Lawmakers Looking at Long Weekend in Albany to Work Out Budget Details

State Senate Temporary President and Majority Coalition Leader Dean Skelos

Legislators were told to extend their hotel reservations through the weekend as a budget deal has been delayed by non-fiscal complications.

Lawmakers are debating education aid for New York City, the minimum wage and other measures, and also looking at tweaking the new gun regulations that go into effect April 15.

“This is the time, whether you do it in the budget or alongside the budget, it’s not clear,” Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said. “I think it’s everybody’s idea that some change has to be made to clear the inconsistencies.”

A sticking point involves the number of rounds in a magazine specified by the NY SAFE Act; the law reduced the number from 10 to seven. Silver said he does not have a problem with gun owners keeping 10 rounds in guns at home, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo has refused to make any changes except for “technical corrections.”

“There are a range of them, we’re talking about them,” Cuomo said, adding, “The budget is not being held up. We’re way early in the process. Nothing is being held up. We are weeks early.”Republican Senate conference leader Dean Skelos said he was not behind a push to change the SAFE Act. “I’m not pushing anything other than getting a budget done,” he said.