Another legislative session will come to an end in just over a week, and it is looking like there is a lot that will remain undone. One of the biggest concerns amongst these is the complete lack of movement on the environmental Super Bills.
The most frustrating aspect of the Super Bills not passing, is that they are not even brought to the Senate floor for a debate or full vote.
The Super Bills are The Community Preservation Act (S.3836), The Wetlands Bill (S.3835), The Bigger Better Bottle Bill (S.3434), The Climate Change Solutions Act and Fund (S.5347 & S.5371). And they are all sponsored by Republicans!
The Super Bills help underscore the serious problem the Senate has under current legislative rules: the Majority Leader (in this case, Senator Joe Bruno) has unilateral control over what legislation comes to the floor, and he has allowed these environmental bills to languish in the Environmental Conservation committee -- most for numerous legislative sessions.
Experts and advocates have made strong, sound, and convincing arguments for why each of these pieces of legislation should be passed; the Assembly has repeatedly supported the Super Bills; and yet, one man, Senator Joe Bruno, is stonewalling efforts to protect our State's environment.
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Not only are these Republican sponsored bills not moving anywhere, but Democratic Senators continue to be denied the opportunity to co-sponsor any of them.
In fact, I along with most of my Senate Democratic colleagues, have filed official requests (known as buckslips) to cosponsor the Super Bills. But our requests have been ignored. Senator Bruno does this, in part, to weaken the appearance of support for pieces of legislation that he knows should be passed.
