Bill Text: NY S01453 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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-Introduced.html
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-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ S. 1453 A. 1406 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 IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations 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 16 be comprised of 24 members, 12 of whom shall reside in the county of 17 Nassau and 12 of whom shall reside in the county of Suffolk. The county 18 executive of each county shall serve on the commission as co-chairs. Of 19 the remaining 22 members, 5 members from each county shall be appointed 20 by the county executive of the county in which such county executive EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03747-01-1 S. 1453 2 A. 1406 1 serves; 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the majority 2 leader of the county legislature from the county in which such majority 3 leader serves, and 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the 4 minority leader of the county legislature from the county in which such 5 minority leader serves. Members of the commission shall receive no 6 compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and 7 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members 8 of the commission shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing 9 authority. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same 10 manner as the original appointment. 11 S 3. The study authorized by section two of this act shall be 12 completed and submitted to the Nassau county legislature and the Suffolk 13 county legislature on or before July 1, 2012. 14 S 4. At the general election to be held November 2, 2012, the county 15 of Nassau and the county of Suffolk shall be submitted to the voters of 16 such counties, a referendum concerning whether or not the state of Long 17 Island shall be formed. Such referendum shall be deemed approved if it 18 is approved by a majority of the voters voting on such referendum in 19 each county, provided however that the approval of such referendum shall 20 not be binding upon the county of Nassau or the county of Suffolk. 21 S 5. This act shall take effect immediately.