Provides that members of the legislature shall not serve more than five two year terms in either house; regardless of terms, service is limited to ten years in each house and no more than twenty years of service, in the aggregate, as a state legislator.

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S5611-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
• Jun 6, 2011: REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

S5611-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S5611

TITLE OF BILL:
An  act  to  amend the legislative law, in relation to term limits for
legislators

PURPOSE:
Provides that members of the legislature shall  not  serve  more  than
five two year terms in either house.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section  1  amends  the  legislative  law by adding a new section 2-A.
Section 2-A adds that any individual  may  serve  a  maximum  of  five
two-year terms in the state assembly and state senate. No person shall
have more than twenty years of service as a state legislator.

Section 2 states the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
Term  limits  encourage  regular  citizen  participation,  competitive
elections and help to prevent a government where long-time politicians
become deeply entrenched. The implementation of term limits is also  a
way to ensure that the legislature remains responsive to the people it
was  designed to serve. Term limits can also help foster new ideas and
can give way to new lawmakers with fresh perspectives.

In addition, by adding term limits to the legislature, it serves as  a
motivation  for  the  legislature  to act swiftly, bringing about real
change and reform for the people of New York State.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act will take effects January 1, 2013; only terms commenced on or
after such date shall be  counted  toward  an  individual's  years  of
service.

S5611-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    5611

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                June 6, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
    ment Operations

  AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in  relation  to  term  limits  for
    legislators

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section  2-a
  to read as follows:

    S  2-A. LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS. ANY INDIVIDUAL MAY SERVE A MAXIMUM OF
  FIVE TWO-YEAR TERMS FOR THE STATE ASSEMBLY. ANY INDIVIDUAL MAY  SERVE  A
  MAXIMUM  OF  FIVE  TWO-YEAR  TERMS FOR THE STATE SENATE. NO PERSON SHALL
  SERVE MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN EACH HOUSE. NO PERSON SHALL HAVE MORE  THAN
  TWENTY YEARS OF SERVICE, IN THE AGGREGATE, AS A STATE LEGISLATOR.
    S  2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2013; only terms commenced
  on or after such date shall be counted toward an individual's  years  of
  service.





   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD09977-02-1