New York S 3175: Establishes a bi-county commission in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk to study the feasibility of establishing the state of Long Island

Bill Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
S. 3175 A. 2398
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
January 20, 2017
___________
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, GARBARINO, PALUMBO, SALA-
DINO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Oper-
ations
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 2.832
4 million which is greater than the population of 17 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 § 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in (underscored) is new; matter in bracketsitalics
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04090-01-7

S. 3175 2 A. 2398
1 by the county executive of the county in which such county executive
2 serves; 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the majority
3 leader of the county legislature from the county in which such majority
4 leader serves, and 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the
5 minority leader of the county legislature from the county in which such
6 minority leader serves. Members of the commission shall receive no
7 compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and
8 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members
9 of the commission shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing
10 authority. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same
11 manner as the original appointment.
12 § 3. The study authorized by section two of this act shall be
13 completed and submitted to the Nassau county legislature and the Suffolk
14 county legislature on or before July 1, 2019.
15 § 4. At the general election to be held November 5, 2019, the county
16 of Nassau and the county of Suffolk shall be submitted to the voters of
17 such counties, a referendum concerning whether or not the state of Long
18 Island shall be formed. Such referendum shall be deemed approved if it
19 is approved by a majority of the voters voting on such referendum in
20 each county, provided however that the approval of such referendum shall
21 not be binding upon the county of Nassau or the county of Suffolk.
22 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.