Analysis & Commentary
NY Reform
Letter to NYS Senate Majority on Petitions for Hearings
The Brennan Center's Lawrence Norden and Eric Lane write New York State Senate Majority Counsel Diane Burman to explain how the majority has misinterpreted Senate rules, resulting in the suppression of legitimate petitions to have public hearings on legislation. Public hearings on legislation are a basic part of the lawmaking process in most states but have been suppressed in New York's dysfunctional legislature.
Authored by: Lawrence Norden and Eric Lane
– 11/28/11
On Capital Tonight, Brennan Center Urges LATFOR to Follow Law
The Brennan Center's Wendy Weiser appeared on Capital Tonight to discuss the decision by New York's task force on reapportionment, known as LATFOR, not to comply with the law ending prison-based gerrymandering.
– 07/28/11
Try Public Financing on the State Level
Government corruption keeps making headlines. Such news makes the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision striking down part of Arizona's public financing law particularly troubling. Fortunately for New Yorkers, the Empire State still has plenty of weapons to fight corruption in government.
Authored by: Mark Ladov and Lawrence Norden
– 07/06/11
State lawmakers’ first step must be basic reform
New York’s broken system needs some basic mending before they get down to polishing the bills. The needs for ethics and campaign finance reform are immediate.
Authored by: Ciara Torres-Spelliscy
– 01/13/10
WABC | Eric Lane on Albany
The Brennan Center’s Senior Fellow discusses the dysfunction in Albany on WABC’s “Up Close” hosted by Diana Williams.
Authored by: Eric Lane
– 04/05/09
Albany Needs a Whole Lot More Sunshine
New York’s huge budget deficit—$15.4 billion in the next 15 months—will force difficult choices in terms of government services and tax policies for years to come. To engage intelligently in that debate, New Yorkers need far more information than we now receive from Albany.
Authored by: Andrew Stengel and Lise Bang-Jensen
– 01/16/09
Bruno Breezes Through State’s Revolving Door
Discusses Sen. Joseph Bruno’s quick and questionable transition into the private sector after years of service in the New York Senate. Bruno now works for an information technology company that has contracts with several executive branch offices and agencies.
Authored by: Andrew Stengel and Susan Lerner
– 08/26/08
New York Really Needs Public Campaign Financing
In April, Gov. David Paterson shook off pressure to create a system of public financing of campaigns, claiming that there’s just no money in the budget for it. Two recent examples of questionable fiscal management might shed light on why….
Authored by: Bethany Foster
– 06/02/08
Coalition Issue Brief: Transparency & Legislative Rules Reform
The New York State Legislature has had three years since the 2004 Brennan Center report to make vital changes to their operating procedures, but has failed to implement real changes that could lead to substantive legislative reform. A few important steps have been taken, but the major causes of our broken legislature were not addressed.
– 04/23/07
Coalition Issue Brief: Redistricting
Elections are supposed to offer voters a choice in their representation. Unfortunately, the winners of New York State legislative elections are typically chosen in non-competitive elections. In fact, New York’s Legislature has one of the highest rates of incumbency in the nation.
– 04/23/07