S4051-2013 Actions

• Mar 6, 2013: REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

S4051-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4051

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to provide for a referendum on the question "Do
you  support  the division of New York into two separate states?"; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

PURPOSE OF BILL: To allow individual counties to place  an  initiative
on  their ballot to poll their citizens as to whether they support the
division of New York into two separate states.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: This bill would  permit  the  county  board  of
elections  of  each  county  in  New York State, at the request of the
county legislature  or  other  similar  governing  body,  to  place  a
non-binding  initiative  on  their  county ballot, before December 31,
2014; as to whether the citizens  of  the  county  would  support  the
division of New York into two separate states.

EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER:  This bill creates
a  new  unconsolidated  law  which would be automatically repealed and
expire on January 1, 2015.

JUSTIFICATION: Presently, there is a large degree of apparent  support
for  dividing New York into two separate states, so as to separate the
distinct social and political concerns between upstate  and  downstate
New  York.  This  bill  would help to measure this apparent support by
permitting county boards of elections to place an initiative on  their
ballot to poll the citizens of their county on this issue.

LEGISLATIVE  HISTORY:  2009-10--A8213  Referred  to  local governments
200708-A.6444, Referred to local governments 2005-06-A.4795, Held  for
consideration  in Local Governments 2003-04-A.1980/S.1044, Referred to
local  governments  2001-02-A.3376/S.2012,   Referred   to   Elections
Committee    1999-00-A.4133/S.2332,    Senate    Elections   Committee
1997-95-A.3597/S.2229,        Senate        Elections        Committee
1995-96-A.2501/S.1717,        Senate        Elections        Committee
1993-94-A.3528/S.2040, Senate Rules Committee  1991-92-A.10836/S.8749,
Senate Rules Committee 1/14/12 A1964 Referred to Elections

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Minimal undetermined cost to counties to place an
initiative on the ballot.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.

S4051-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         4051
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 March 6, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 

AN ACT to provide for a referendum on the question "Do you  support  the
 division of New York into two separate states?"; and providing for the
 repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 

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

 

Section 1. At the request of the county legislature or  other  similar
 governing  body  of any county, there shall be submitted by the board of
 elections of such county to the voters  of  such  county  at  a  general
 election held on or before December 31, 2014 the following question: "Do
 you support the division of New York into two separate states?"
 

S  2.  Such  question shall be submitted in the manner provided in the
 election law, and the provisions of such law, not inconsistent with this
 act, relating to the submission of  and  to  the  taking,  counting  and
 returning of the vote and canvassing the results upon a question submit
 ted  pursuant to law to the voters of the state shall apply to the ques
 tion herein required to be submitted. The ballots shall be in such  form
 as  prescribed  by  such  law.  When  a  board of elections   shall have
 completed its canvass of the results of the vote upon such question,  it
 shall  forthwith  certify  the results of the vote upon such question to
 the secretary of the senate and clerk of the assembly.
 

S 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  January
 1,  2015  when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
 repealed.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00142-01-3

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