After following developments in Washington where congressional Democrats have requested the tax returns of President Trump, only to be denied by the IRS, New York State has a workaround.

The State Senate plans to pass a bill that will make a person's state tax returns available when requested by a congressional committee.

“This is an issue of utmost national importance. We could actually help avoid a Constitutional showdown if New York could actually step in and provide the state tax returns of Donald Trump to the House Ways and Means Committee,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman.

So far, the same bill hasn’t gotten much movement in the State Assembly, where it’s barely been discussed.

It would have to pass both houses before going to Governor Cuomo’s desk. And while Cuomo has given mixed signals on whether he’d sign the bill, State Senate Republicans are defending the President.

“The issues that are taking place at the federal government level should be within the purview and authority of the federal government. This is a blatantly political act,” said Sate Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan.

The New York State Senate on Tuesday also passed a bill that would grant convicted felons who have finished serving their prison sentences the right to serve on a jury, something that is currently prohibited by law.

 “The notion that we are going to be talking about allowing convicted felons to serve on juries when crime is still running rampant. Their orientation, their philosophy, their agenda is totally divergent from what we support and what we believe in,” said Flanagan.

“They operate on the assumption that once a criminal, always a criminal, which we don’t agree with,” said State Senator Brian Benjamin. “We believe it’s about rehabilitation. The punishment component, but it’s about rehabilitation. That’s why it’s called the Department of Corrections, not the department of punishment.”

The bill allowing jury duty for convicted felons has already passed the requisite committees in the assembly, and is expected to be called for a full floor vote in the next few weeks. Governor Cuomo hasn’t indicated whether he will sign it.