Bill Text: NY S01453 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes a bi-county commission in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk to study the feasibility of establishing the state of Long Island.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-27 - PRINT NUMBER 1453A [S01453 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-S01453-Amended.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
           S. 1453--A                                            A. 1406--A
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                             S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y
                                    January 7, 2011
                                      ___________
       IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
         ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Govern-
         ment -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance
         with  Senate  Rule  6,  sec.  8 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
         ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
       IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once  and  referred
         to  the  Committee  on  Governmental  Operations -- recommitted to the
         Committee on Governmental Operations in accordance with Assembly  Rule
         3,  sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
         amended and recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT in relation to establishing a bi-county commission in  the  coun-
         ties  of  Nassau  and Suffolk to study the feasibility of establishing
         the state of Long Island
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1. Legislative findings: Nassau and Suffolk Counties comprise
    2  an area of 2,826 square miles, larger than the states  of  Rhode  Island
    3  and  Delaware.  The  combined  population  of  the two counties is 2.798
    4  million which is greater than the population of 19 states. For the years
    5  2002-2004, Long Island paid 8.124 billion dollars  in  state  taxes  yet
    6  only  5.2  billion  dollars  was  returned  in direct local aid, tuition
    7  assistance, highway aid, pension payments, lottery  money,  metropolitan
    8  transportation authority subsidies and Medicaid payments. For many years
    9  the  question  of forming the state of Long Island has been discussed in
   10  public and academic forums. The issue should be investigated,  a  report
   11  prepared and referendum held in Nassau and Suffolk counties so the citi-
   12  zens may be heard.
   13    S  2.  There  is  hereby  established  a  Nassau and Suffolk bi-county
   14  commission to study the feasibility of forming the state of Long  Island
   15  to  consist of the counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Such commission shall
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD03747-02-2
       S. 1453--A                          2                         A. 1406--A
    1  be comprised of 24 members, 12 of whom shall reside  in  the  county  of
    2  Nassau  and 12 of whom shall reside in the county of Suffolk. The county
    3  executive of each county shall serve on the commission as co-chairs.  Of
    4  the  remaining 22 members, 5 members from each county shall be appointed
    5  by the county executive of the county in  which  such  county  executive
    6  serves;  3  members  from each county shall be appointed by the majority
    7  leader of the county legislature from the county in which such  majority
    8  leader  serves, and 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the
    9  minority leader of the county legislature from the county in which  such
   10  minority  leader  serves.  Members  of  the  commission shall receive no
   11  compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their  actual  and
   12  necessary  expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members
   13  of the commission shall  serve  at  the  pleasure  of  their  appointing
   14  authority.  Vacancies  on  the  commission  shall  be filled in the same
   15  manner as the original appointment.
   16    S 3. The study  authorized  by  section  two  of  this  act  shall  be
   17  completed and submitted to the Nassau county legislature and the Suffolk
   18  county legislature on or before July 1, 2013.
   19    S  4.  At the general election to be held November 2, 2013, the county
   20  of Nassau and the county of Suffolk shall be submitted to the voters  of
   21  such  counties, a referendum concerning whether or not the state of Long
   22  Island shall be formed. Such referendum shall be deemed approved  if  it
   23  is  approved  by  a  majority of the voters voting on such referendum in
   24  each county, provided however that the approval of such referendum shall
   25  not be binding upon the county of Nassau or the county of Suffolk.
   26    S 5. This act shall take effect immediately.