NY Reform
The Brennan Center's flagship issue in New York is legislative reform. In 2004, the Center released a landmark report documenting in detail the pervasive dysfunction in New York's legislative process and offering a blueprint for reform. Still Broken, our 2008 update on these issues, detailed the reforms made by the Senate and Assembly in 2005 and concluded that the broken legislative process had not been substantially fixed by either chamber. Upon gaining control of the Senate following the 2008 elections, a new Democratic majority made substantial improvements, but in the two years since, the chamber has continued to be plagued by difficulty executing its most basic functions. The Republican leadership in the Senate, now in control in the wake of the 2010 elections, has preserved most of the post-2008 changes, but passed on its first opportunity to make further progress on procedural reforms.
The Brennan Center also works on campaign finance and redistricting issues in New York, which are part and parcel of the difficulties in the legislature. Now that new Governor Andrew Cuomo has expressed support for a clean elections system to curb the influence of outsized donations and corporate money in New York politics, the Brennan Center is working with a coalition that now includes national-level reform advocates to push for real campaign finance reform with public financing in 2011. Brennan Center staff are also engaged in public education and advocacy on redistricting issues, as New York State prepares to receive data from the U.S. Census and begins a redistricting process that has in the past been notorious for its political gamesmanship.
ReformNY
The Brennan Center for Justice has long maintained a blog for all our NY State reform news. Read the ReformNY blog.
The Brennan Center filed a motion in New York Supreme Court seeking to intervene and help defend New York’s new law ending prison-based gerrymandering in state and local redistricting.
Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. State of New York
The Brennan Center’s amicus brief in this case argued that the inadequate representation provided by the New York State Legislature justified judicial intervention in the funding of the state’s public schools.
The Brennan Center and other good government groups submitted an amicus brief in support of an ultimately successful effort to shed light on New York legislators’ pet projects.
A roundup with the latest news highlighting the corrosive nature of money in New York State politics — and the need for public financing and robust campaign finance reform.
Former Representatives Voice Support for Public Financing
Two former New York congressman voiced their support for Governor Cuomo's plan to enact public financing in the state.
Kruger Used Campaign Contributions to Pay Legal Fees
Kruger paying his legal fees with campaign contributions highlights New York's notoriously weak campaign finance laws.
Illustrations by Risko
Joint Statement on Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address
In yesterday's State of the State Address, Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to lead the push for what could become the most important reform in the nation in 2012: reducing the massive influence of big money in our political system through public financing of elections for New York State.
Brennan Center Praises Cuomo’s Support of Public Financing
Following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address, the Brennan Center released this statement from Executive Director Michael Waldman.
Report: 60,000 New York Votes Lost Due to Poor Design in 2010
A new Brennan Center for Justice analysis of data from the 2010 election indicates more than 20,000 votes for governor in New York were lost because machines read them as “overvotes,” ballots with too many candidates selected. The analysis finds New York voting machines’ confusing and misleading overvote warning message is at fault, as well as the state’s outdated ballot design.
Letter to Governor Cuomo Calling for Fair Elections in New York State
Coalition of good government, civil rights, environmental, labor, business, religious and grassroots community organizations urge Governor Cuomo to create a public campaign financing program for New York State.
Comptroller Campaign Finance Reform Act
The Brennan Center issued the following memorandum of support for the Comptroller Campaign Finance Reform Act which provides for public financing for campaigns for the office of the state comptroller in New York.
New York State Senate Democratic Public Forum on Independent Redistricting Reform
Keesha Gaskins submitted written testimony for New York State Senate Democratic Public Forum on Independent Redistricting 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.
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.
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.