What's happening
This bill revises the terms and appointment process for members of the New York State Thruway Authority board, including terminating current terms and establishing new staggered terms.
Why it matters
Immediate reset of board membership. By terminating the terms of all current board members and requiring reappointments, the bill gives the sitting governor significant influence over the composition of the Thruway Authority board, potentially shifting the direction of policy and oversight.
Staggered term structure. New appointments will have staggered terms of 3, 4, and 5 years, which could encourage continuity and stability on the board, reducing the likelihood of all members being replaced at once in the future.
Governor’s power increases with each election. The bill allows a newly inaugurated governor to terminate the terms of all board members appointed by their predecessor within 60 days, unless the new governor explicitly allows them to continue. This makes the board more directly responsive to changes in the executive branch and could lead to greater alignment with current administration priorities.
Senate confirmation bypassed for term continuations. If a new governor decides to keep a previous appointee, that extension does not require Senate confirmation, streamlining the process but reducing legislative oversight for these decisions.
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Who cares
Thruway Authority board members
The bill would terminate incumbent terms on March 31, 2019, or its effective date, whichever is later, while allowing members to serve until successors are appointed and qualified.
Governor and incoming governors
The bill would establish three-, four- and five-year board terms and end members’ terms 60 days after a different governor’s inauguration unless that governor orders their continuation.
New York State Senate
Senators would retain confirmation authority over board appointments, but a new governor could continue existing members’ terms without Senate confirmation.
Headline styles
Set Thruway Board Terms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2498
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to establishing the terms of the members of the board of the New York state thruway authority
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 352 of the public authorities law, as amended by chapter 766 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
1. (a) A board to be known as "New York state thruway authority" is hereby created. Such board shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a public corporation. It shall consist of seven members appointed by the governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate. [The members first appointed shall serve for terms ending three, six and nine years, respectively from January first next succeeding their appointment. Provided, however, that two board members first appointed on or after the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand five which amended this subdivision shall serve an initial term of two years; provided further that two other board members first appointed on or after the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand five which amended this subdivision shall serve an initial term of three years. Their successors shall be appointed for terms of nine years each.] A member to be designated as chairman in his or her appointment as a member shall be chairman of such board until his or her term as member expires. The chairman and the other members shall serve without salary or other compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or the provisions of any appointment by a governor, the terms of all members serving as such
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00959-01-9
A. 2498 2
on March thirty-first, two thousand nineteen, or on the effective date of this paragraph, whichever date is later, shall immediately terminate except that such members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed and have qualified.
(c) Two members of the board appointed on or after April first, two thousand nineteen, shall be appointed to terms of three years; two other members of the board shall be appointed to terms of four years; and three members of the board shall be appointed to terms of five years, provided, however, that such members shall continue to serve after the end of their terms until their successors are appointed and have qualified, and provided further that notwithstanding the term to which any such member shall have been appointed, the term of each member then serving shall terminate on the sixtieth day after the inauguration of a governor other than the one that originally appointed such member unless such new governor shall order the continuation of the term of such member. Such a continuation of the term of a member shall not require confirmation by the senate.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.