POL STANDOFF
GOP, Dem fury KOs state Senate work
ALBANY — The state Senate descended into an acrimonious stalemate Tuesday as lawmakers engaged in an increasingly bitter dispute over abortion rights and contraceptive coverage.
For the third time in less than a week, action ground to a halt as the ruling Senate GOP majority contested Democratic efforts to force a debate on measures intended to strengthen New York’s abortion laws and guarantee that insurers provide contraception services coverage.
And in a clear poke at Gov. Cuomo, the Senate took a firstever vote to override one of his vetoes. With Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul presiding over the Senate, lawmakers voted unanimously to override the veto of a bill that would have provided funding for school districts to provide all-day kindergarten if they had not already done so.
“We are here to do the people’s business in a professional, courteous and respectful way, and we expect that the Democrats will get their act together and follow suit,” Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Suffolk County) told reporters after the session ended.
The override, however, was entirely symbolic, as Assembly leaders said they would not take such a vote. Cuomo had vetoed the measure in April, arguing it was unnecessary because the state budget adopted in March already had provided funds for all-day kindergarten.
Democrats blasted Republicans for refusing to take up the abortion rights and contraception measures and for “mansplaining” to Hochul as she presided over the Senate.
“In 2018, we still have a whole Republican majority that will not respect women’s right to choose, that will not allow the conversation to be had on the floor of the chamber, and will not allow votes on critical health issues,” Senate Democratic leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester County) said.
The acrimony first erupted last Wednesday when Senate Democrats, backed by Hochul’s presence on the rostrum, sought to force a vote on the abortion and contraception bills by attaching them as hostile amendments to legislation already on the Senate’s calendar.
With the Republicans handicapped by the absence of one of their members who is away on military duty and lacking the votes needed to block the Democrats, the Senate GOP set aside its agenda for the day.
A day later, Senate Republicans attempted to selectively take up a handful of bills, but lacked the votes to pass any of them and eventually adjourned their session for the week.
In an effort to break the stalemate, GOP leaders this week agreed to accept the abortion and contraception amendments. The truce did not last long, as Republicans on Tuesday became furious that Hochul gave time for state Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) to speak on the issues even after the amendments had been accepted.
Republicans then withdrew their acceptance of the amendments and called a halt to Senate proceedings.
“No one will silence the women of the State of New York under our watch,” Hochul told reporters afterward.