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S7820Senate2013-2014 SessionSame asA10022

Provides for the selection a city court judge for the city of Watertown and for the city of Kingston

Sponsor Patty RitchieSD-48+1 co-sponsorAffects Legal
Status
Senate Floor Calendar
Impact
Pending
Outcome
Companion signed

Bill progress

Signed via A10022

What's happening

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Patty Ritchie

Senator · Senate District 48

Chair, Agriculture

1 Co-sponsor

History

  1. Substituted by A10022
  2. Ordered to third reading cal.1527
  3. Committee discharged and committed to rules
  4. Referred to judiciary

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

A10022Assembly

Provides for the selection a city court judge for the city of Watertown and for the city of Kingston

Signed by Governor · Sponsor Kevin Cahill

Signed into law

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S7820

Title of bill

An act to amend the uniform city court act, in relation to selection of certain city court judges

Purpose

To require the currently appointed full-time city court judge positions (that were previously part-time) in the City of Watertown and the City of Kingston to be converted into publicly elected offices by the residents of those cities.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 and Section 2 - removes the authority of the Mayor of Watertown and the Mayor of Kingston, respectively, to appoint city court judges to office.

Section 3 - Provides that the full-time city court positions of Watertown and Kingston shall be filled through the public election process in accordance with the Uniform City Court Act upon the first occurrence of a vacancy in office, including the expiration of a term.

Section 4 - Provides that this act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

In 2013, A.6552B (Morelle) / S.4043B (Bonacic) - which became Chapter 548 of the Laws of 2013 - made modifications to many City Court judgeships including, in some instances, conversion of part-time positions to full-time status. Both the City of Watertown and City of Kingston saw their part-time judgeships converted to full-time status. However, these newly transformed judgeships remained as an appointed position by each respective city's Mayor.

This bill will remedy this oversight in the selection process of these cities' newly formed full-time judge positions by requiring that future vacancies (including the expiration of current terms) be filled through the formal public election process in accordance with the Uniform City Court Act. The vast majority of the state's municipalities elect their city court judges, which is why this bill seeks to allow Kingston and Watertown to conform to the overwhelming practice of localities across the state.

Legislative history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.