Though Democrats had entered the Senate chamber through a back hallway just before 12:30 p.m. and locked the doors — much to the surprise of Republicans — Republicans moved ahead with plans for their own session and began calling for votes on bills as Democrats sat silent in protest.
Exactly who was in control of the Senate — or whether any of the procedural action the Republicans had taken was legally valid — was unclear. Democrats were successful in blocking Republicans from taking control of the Senate gavel, which remained firmly in the hands of SenatorAndrea Stewart-Cousins of Westchester County, who was guarded by sergeants-at-arms on both sides.
By late in the afternoon, Democrats were considering action on a number of bills that dealt with subjects as varied as a low-cost electrical power for businesses and authorizing bonds for New York City. But one hotly contested issue was notably absent from the list: legislation that would extend the mayor’s authority to control New York City schools.
