINISTRATOR • Responsible for the performance of all those who work for the state or on behalf of the state (through contracts) • Ability to appoint a cabinet to help him/her with their administration • Over 195, 000 people work for NYS at last count (2007)

LEGISLATOR NEGOTIATOR • Prepares budgets (decisions about these budgets are made by the legislators) • Can veto laws that are passed by the legislation • Can withhold spending or add money to another category (i. e from public works to

POLITICAL PARTY LEADER • Highest elected state official and leader of their party • Attracts media attention for backing certain programs and actions • Governor has power to influence the state’s affairs with the appointments he makes and the ideas he supports, especially with appointments to the lower courts and the State Supreme Court. His appointments are more often given to members of his party and his support provided to the ideology and programs endorsed by his party.

STATE SPOKESMAN (SPOKESWOMAN) • Represents their state in affairs on visits to other states or Washington, DC • Responsible for meeting with foreign officials (whether at home or abroad) • Reports to the public on how the state is doing

ADDITIONAL DUTIES ØPrepare the state’s budget ØExecute and enforce NYS laws ØCommander-in-Chief of New York's military and naval forces.

SO YOU WANT TO BE THE NEXT NY GOVERNOR? You must… • Salary: $179, 000 • Be 30 years old • A US Citizen • Serve for 4 years at a time • Have lived in NY for at least 5 years prior to the election • NO term limits (You can be elected

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TWO TOP PRIORITIES OF CUOMO: $15/hour Minimum Wage 12 Week PAID Family Leave

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DIRECTIONS: v. Read the “NY’s answer…” article v. Read the “A $15 -hour minimum wage…” article v. Choose a side and write one paragraph in which you argue FOR or AGAINST this new minimum wage; be sure to include evidence from the article which supports your view

DEBATE: • What are the pros of a higher minimum wage? • What are the cons?

P. I. G. TUESDAY 4/19

THE JUDICIAL BRANCH Two Main roles: • Determines whether or not the law has been broken • Determines if laws are unconstitutional

Judicial Branch in NYS n The judicial branch comprises a range of courts (from trial to appellate) with various jurisdictions (from village and town courts to the State's highest court — the Court of Appeals). The State assumes the cost for all but the town and village courts.

Court System n NYS Court System n The Court of Appeals is the highest court in our state. An appeal is asking to have a case from a lower court heard again in a higher court. Below the Court of Appeals is the Supreme Court. Under the Supreme court are the county and family courts. 7 members 1 Chief Judge/6 Associate Judges (14 year terms; appointed at different times) n

• • Associate Back Row: Judge Eugene M. Fahey Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam Judge Leslie E. Stein Judge Michael J. Garcia Front Row: • Sr. Associate Judge Eugene F. Pigott, Jr. • Chief Judge Janet Di. Fiore • Associate Judge Jenny Rivera

COURT CALENDAR: There is one term of the Court of Appeals each year, commencing in January and continuing throughout the year in one or two week sessions, usually excluding July. Oral arguments at the Court of Appeals are held during ten calendar months, and the Court usually sits in late August to hear and decide cases related to primary elections.

New Paltz Local Courts n Village court ONLY deals with traffic tickets n n Town deals with traffic and civil disputes n n (Changes depending on village) (Changes depending on town) http: //www. townofnewpaltz. org/sites/newpaltzny/files/file/policies_and_procedures. pdf

http: //nycourts. interactive 360. net/flash/interactive 360_NY_Co urt_Appeals_795. html

Ulster County Court n Supreme Court (appeals from the lower courts) n County Court (civil cases, criminal cases, etc. ) n Family Court (custody, visitation, etc. ) n Surrogate Court (hears proceedings for the deceased )

County Court-Kingston, NY

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THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH PIG 4/21 and 4/25

WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH DO? ? Pass laws!

HOW IS THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SET UP? • Bicameral (two chambers) • 63 members of the Senate (since 2012 reapportionment) • 150 members of the Assembly • Each district has an average population of 128, 652 people but these districts are different sizes depending on how many people live in an area • Members are elected for two year-terms

ULSTER COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES Assembly Member-Kevin Cahill (D)

ULSTER COUNTY SENATORS Bill Larkin (R) John Bonacic (R)

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW The job of the Senate is to work with the Assembly and the Governor to enact, amend or repeal statutes which make up the body of laws by which we are governed. This involves drafting, discussing and approving bills and resolutions.

1) SOMEONE HAS A NEW POLICY IDEA The legislative process begins with a new policy idea. Senators often come up with those ideas, however they come from many other places such as a senator's constituents, an organization that calling for a new law, or a State official. Regardless of the source, this idea serves as the starting point for any new bill or law.

2) IDEA IS DRAFTED INTO A BILL Once an idea for a new law has been settled on, it must be drafted as a bill before it can be considered by the Senate. A bill is a set of instructions for changing the language of the laws of New York. Bill drafting requires a specialized legal training, and it is usually carried out by the staff of New York State's Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. Sometimes, an interest group may have its own attorneys draft a bill, and lawyers working in state agencies and the executive branch often submit their ideas for

3) BILL UNDERGOES COMMITTEE PROCESS Introduction The first step in the committee process is to introduce a bill into a committee. Bills are generally only introduced only by legislators or by standing committees of the Senate and Assembly. The only exception is the Executive Budget, which is submitted directly by the Governor. On introduction in the Senate, a bill goes to the Introduction and Revision Office, given a number, and sent to the appropriate

CONTINUED… Committee Action Members of Standing Committees evaluate bills and decide whether to "report" them (send them) to the Senate floor for a final decision by the full membership. A committee agenda is issued each week listing the bills and issues each Senate committee will handle the following week. Committees often hold public hearings on bills to gather the widest possible range of opinion. Citizens can share their opinion on a proposed bill with their Senate representative for relay to the committee members.

CONTINUED… The committee system acts as a funnel through which the large number of bills introduced each session must pass before they can be considered. The system also acts as a sieve to sift out undesirable or unworkable ideas. After consideration, the committee may report the bill to the full Senate for consideration, it may amend the

4) SENATE AND ASSEMBLY PASS BILL After explanation, discussion or debate, a vote is taken. If a majority of the Senators approves, the bill is sent to the Assembly. It is referred to a committee for discussion, and if approved there, it goes to the full membership for a vote. If the bill is approved in the Assembly without amendment, it goes on to the Governor. However, if it is changed, it is returned to the Senate for concurrence in the amendments. (The reverse procedure is followed if the Assembly first passes a bill identical to a Senate measure or if the Senate amends an Assembly bill. )

5) BILL IS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR While the Legislature is in session, the Governor has 10 days (not counting Sundays) to sign or veto bills passed by both houses. Signed bills become law; vetoed bills do not. However, the Governor's failure to sign or veto a bill within the 10 -day period means that it becomes law automatically. Vetoed bills are returned to the house that first passed them, together with a statement of the reason for their disapproval. A vetoed bill can become law if two-thirds of the members of each house vote to override the Governor's veto. If a bill is sent to the Governor when the Legislature is out of session, the rules are a bit different. At such times, the Governor has 30 days in

OTHER INFO ABOUT BILLS A bill must be added to a calendar before it can come up for a vote before the Senate. The floor calendar is a list of bills that have been reported out of their respective committees to the Senate floor. The active list is a list of bills drawn from the floor calendar that are expected to make it to the floor for a vote on a given session day. Supplemental calendars are a list of bills reported out of the Rules committee expected to make it to the floor for a vote on a given session day.

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LET’S DISCUSS SHELDON SILVER ØWho was he? ØWhat did he do wrong? ØHow did the jury find him? ØWhat does this mean for Albany? Øhttps: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=m 7 pzg. Xe. GVR 0 Øhttps: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=sneu. TO 76 Hu 8 (start at 1: 10)