Approved January 12, 2021

RESOLUTION OF THE GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE URGING GOVERNOR CUOMO AND THE NYS LEGISLATURE TO STOP INCLUDING POLICY MATTERS IN THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS

WHEREAS; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature have, at times, included policy initiatives and new laws as part of the State budget and fiscal plan; and

WHEREAS; examples of such policy changes in the Governor’s 2021 budget proposal included restrictions on gun licensing, a permanent ban on hydro-fracking, a domestic terrorism law, and legalization of gestational surrogacy; and

WHEREAS; matters of policy and law making should be debated openly and separately from spending measures;  and

WHEREAS; policy decisions and new laws that are embedded in an overall budget plan can become tied to priority spending packages and therefore become hostage to other issues; and

WHEREAS; the budget is passed as a comprehensive omnibus bill and may include specific policy decisions that individual legislators have not been able to properly evaluate;  and

WHEREAS; this process limits the ability of legislators to gain feedback from the public on matters of policy and law making;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce urges Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature to stop the practice of creating new laws through the adoption of the annual state budget.