ALBANY'S WORK IS NOT DONE

In a State Legislature as addicted to behind-the-scenes dealmaking as New
York's, it's possible to accomplish a great deal very quickly.

As the lawmakers in Albany move into the final days of their official
session, there is plenty of work still on the table.

Some important proposals, such as reorganization of the jumbled judicial
system, can't be jump-started at this late date. But others are close to
resolution. If officials don't get them done, they should be ashamed to
face the voters this November.

Reform of the state's arcane Rockefeller drug laws, which impose cruelly
long prison terms even for nonviolent offenders, is one priority that
appears to be in danger of falling through the cracks.

Prosecutors prefer the current system of mandatory terms because it gives
them most of the real sentencing power.

This is an area where Gov. George Pataki should show his leadership and
negotiate a decent compromise between his own narrower bill and the
Assembly's already modified offering.

For wage earners, the Legislature should raise the state's minimum wage,
now only $5.15 an hour, and pass an extension of unemployment insurance for
as many as 100,000 New Yorkers who are about to run through their benefits.

Resolving three environmental issues should also be within the
Legislature's reach. Superfund, aimed at cleaning up highly toxic
industrial sites, ran out of money long ago and needs to be reactivated. A
brownfields program, which deals with less dangerous sites that can more
easily be reclaimed, can be started at little cost since much of the money
would come from developers. The law on siting of power plants expires this
year, providing a golden opportunity to preserve the best features of the
present law while closing loopholes that allow utilities to build small but
dirty plants as long as they fall below a certain generating threshold.

Once again the Legislature threatens to adjourn without approving basic
civil rights legislation barring discrimination against gay people in
employment, housing and public accommodations. The opposition lies in the
Republican-majority State Senate, and Governor Pataki should persuade
fellow party members to take action.

Senate Republicans are also blocking a reasonable proposal by the Nassau
County executive, Thomas Suozzi, to create a new sewer and storm water
authority to help close a budget deficit that was built up under Mr.
Suozzi's irresponsible G.O.P. predecessor.

A promising statewide ban on smoking in restaurants has stalled, under
lobbying pressure from the small-restaurant owners who can now permit
smoking in many parts of the state.

Surveys show that bar and food revenues are not affected by smoking bans,
and that they are popular with most customers. This is an election year,
and if there's any time that Albany should be listening to majority
sentiment rather than special interests, this is it.

There are other issues that the Legislature could still tackle if it really
had the will. Despite much hand-wringing, nothing has been done yet about
auto insurance rates.

There is also time to pass a law giving customers more protection against
predatory lending practices.

This "sub-prime" or high-interest lending has ballooned in recent years,
too often trapping borrowers who lose their homes.

Despite the long list of undone work, the Senate majority leader, Joseph
Bruno, has vowed to close the session tomorrow.

The Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, has declared that his house will
continue working.

Mr. Silver has the right idea. The Legislature has hardly covered itself in
so much glory this term that it can afford to walk away from so many
important priorities.