A Report of Citizens Union of the City of New York EXAMINING TURNOVER IN THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE: 2009 – 2010 Update Research and Policy Analysis by Citizens Union Foundation Written and Published by Citizens Union FEBRUARY 2011 Endorsed By: Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Common Cause NY League of Women Voters of New York State New York Public Interest Research Group Citizens Union of the City of New York 299 Broadway, Suite 700 New York, NY 10007-1976 phone 212-227-0342 • fax 212-227-0345 •
[email protected] • www.citizensunion.org www.gothamgazette.com Peter J.W. Sherwin, Chair • Dick Dadey, Executive Director TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary Page 1 II. Introduction and Methodology Page 3 III. Acknowledgments Page 5 IV. Major Findings on Legislative Turnover, 2009-2010 Page 6 V. Findings on the Causes of Turnover, 1999-2010 Page 8 VI. Opportunities for Reform Page 16 VII. Appendices A. Percentage of Seats Turned Over in the New York State Legislature, 1999-2010 B. Causes of Turnover by Percentage of Total Turnover, 1999-2010 C. Total Causes of Turnover, 1999-2010 D. Ethical and Criminal Issues Resulting in Turnover, 1999-2010 E. Ethical and Criminal Issues Resulting in Turnover Accelerates: Triples in Most Recent 6-Year Period F. Table of Individual Legislators Who Have Left Due to Ethical or Criminal Issues, 1999-2010 G. Table of Causes of Turnover in Individual Assembly and Senate Districts, 2009 – 2010 Citizens Union Examining Legislative Turnover: 2009 - 2010 Update February 2011 Page 1 I. Executive Summary The New York State Legislature looked far different in January 2011 than it did in January 2009, as there were 47 fresh faces out of 212, when the new legislative session began compared to two years ago.