NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10108
SPONSOR: Pirozzolo TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to section 2 of article 3 of the constitution, in relation to increasing
the length of the term of office and imposing term limits for members of
the legislature
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Increase the term length of members of the Senate and Assembly to six
years and impose term limits to no more than three consecutive six year
terms
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section two of article three of the constitution shall be
amended to state that as of the election of 2024, members of the Senate
and the Assembly shall be elected to serve a term of six years. And as
of the election of 2024, members of the legislature shall not serve for
more than three consecutive six year terms. Any partial term held by a
member of the legislature prior to the election to a consecutive six
year term shall not be used to calculate any term limitation.
Section 2: Resolves that the provisions of the foregoing amendments
shall apply only to terms of offices commencing after such amendments
shall have been adopted pursuant to section 1 of article 19 of the
constitution.
Section 3: Resolves that the forgoing amendments be referred to the
first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding
general election of members of the Assembly, and, in conformity with
section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published three months
previous to the time of such elections.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Section two of article three of the constitution shall be amended to
increase the term length of members of the Senate and Assembly to six
years and prohibit members of the legislature from serving any more than
three consecutive six year terms.
JUSTIFICATION:
Longer terms will provide legislators with more time to understand
complex issues deeply and to work on longer-term projects that benefit
the public. By reducing the frequency of elections, we can also expect a
decrease in campaign-related distractions and an increase in governance
focus. The term limits are introduced to prevent excessive entrenchment
in office, thereby encouraging new ideas and perspectives in the legis-
lature.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The foregoing amendments shall be referred to the first regular legisla-
tive session convening after the next succeeding general election of
members of the Assembly, and, in conformity with section 1 of article 19
of the constitution, be published three months previous to the time of
the election.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10108
IN ASSEMBLY
May 3, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PIROZZOLO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment to section 2 of article 3 of the constitution, in
relation to increasing the length of the term of office and imposing
term limits for members of the legislature
1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That section 2 of article
2 3 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
3 § 2. The senate shall consist of fifty members, except as hereinafter
4 provided. The senators [elected in the year one thousand eight hundred
5 and ninety-five shall hold their offices for three years, and their
6 successors] shall be [chosen] elected for terms of two years; provided,
7 that senators elected in the year two thousand twenty-four and in subse-
8 quent years shall hold their offices for six years. The assembly shall
9 consist of one hundred and fifty members. The assembly members [elected
10 in the year one thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight, and their
11 successors,] shall be [chosen] elected for terms of two years; provided,
12 that assembly members elected in the year two thousand twenty-four and
13 in subsequent years shall hold their offices for six years.
14 No person elected to office in the senate in the year two thousand
15 twenty-four and in subsequent years shall serve as a member of the
16 senate for more than three consecutive six year terms. No person elected
17 to office in the assembly in the year two thousand twenty-four and in
18 subsequent years shall serve as a member of the assembly for more than
19 three consecutive six year terms. Any partial term of office held as a
20 member of the legislature prior to the election to a consecutive six
21 year term shall not be used to calculate any term limitation imposed
22 pursuant to this paragraph.
23 § 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the provisions of the fore-
24 going amendments shall apply only to terms of offices commencing after
25 such amendments shall have been adopted pursuant to section 1 of article
26 19 of the constitution.
27 § 3. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendments be
28 referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
29 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in
30 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be
31 published three months previous to the time of such election.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89139-01-4
