The 2023 legislative session for the New York State Legislature began on January 4th, departing the Capitol on June 10th with some issues addressed, and others still on the table.
Lawmakers began the session $32,000 richer than the last, as just two weeks prior to the new session, they voted to raise their pay to $142,000, making New York the highest paid legislature in the nation.
They voted on the pay raise in a special session on December 22nd, and on that same day, Governor Kathy Hochul nominated Hector LaSalle for Chief Judge of the state Court of Appeals, New York's highest court.
This set the stage for the start of the session, as Justice LaSalle went before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 18th. After hours of questioning from lawmakers, LaSalle's fate appeared to be sealed as the Senate voted against advancing his nomination to the Senate floor, as the more progressive Democrats were not in favor of LaSalle's decisions as Presiding Justice of New York Supreme Court's Second Department. It was the first time a nomination was voted down by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"The conference was looking for someone who will change the trajectory of the court...and that was stated before the nominee or the list," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said.
But, the Republican minority fought back, filing a lawsuit, stating the New York constitution mandates a full floor vote.
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