PATAKI OPENS DOOR FOR DEAL ON DRUG LAWS

Albany -- Governor Offers To Talk With Democrats About Rockefeller Reforms

Offering an opening to compromise, Gov. George Pataki said Thursday he'd be
willing to "sit down and talk" with Assembly Democrats about reforms to the
state's mandatory sentencing guidelines known as the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

Pataki indicated he is open to more dramatic changes to scale back the harsh
26-year-old statutes than what he has so far proposed. The laws mandate
prison terms of at least 15 years for even first-time, low-level drug offenders.

However, the governor also attacked the Assembly leadership for putting
political concerns in front of policy changes. So far this session, Assembly
Speaker Sheldon Silver has refused to take a position on Rockefeller law
reforms -- in part, apparently, out of fear Assembly Democrats will be seen
as "soft on crime" in the November 2000 elections.

"They've decided to act based on their political interests, as opposed to
the public interest. I would say that's the case with ... the Rockefeller
Drug Laws," Pataki said. "I've never, on any ... issue, said it has to be
completely my way. I'm always willing to sit down and talk, and look for
responsible common ground."

The governor would not say how far he is willing to compromise and said he
has not talked to Silver on the matter.

But Silver shot back, accusing the governor of failing to offer any "real
reforms," and said he will continue to resist changes to the law -- even by
his own membership -- until Pataki comes up with something more substantial.

Pataki proposes allowing an appeals court to scale back prison terms by up
to a third for first-time drug transporters, or "mules" -- which would only
affect about 300 of the more than 9,200 inmates currently incarcerated under
the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

"If the governor sends us reform, this house will consider it," Silver said.
"Right now, he has not sent us reform."

The speaker also said he will not consider any one-house bills -- measures
that, at least, indicate willingness for reform -- presumably because such
an action generally has little chance of becoming law. "What's the point?"
Silver said.

The governor's bill also would link changes to the Rockefeller laws to
ending parole for all felons -- a deal that is unacceptable to nearly all
Assembly Democrats. But even loyal rank-and-file members of Silver's
conference say they want to see some movement on Rockefeller laws this session.

"These laws need some reform," said Assembly Majority Leader Michael
Bragman, D-Syracuse. "I personally favor something on the Rockefeller Drug
Laws and I think we will be discussing that in the remaining weeks of the
session."

If the deadlock between Pataki and Silver continues, other legislation
calling for Rockefeller law reforms are certain to languish without action.

Republican Sen. John DeFrancisco of Syracuse, for example, said his own bill
to scale back the sentencing mandates continues to be held in the Senate
Codes Committee as leaders wait to see if reforms will be taken up this year.