NEW THIS MORNING

EXTRA SENATE SEAT WOULD NEGATE PRISONER LAW: The Senate Republicans' plan to add a 63rd Senate seat would negate the effect of a new law requiring prisoners to be counted at their home address, potentially saving their majority, a New York World analysis finds: http://bit.ly/zqDZ2Q NEW THIS MORNING: * Comptroller John Liu has handed out more than 760 official commendations since he took office in 2010, often to people who have contributed to his political campaign, the New York Times reports: http://nyti.ms/wapb6x * Outside a birthday fundraiser last night, Liu expressed appreciation for a news report pointing out that he has $1,500 in unpaid tax and electric bills, the Post reports: http://nyp.st/w8fgde * Nearly a third of cases against Occupy Wall Street protestors in court yesterday were dismissed, as a picture began to emerge of how the minor charges will be handled, the Wall Street journal writes: http://on.wsj.com/ztxGbw * Even as several establishment environmental groups are pushing for stringent nationwide rules to regulate hydrofracking, a grassroots movement to completely ban the practice has emerged – complicating life for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Times says: http://nyti.ms/y2RxYC * New York is one of three states that has been placed on a federal watch list for failing to comply with goals set while applying for federal Race to the Top education funds, the Times reports: http://nyti.ms/z19yzB * A new report issued by a coalition of road construction groups says that upstate has seen a decrease in Thruway infrastructure improvements, while the downstate parts of the system have seen double-digit increases, the Buffalo News writes: http://bit.ly/zqXpld