• A few weeks ago I was invited to attend a global warming conference in Washington, DC by Oxfam America.  Approximately one hundred leaders from all over the country were invited to participate as Oxfam America Sisters on the Planet Ambassadors.  (Click here for a full report.)
• Our  90th birthday celebration was both informative and well attended.  Videos of the redistricting forum are available at the Rockefeller Institute Website.
• We are co-hosting Albany on the Record on May 5.  This is an educational event to discover where elected officials and candidates stand on issues contained in our Fix Albany Now Legislative Agenda.  Plan to come to Albany and invite your friends, family, and community members.  Free buses and lunch will be provided. (Click here for more information) or (click here to sign up online).
• Join the League at its Spring Fling cocktail party in Manhattan on May 14.  Activities are arranged for those who wish to make a weekend of it.  (Click here for more information.)
• The LWVUS convention will be held in Atlanta from June 12-15, 2010.  If you have not attended an national convention, we urge you to do so.  This is a wonderful opportunity to experience first-hand the depth of experience and knowledge of League members throughout the country.  The real excitement is not necessary reflected in the agenda but occurs during caucuses and through networking.  See the "Members Only" section at www.lwv.org for registration information.
  The New York League wishes to nominate itself and local Leagues for a national convention award for its youth programs.  If your League would like to be included, please contact me at betsey@lwvny.org immediately.
• League Council.  Council materials will go out shortly.  Included will be a review of what we have accomplished over the past year, the proposed budget, and a proposal to amend the program to include a concurrence on marriage equality. (Click here for more information.)

And last but not least, I want to send a big fat thank you to all the Leagues and League members who have helped to make this past year so exciting and successful.  I am constantly overwhelmed by the level of expertise and energy throughout the state.  The state League could not do its job without your help.  I have arranged a number of visits to local Leagues mow that spring has sprung.  If  your League would like to arrange a visit, drop me a line or give me a call at 518-426-3711.

Experience the wonder of Manhattan in the spring!  Come to the League's Spring Fling, with activities scheduled for Friday, May 14 through Sunday, May 16.  The kick-off will be a Friday evening cocktail party at the lovely Manhattan home of Sally Robinson, state League Director of Issues and Advocacy, followed on Saturday with tours or Ellis Island, the King Tut exhibit, attendance at South Pacific at Lincoln Center, and more. Reservations for the Cocktail Party will be received until May 1, but after March 26, reservations for the tours and theater may be limited. Call the state office to make a reservation.

 

We ask local Leagues to lobby their legislators while the legislators are in the home offices.  League members are encouraged to join their representatives during this lobby session; contact your local Action Chair or President if you would like to lobby with the League.

On February 26th, we emailed the Legislative Packet Part II to local league presidents and action chairs.    It is also on the home page under Action.  We reorganized the action material on the home page so "Ethics and Campaign Finance Materials" and "Election Law Reform" materials are collected on separate pages with a link under Action. In addition to our lobbying timetable for this year and giving tips for lobby visits, Legislative Packet Part II contained:

It also contained a 6-page supplement with considerably more detailed information on the issues for those with an interest, including linkages to additional resources.  Thanks to Betsey for her considerable help with that piece. Click here for the Lobby Report form which is due to the state League office by June 1.

In celebration of the League's ninetieth birthday, the New York League is happy to announce creation of the 1919 Society, representing individuals who have included the LWVNY in their wills.  To join the 1919 Society, all you have to do is include the LWVNYS in your will. If you already have included the League in your will, just let us know and we'll add you to the members of the Society. We will not ask for either proof of the bequest or its amount - we just want to honor your future support. As a member, your name will be engraved on a plaque in the state League office, listed in the State Voter, and on the website.
 
You have worked so hard for the League for so many years. Why not help to ensure the future of the League by including support for the League in your will?  Your donation can specify the Centennial Fund of the Education Foundation, a perpetually endowed fund, the general fund of the Education Foundation or the League. The process is simple, and we can help you with the correct language.  Just contact Laura Ladd Bierman, Executive Director, LWVNYS, at Laura@lwvny.org or by phone at 518-465-4162 for more information or to join this new Society.
 
If you believe that a strong League is vital to the health of our democracy, please become a member of the 1919 Society.

Jay Gallagher, former Bureau Chief for Gannett News in Albany, is writing a blog for the state League. The blog provides current information on the happenings in Albany politics - with some extra quotes, comments and stories to enliven the facts. He is updating the blog almost daily so if you want to follow the decisions and discussion in the state Assembly or Senate, read Jay's blog. There is a link to the blog directly from our website - just click on "New League Blog" in the upper right corner of the homepage. And, if you would like to comment on the blog, follow these instructions (and you don't have to sign in or join):
2.      If using Firefox as your browser. Be sure 3rd Party Cookies is enabled.
         Click on Tools -select Options - then select Privacy - then check the box marked  Accept Third Party Cookies
3.      Click the link marked Comments below the blog on which you want to comment
4.      Type your comments into the box marked Leave your comment
5.      Scroll down to Word Verification and Type in the word that you see (graphic)
6.      Scroll down to Choose Identity and select Anonymous
7.      Click Publish your Comment.
8.      Your comments will not be published until approved by office

This is a great way to stay current on politics in Albany and to join in the conversation about them. Give it a try!

While the rest of the world might have had something significant going on in their personal lives during the month of March, healthcare reform on the national level has now passed, March Madness goes on in the world of sports, but in the NYS legislature we have total stagnation.   Late in February, Hiram Monserrate was expelled by his fellow Senators and a special election was set for March 16th.  Because the democrats have a slim majority (32/30) and Mr. Monserrate was the 32nd vote, his expulsion has left the democrats without a majority vote.  Without a 32nd vote, the democrats in the state Senate have been unable to vote on any legislation, therefore NOTHING has happened. The League's election reform legislation, which passed the Assembly in January, has been on third reading in the Senate since early February.  The no-excuse absentee ballot bill, as well as other changes to the election law, have remained on third reading in the Senate, but have not passed. 
 
Once the March 16th election to replace Mr. Monserrate was held, Assemblyman Jose Peralta, now Senator Peralta was seated and therefore the democrats had their 32nd vote.  One significant League priority which we have been advocating for 17 years did become law last week when the Governor signed the Family Health Care Decision Act.  This legislation would allow the family of a patient who did not have a health care proxy to express what that patient would want for end of life care.  This was a significant lobbying victory for the League.
 
Budget negotiations are being done behind closed doors by the same old "three men in a room" and it would appear that there will be no open conference committees this session. In an election year when only cuts are being done, no leader wants his members exposed to cameras talking about cuts to education and healthcare. This past Monday, March 22nd, ten days before the fiscal year ends and the budget is due, the Senate passed its one house budget resolution containing several cuts to education and healthcare to close the more than 9 billion dollar budget deficit for this year.  Yesterday, March 24th, the Assembly was in session late into the evening passing their one house budget bill which does not have as severe cuts to education and healthcare as does the Senate version.  It does contain some of the recommendations made by Lt. Governor Richard Ravitch. Negotiations will continue, perhaps through the weekend to resolve differences between the legislature and the Governor; however, it is quite certain the New York will not have an on-time budget this year.   
 
The League will continue to monitor the activity OR inactivity as we move beyond the budget to the rest of the legislative session.  

 On April 11, over 30 students from 24 Leagues and 2 MAL Units will convene in Albany for the state League's annual Students Inside Albany Conference. The students will learn about lobbying from different types of lobbyists, such as special interest lobbyists, union lobbyists and paid lobbyist; they will hear from a media panel as to how the media can influence the public policy making process and they will participate in a role-playing with Assemblywoman Sandy Galef to determine tips for being an effective citizen lobbyist. They will also shadow both their Senator and Assembly member for one afternoon each. The students will learn that anyone can be a lobbyist and have an impact on public policy.

Over 60 people from 9 local Leagues and other organizations attended an educational forum on redistricting held at the Rockefeller Institute on February 9th. This forum, which was co-sponsored with the Rockefeller Institute of Government addressed the issue of redrawing the boundaries for legislative districts in New York after the 2010 U.S. Census and the effect that may have on competitive elections. Panelists included state Assemblyman Daniel J. Burling; state Assemblyman William Parment ; Jeffrey Wice, special counsel to state Senator Martin Malave Dilan Sr.; Gerald Benjamin, associate vice president for regional engagement at the State University of New York at New Paltz; and Blair Horner, legislative director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. The discussion was moderated by Susan Arbetter, host of WCNY's "The Capitol Pressroom." Videos of the presentations can be viewed on the Rockefeller Institute website. A reception was held following the Forum to celebrate the national League's 90th Birthday; photos from the forum and reception can be viewed on the League's Facebook page.