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The special session will begin Tuesday, and could last for several days. The 2009 legislative session is scheduled to end Monday.

During a press conference Sunday, Paterson said he will keep members of the State Senate in Albany to take up time-sensitive legislation, including mayoral control of city schools and a half percent sales tax increase.

"Over the last couple of weeks, the senator's conduct has been laughable, but what's going around here these days is no joke and I don't find it funny," said Paterson. "To the senators, I tell you, you have inconvenienced the lives of all New Yorkers for a couple of weeks and now you will come back to work and do the people's business."

Under state law, the governor has the power to call for a special session, but has no authority to force a debate or vote on the Senate floor.

On Saturday, Paterson announced that he appointed two former state lawmakers to mediate the State Senate's power dispute, hours after the Democratic state senators proposed bipartisan rule over the Senate.

Former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine and former State Senator John Dunne will now mediate the State Senate's struggle over which political party has majority control.

Lundine served as lieutenant governor under Mario Cuomo and was a former congressman, while Dunne served in the State Senate from 1966 to 1989 and served time as deputy majority leader.

Paterson has also said Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann has agreed to preside over a special session if the mediation doesn't work.

The chaos in Albany started back on June 8th when Senator Pedro Espada Jr. and fellow Democrat Hiram Monserrate voted with Republicans to give the GOP a majority.

Since then, Monserrate has gone back to the Democrats, placing the State Senate in a 31-to-31 deadlock.

Meanwhile, both Espada and Republican leader Dean Skelos say they're willing to convene a session every day to pass priority legislation. Since they claim their coalition is in power, they say they're not bound by the previous senate calendar, which would eliminate the need for a special session.

In a released statement, Espada said, "What we do need is all 62 Senators to show up for work, starting Monday morning, and remain in Albany as long as it takes to address, debate and vote on important legislation."