Feuding Senate Has NY State Seeing Double

New York got two state senates for the price of one yesterday as lawmakers held side-by-side sessions, with each party passing its own bills, the New York Times reports. Dems got to the chamber first and locked out Republicans. When the GOP was finally allowed in, members were barred from the rostrum—so one headed a session from the floor, the New York Post reports.

When the Dems' session began, so did the shouting match. “Don't you dare tell me I'm out of order!” a Democrat yelled to the presiding Republican. "You're out of order!" The Republican session “passed” 85 bills, to some laughter; Dems managed to “pass” 14. But it’s not clear whether the moves count for anything. “The conduct today was farcical,” said Gov. David Paterson.
(More New York State Senate stories.)