Has Albany Become a Place Where Good Bills Go to Die?

NY1 News Political Anchor and host of “Inside City Hall” penned an editorial outlining a list of critical, do-good bills he believes should have walked through Albany, but instead have languished in Congress with little hope of passing, he wrote in The Daily News.

And until it happens, he says, “Albany will continue to have its shameful reputation as a place where good ideas go to die.

Some of those bills include:

The Marijuana Act: A majority of New Yorkers think marijuana should be legalized — and an even higher percentage, 57%, think it should be available as a form of medical treatment. A bill to legalize medical marijuana has stalled.

The DREAM Act: This bill allows noncitizen New York students to apply for tuition assistance, was pitched as the top priority of Latino legislators. Barring a miracle, it will not come up for a vote in the Senate because of Republican opposition.

The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act: This bill outlaws discrimination against people based on gender identity. A few jurisdictions, including New York City, already outlaw such treatment. But it looks like a law to protect people statewide won’t come up for a vote.

The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act: This bill was a fight that former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy first took on in the 1960s and would finally extend basic workplace protections to the estimated 100,000 agricultural workers who labor on farms throughout the state. Right now, they have no right to days off or overtime and no right to join a union. It seems Albany will turn its back on the farmworkers yet again.

Do you feel these laws should be passed? Why or why not.