Page 1 The Legislative Gazette February 9, 2010
INSIDE
THE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT
Redistricting forum this week
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Senators probe prison supers’ housing
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The Legislative Gazette
Dr. Alan Chartock’s column
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Lawmakers are split over inmate
redistricting
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bill
age 6
State celebrates Black History Month
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February 9, 2010 Vol. 33 Number 23 www.legislativegazette.com P.O. Box 7329, Albany, NY 12224
Paterson
An ethics bill
compromise?
By LENINA MORTIMER
Gazette staff writer and the Associated Press
G
ov. David A. Paterson last
Saturday proposed a compromise
ethics bill to the Legislature
which, enraged by his veto of their bill, is
planning an override in the most heated
conflict yet between the Democratic
governor and the Democratic legislative
leaders.
Paterson’s bill would create a
commission to weigh possible conflicts
of interest between elected officials and
their law clients and income, apparently
without making the clients or income
public. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Gazette photo by Andrew Beam
SUNY professors and students protest outside the Capitol last Friday in opposition to proposed changes at the state university they fear would lead to
and Senate Democratic Conference
higher tuition and fewer classes. The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovative Act is part of the governor’s budget.
Leader John Sampson, both lawyers, had
strongly opposed revealing law clients
and the outside income publicly.
Paterson said Democratic legislative
leaders have resisted his attempt
SUNY changes protested
to negotiate a compromise, although
lawmakers had said it was Paterson who
refused to work out a deal. Paterson’s new
By KARLA CRUZ Professions, its affiliate New York “UUP is in the plaza. NYSUT is in
proposal includes elements pushed by
Gazette staff writer State United Teachers and the New the plaza. NYSTI is in the plaza,” said
the Republican minority of the Senate.
“I hope (the proposal) will serve as
the basis for meaningful negotiations
T
o the beat of drums, several York State Theater Institute, protested UUP President Phillip H. Smith to
hundred voices chanting “Hey in hopes of urging lawmakers to open the rally.
hey, ho ho, SUNY flex has eliminate another budget reduction UUP represents 35,000 academic
among legislative leaders,” Paterson said
to go,” and “You say cut back, we proposal for SUNY and to reject Gov. and professional faculty on 29 New
Saturday.
say fight back” were heard outside David A. Paterson’s proposed Public York state-operated SUNY campuses
The new proposal alters some of
the Capitol last Friday during a rally Higher Education Empowerment and and its affiliate NYSUT represents
Paterson’s previous proposal, which the
against the governor’s proposed cuts Innovation Act. professionals in education and health
Legislature rejected. One change is the
for SUNY and for his plan to partially SUNY students and Assemblyman care across New York state.
deregulate the institution. Jack McEneny, D-Albany, also
See Showdown on page 22
Members of United University participated in the rally.
See Changes on page 21
Bills would provide immunization exemptions
the Public Health Law, which states of just “detrimental.” It would also
Assembly Health Committee also favors extending
that if a licensed physician authorizes a reaffirm the health care
medical exemption from vaccination for practitioner’s authority
protections for senior citizens, health care workers
a child entering a public or private school, to decide when, if ever,
the exemption would be applicable until the vaccination would
By FAITH GIMZEK strengthening a student’s ability to opt out the vaccination “is found to no longer be be appropriate for the
Gazette staff writer of mandatory immunizations upon school detrimental to the child’s health.” exempted student.
A
ssembly Health Committee enrollment for diseases such as mumps, The amendment would expand the Gottfried said a doctor
Chairman Richard Gottfried, measles, Hib disease and hepatitis B. law’s language to include not only
Gottfried
might want to provide a
D-Manhattan, announced Jan. Both immunization exemption bills were licensed physician but also physician’s medical exemption for a patient with a
28 the committee’s passage of 11 bills sponsored by Gottfried and Sen. Frank assistants and nurse practitioners. The weakened immune system or an allergy
addressing patient rights and safety. Padavan, R-Queens, and if passed into reason for exempting students would also to an ingredient in the immunization
Two of the bills, which have advanced law, would be effective immediately. be expanded to include “or otherwise
to their third reading, focus on One bill (A.880/S.2339) would amend contradicted for health reasons” instead
See Exemptions on page 21
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