Chief among them is what to do about the biggest chunk of serious drug felons in the system.

Seventy-seven percent of drug felons in state prison today are second felony offenders.

Mr. Pataki's bill includes the most significant reductions for drug felons facing the most serious charges.

The Democratic leadership of the State Assembly has followed suit; the party's proposal would offer treatment for many more drug felons.

The Assembly, meanwhile, wants to offer treatment, instead of prison, for many more drug felons than the governor's proposal would allow.

Senate Republican leaders weighed in today on the debate over drug offenders with a $20 million proposal to expand treatment programs for nonviolent drug felons.

About 54 percent of that population are drug felons.

Under the current law, only prosecutors can send drug felons to treatment instead of prison.

States can opt out of this ban, but 42 still enforce it for at least some drug felons.

Previously, the governor had proposed that only the top class of drug felons would be eligible to request a judge to look at their cases.