Not all has been changed in Albany

ALBANY - The Legislature's mostly silenced minority parties so far this year have tried to change legislative rules, alter the way the budget is negotiated, even to sweeten a tax-cut proposal to include renters.

But as in past years, the proposals will mostly be fodder for campaign fliers back home, not legislation in Albany.

While leaders of majority parties in both houses - Democrats in the Assembly and Republicans in the Senate - wield great power in what proposals become law, there is little chance for a minority party measure to even get to a floor debate.