BILL NUMBER: S5414
SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing amendments to
article 6 of the constitution, in relation to the number of supreme
court justices in any judicial district
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The act would remove the current constitutional limitation on the number
of Supreme Court justices, allowing the legislature to set the number of
justices, as they can for every other court.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision d of 2 section 6 of article 6
of the constitution to remove the limitation of one supreme court
justice per fifty thousand occupants of a district.
Section 2 of the bill is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The current constitutional cap on the number of supreme court justices
has placed undue strain on the judicial system, resulting in a severe
backlog of cases. Judges across the state are overburdened and families
are left in limbo awaiting legal resolution. These delays disproportion-
ately harm people of color and the economically disadvantaged.
Two jurisdictions (Manhattan and the Bronx) have reached their Supreme
Court limit.
This legislation will increase the maximum number of Supreme Court
justices and family court judges, providing more flexibility for judi-
cial districts to meet the needs of the public. This will expedite court
processes, improve the public's experience of the judicial system, and
ultimately ensure that the courts are better able to serve all New York-
ers.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
That the foregoing amendments 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 for 3 months previous to the time of
such election.