Continuing Changes in Veto-Proof Majorities and Partisan Control of Legislatures

By Karen Shanton

Since our post on veto-proof legislatures went to press, there have been a couple of noteworthy developments – one in Georgia and the other in New York – that could affect the political landscape. Here's a quick update on those developments.

Rep. Rusty Kidd

Following the November election, the Georgia House's sole independent, Representative Rusty Kidd, appeared to be considering a shift in party allegiances. Georgia Republicans had fallen just short of a two-thirds supermajority in the General Assembly, missing the mark by a single seat in the House. If Representative Kidd joined the GOP, he would tip the party over the two-thirds threshold. 

That possibility no longer seems to be on the table. Representative Kidd recently announced that he will remain independent.

In theory, this is a significant decision. In Georgia, legislators can override a gubernatorial veto or refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot with two-thirds of the vote. Adding Representative Kidd to their ranks would have given Republicans the numbers to exercise these powers unilaterally, without any input from state Democrats.

In practice, however, its impact may be limited. According to GPB News' Joshua Stewart, Representative Kidd was already considered a reasonably reliable Republican vote. And formally joining the GOP was unlikely to further increase his Republican vote tallies. As he told NBC's Amanda Castro before he announced his decision, "Some people think that automatically means just because you're one of 120 [members of the majority party], you're going to always vote with the majority. That's not the case." In addition, it's unlikely that the majority in the Georgia General Assembly will become so entangled with fellow Republican Gov. Nathan Deal that they need to override many vetoes.

Sen. Jeff Klein

A week or so ago, New York Democrats seemed to be on course to pick up majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature. They emerged from the election with a healthy majority in the state Assembly and 31 seats in the Senate. An additional two Senate races are undecided but are expected to go to the Democrats, leaving them with a slim edge in the 63-member Senate. 

However, Democrats' hold on the Senate has ended before it even began. Thanks to a recently-forged power-sharing agreement, a coalition of the Republican Party and the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) will assume control of the New York Senate. Republican leader Dean Skelos and IDC leader Jeff Klein will alternate every two weeks as presiding officers of the Senate.

Sen. Dean Skelos

The effect this will have on public policy is uncertain. Traditional Democrats see it as a setback to a popularly-endorsed progressive agenda. Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy labeled it, "a coup against all New Yorkers who voted for Democratic control of the Senate and a progressive state government." However, IDC head Klein maintains that the group is "committed to seeing major pieces of progressive legislation pass in the Senate."