Albany session ends, and assessments begin

Though most of the action occurred in the first half, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and lawmakers are congratulating themselves for a "magnificent" 2012 legislative session.

They're touting new systems for tracking prescription painkillers and evaluating teachers, tax breaks for craft breweries, state pension reductions and a move to dramatically expand casino gambling in New York.

But there also is plenty that fell by the wayside. A minimum-wage hike, fiscal rescues for Nassau and Rockland counties and other municipalities, restrictions on "call centers" overseas, and a tax on "roll your own" cigarette shops all died.

Evaluating himself, the Democratic governor said 2012 was the "most productive and broadest-reaching in modern Albany political history."

Not everyone is cheering. A watchdog group found the assessments smug.

"Self-congratulatory rhetoric is out of sync with the actual modest achievements of the 2012 legislative session," said Susan Lerner of Common Cause. "The fact that an on-time budget and orderly end of session continue to make headlines in New York shows that our expectations are extraordinarily low."

To be sure, 2012 didn't have the electricity of 2011, when lawmakers enacted the state's first-ever property-tax cap and drew national and international attention by legalizing same-sex marriage.

Some are happy about what didn't happen. The Business Council of New York State crowed that it helped "to defeat a wide range of bills that would increase burdens on business," including the proposed minimum-wage hike.

Technically, the session is over. But many lawmakers expect to return after Election Day to clean up unfinished business -- and perhaps vote themselves their first pay hike in 13 years.

Assemb. Dan Burling, a Buffalo-area Republican who is retiring, gave a farewell speech but punctuated it with: "And I will be back to vote for your pay raise," drawing cheers and laughs from his colleagues.

Here's a look at the major action of 2012: