NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — On the last day of the 2022 New York legislative session, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie refused to initiate a vote on a landmark climate bill that had already passed the State Senate and had broad support in the Assembly.
The Build Public Renewables Act would require the state’s public energy provider, the New York Power Authority, to rely on 100% renewable energy by 2030 and empower the authority to replace polluting infrastructure with renewables.
The bill passed the State Senate on Wednesday, and 83 Assemblymembers committed to voting yes on the bill. The 151-member assembly requires 76 votes to pass legislation.
Despite the overwhelming support for the legislation, Heastie unilaterally killed the bill by letting the clock run out on the 2022 legislative session.
State lawmakers won’t meet again until January, and a newly redistricted election map could shake up the composition of the legislature during the November election.
Heastie has received $61,230 from the oil, automotive and electric utilities industries — all of which oppose the BPRA.
He’s only received $250 from environmental policy groups.
Beyond his own fundraising apparatus, Heastie also controls the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, a multi-million dollar organization that relies on special interests for funding and allows Heastie to dole out cash to favored campaigns. It’s a powerful tool for maintaining his leadership position in the party.