What's happening
This bill allows the Mechanicville city attorney to live anywhere in Saratoga County, not just within the city.
Why it matters
Expands the city attorney candidate pool. By allowing the Mechanicville city attorney to live anywhere within Saratoga County, the bill could make it easier for the city to attract and hire qualified legal professionals, especially if there are limited options within the city itself.
Addresses potential recruitment challenges. If Mechanicville struggles to find or retain an attorney who lives within city limits, this change helps ensure the city can fill the position efficiently, possibly reducing vacancies and legal service disruptions.
Maintains local connection. The new requirement still ensures the city attorney is a resident of Saratoga County, preserving some degree of local accountability and understanding of regional issues, rather than opening the post to candidates from anywhere in New York State.
Sets a precedent for local exceptions. This legislation carves out a specific exemption for Mechanicville, highlighting how state residency requirements for public officials can be tailored to address the unique needs of individual municipalities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Waive City Attorney Residency
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S2068
- Advanced to third reading cal.530
- Reported
- Referred to governmental operations
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.
Drop Residency for City Attorney
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Daphne Jordan
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6357
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 6, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to waiving the residency requirement for the city attorney in the city of Mechanicville, Saratoga county
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3 of the public officers law is amended by adding a new subdivision 68 to read as follows:
68. In the city of Mechanicville, in the county of Saratoga, the provisions of this section requiring a person to be a resident of the political subdivision or municipal corporation of the state for which he or she shall be chosen or within which his or her official functions are required to be exercised, shall not prevent a person from holding the office of city attorney of the city of Mechanicville, provided that such person resides in Saratoga county within the state of New York; provided, however that any person performing such functions or holding the office of the city attorney in any other city shall be a resident of such county unless otherwise provided by law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08435-01-9
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.