No Bills Passed NYS Senate in January

New York, NY —

The Democratic-controlled New York State Senate went 0-for-January when it came to passing legislation during the opening month of the legislative session.

Despite holding the chamber's majority for the first time in more than 40 years, Democratic lawmakers failed to pass a single bill last month. It's the first time in at least 14 years that no bills were passed in the first month of the Legislature's six-month session.

Some Republicans have said it's fair to give Democrats time to get comfortable in the majority, but other lawmakers say their patience is likely to wane as major issues await action.

Democrats contend that a lot of work is going on that will result in more meaningful change and promote involvement from both parties. They also point to the unusual challenge of a massive midyear budget gap that they said will require careful action.