ALBANY – It’s a busy week in Albany as lawmakers scramble to approve various bills prior to the start of the summer recess at the end of this week.
So far the biggest news coming out of Albany this week is the Women’s Equality Act, which apparently doesn’t have enough support to be approved before the summer break. However, Governor Andrew Cuomo and several groups have decided to split the omnibus legislation into 10 component parts – essentially unhooking a controversial plank regarding the state’s abortion law and allowing other items regarding pay equity, combat discrimination, human trafficking and domestic violence to move forward. As a whole, the bill would have seen opposition from Senate Republicans – who opposed the abortion measure.
The introduction of separate bills late Tuesday makes the bills live for votes on Friday. As recently as Monday, Cuomo and women’s advocates had insisted that all 10 provisions were essential legislation, even though their separation decreases the likelihood that the abortion plank will pass.
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