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New York, NY - Legislation to change the city's term limits law was set to be introduced to the City Council today, (as was reported here on VIN News), but at a news conference this afternoon, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said that she would not address the issue until it was discussed further.

Quinn said that even though the council caucused on the issue behind closed doors for hours yesterday, she did not have any announcements today.

"We are not close to a vote," Quinn said.

She said that the bill will be referred to the Government Operations Committee, and its chairman, Simcha Felder, has decided to hold two hearings to accommodate an anticipated high volume of speakers wishing to the heard on the subject.

The first hearing will be heard on Oct. 16 and will start at 3 p.m. Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the members are committed to staying "as long as we need to that day."

The second hearing will start the next day at 10 a.m. (assuming it's not one long hearing extravaganza that goes all night).

This one is expected to draw elected officials and others whose jobs don't prevent them from hanging out at City Hall in the middle of the day, although both hearings are open to the public. All this followed by a public hearing, and then a possible vote.

The speaker also expressed support for Felder, rejecting the idea that he should recuse himself from presiding over the committee's term limits deliberations because he has received more member items from Mayor Bloomberg than any other Council member.

"Councilmember Simcha Felder is, in my opinion, a very, very good councilmember - a person of high ethical standards," Quinn said. "He will take the position he thinks is right based on what he believes."

"Whatever support his community may have gotten, you know, in discretionary funding from the city will have no impact. I believe Simcha will make the decision he thinks is right."

The proposal would allow lawmakers, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to serve three consecutive four-year terms instead of two.

A competing bill aimed at thwarting Bloomberg's plan was also set to be introduced. It would require a voter referendum to change the law.

Each proposal would have to go through a committee and hearings, and a vote may not happen until the end of the month.

Some members say there appears to be enough support for the measure, but that it's not a sure thing.

"I think it's very, very evenly split, literally," said Councilman Bill de Blasio. "Some very strong 'no' voices, some very strong 'yes' voices, some real undecided folks. I think people were honest about the mixed feelings they're having."

Another issue is the support of cosmetics heir Ron Lauder, who spent millions to help impose term limits in the 1990s.

Lauder is reportedly not in favor of a permanent change in the law, and is only willing to support a one-time exception for Bloomberg.

The mayor's spokesman says Bloomberg spoke to Lauder on Friday and offered him a spot on a charter-revision commission to study the law and put it on a ballot referendum in 2010.

Lauder says he is waiting to speak with the mayor when he returns from his trip to Europe.

The mayor wrapped up his trip to Europe this morning.

He had breakfast with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and later spoke to the media about his plans for the future.

"Tomorrow, when I'm back in New York, my calls aren't going to be to [City Council Speaker Christine] Quinn about term limits, they are going to be to labor leaders about how we move this city forward in some very tough times," said Bloomberg. "Particularly protect their members, but, most importantly, protect the public."