What's happening
This bill sets new standards for how counties (outside cities) must fairly divide into legislative districts, prioritizing equal representation and compactness.
Why it matters
Ensures equal voting power for residents. By requiring legislative districts to provide “substantially equal weight” for all county residents, the bill aims to prevent under- or over-representation in local government, meaning each person’s vote carries similar influence regardless of where they live.
Limits splitting of towns. The bill restricts dividing towns between districts unless a town’s population is unusually large, helping preserve community integrity and prevent “cracking” that can dilute local voices.
Protects party fairness and district shape. The new standards require plans to provide fair representation for political parties and mandate that districts must be both compact and contiguous, reducing the likelihood of gerrymandering and oddly-shaped districts designed for partisan advantage.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Counties Must Follow State Lines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Amended on third reading 426b
- Advanced to third reading cal.399
- Reported
- Referred to local governments
- Reported referred to rules
- Print number 426a
- Amend and recommit to local governments
- Referred to local governments
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.
Counties Can't Override State Redistricting
In Senate Committee · Local Government · Sponsor Jim Gaughran
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
426--B Cal. No. 399
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, GALEF, ORTIZ, GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL, ENGLEBRIGHT, PEOPLES-STOKES, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Governments in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the municipal home rule law, in relation to the division of a county into districts for the apportionment of members of its local legislative body
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 34 of the municipal home rule law is renumbered subdivision 5 and a new subdivision 4 is added to read as follows:
4. Any plan of apportionment adopted pursuant to a county charter or charter law relating to the division of any county, except a county wholly contained within a city, into districts for the purpose of the apportionment or reapportionment of members of its local legislative body shall be subject to federal and state constitutional requirements and shall comply with the following standards, which shall have priority in the order set forth in this subdivision, to the extent applicable:
a. The plan shall provide substantially equal weight for all of the residents of that county in the allocation of representation in the local legislative body.
b. In such plan, no town except a town having more than one hundred ten percent of a full ratio for each representative, shall be divided in the formation or representation areas. Adjacent representation areas in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03710-04-0
A. 426--B 2
the same town or city shall not contain a greater excess in population than five percent of a full ratio for each representative.
c. The plan shall provide substantially fair and effective representation for the people of the county as organized in political parties.
d. Representation areas shall be of convenient and contiguous territory in as compact form as practicable.
§ 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.