POL HEADS PANEL FOR CONVICTED SENATOR

state sen. eric schneiderman will chair a bipartisan committee that will decide the fate of fellow senator hiram monserrate, who was convicted of a misdemeanor for assaulting his girlfriend.

monserrate beat a felony charge for slashing his girlfriend karla giraldo in the face with broken glass. giraldo maintained that it was an accident. a felony conviction would have cost monserrate, a queens democrat, his seat. but with a misdemeanor conviction, a wide chorus of prominent democrats throughout the state called for monserrate's resignation.

the panel will decide whether to expel him from the seat he was elected to last november.

"we will take all steps necessary to ensure that the special committee conducts a thorough inquiry into the facts of this case," schneiderman said. "i am committed to providing a full and fair hearing."